Topic: Zoology / Animals

Tuesday
Objectives
 To learn the characteristics of birds
 To understand how birds reproduce and the structure of an egg
 To learn the different types of birds and their habitats
 To learn how birds fly
 To learn what birds are found in Barbados
 Endangered birds

Recap, Birds and their characteristics – 30 mins

“Do you guys still remember what K-P-C-O-F-G-S means when classifying organisms ? Today we’ll
be looking at an other class in the animal kingdom . let’s see if you guys can figure out which one it
is as we give you some hints

So we already know, it is belongs to the animal kingdom

Next, “P” for Phylum. I’ll give you a hint, this type of animal has a backbone, what Phylum does it
belong to? It belongs to the phylum Cordata because it has a backbone.

After “P” comes “C” which stands for Class. Unfortunately, there is no hint for Class like there is for
Phylum so we’ll have to just tell you guys. This animal belongs to the class Aves.

Don’t worry, we didn’t forget about “O”, “F”, “G” and “S”. These letters stand for the other levels,
which are Order, Family, Genus and Species. You won’t need these levels to guess what animal we
are talking about today.

Now that we have this information; the kingdom is Animalia, the phylum is Cordata (because it has
a backbone) and the class is Aves, can anyone guess what type of animal we are talking about?

We are talking about birds! Aves is the class of vertebrates that contain the birds of Earth.
Scientists who study birds are called ornithologists, they are essentially zoologists who focus
completely on birds.

Just like mammals they are certain traits or features that help us to decide what is classified as a
bird. Do you know what any of them are ? let’s watch this video to find out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF0Id-hH9y4

can you name the traits shown in the video? Feathers , wings, beaks , eggs . let’s look at these
features some more.

Feathers
The most important characteristic of birds are their feathers, every kind of bird has feathers
whereas no other animal on Earth has them. So, if you see an animal with feathers, it has to be a
bird, and since it is a bird, what class does it belong to? The class of Aves. Feathers are made of
keratin, which is the same stuff that your fingernails and hair are made of.

Feathers have different parts , The long shaft in the middle of the feather is hollow which helps to
make it lightweight (called the rachis). The thin branches coming out of the shaft are called barbs,
and the thinner parts coming off of the barbs are called barbules / bar-bules .These help to keep
the feather together .

Feathers help to keep birds warm. Feathers also protect them from injury. In most kinds of birds,
feathers help them to fly.

● Feathers insulate birds from water and cold temperatures.

●They may also be plucked to line the nest and provide warmth to the eggs and young.

●The individual feathers in the wings and tail play important roles in controlling flight.

● Feathers provide camoflage: help them to keep safe on their environment.

● Feathers are colourful and help them to display themselves to attract other birds

They are also different types of feathers that have different functions .
types of feathers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvlyVsIdFIM

experiment with how feathers stay dry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqKjsAG6tps

Wings

Like feathers, all birds have wings but even though all birds have wings, all birds cannot fly. Unlike
feathers which are unique to birds, wings can be found elsewhere in the animal kingdom. Bats are
mammals that have wings, and they can also fly! Birds have very powerful chest muscles and their
wings have a slight curvature in them so as to provide lift. In fact, bird wings work in the exact
same way as the wings of an aeroplane, they both create lift which is what helps both birds and
aeroplanes to fly.

Activity -birds from plates and see if they fly

Beaks

All birds also have beaks, but like wings, beaks can be found elsewhere in the animal kingdom as
well. Both octopi and turtles have beaks that are almost identical to the beaks of a bird. Beaks are
made of a bony core which is surrounded by a thin layer of keratin, the same material that the
feathers are made of. Because birds have beaks, they grind or rip their food into small pieces that
they can swallow. They do not have teeth like us so they cannot chew their food.

Activity - Make bird feeder that can be hung outside to see if it will attract any birds and you can
tell us if it attracts any birds
Eggs

Another interesting characteristic of birds is that they lay eggs, this is completely different to
mammals which we talked about on Monday. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsCJL11Tol0&ab_channel=PakistanPoultryAssociation 

With some birds it all starts with behavior aimed at attracting a mate. This may involve a type of
display, usually performed by the male. Some displays are very elaborate and may include
dancing, flying or wing or tail drumming. Most male birds also sing a type of song to attract
females. Male peacocks use their colorful feathers to attract females. Females tend to mate with
the males with the largest, brightest feathers. Eagles do aerial acrobatics and tumbling. These are
other ways to attract mates. If they are successful at attracting a female, it will lead to breeding.

Video about how some birds attract their mates https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=W7QZnwKqopo

All birds reproduce by laying eggs. Eggs are produced inside the female and then laid in their nest.
In domestic female birds such as chickens, egg laying can happen without fertilization or even the
help of a male. In some species of birds like doves, both female and male birds sit on the nest,
while other species like parrots either leave this chore to the female only or leave it to nature to
provide the warmth needed by the developing chick. In most species of pet birds, both parents are
actively involved in feeding, and caring for the chicks.
The egg includes the shell and shell membranes (10 percent); the albumen or white (60 percent),
and the yolk (30 percent). In a fertilized egg, the yolk supplies the nutrients and the albumen
supplies the water necessary for the development of the growing chick(embryo) . In addition, the
layers of albumen act as a cushion to protect the embryo from jarring movements, while the
chalazae help to maintain the orientation of the embryo within the egg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzQXw9EsR3k

Experiment https://www.indypl.org/blog/for-kids/science-experiment-acids-bouncing-egg

this will allow the children to see the inside of the egg

Session 2 - Types of birds

Let’s talk about flight & flightless birds!

What are flight birds?

It is the primary mode of locomotion known to be the most complex form in the animal kingdom.
Each facet of this type of motion, including hovering, taking off and landing.

How do Birds fly?

When you look outside, you probably see lots of different birds flying and soaring from place to
place. Their wings flap and help them to fly high in the air. Then, their wings spread out in a strong,
straight line to continue soaring.
Flying is possible for birds because of their strength, speed, weight and the way their bodies are
created with parts such as wings. These are adaptations, or special and different features, that are
designed to help birds fly. There are many different birds with different ways of flying. Let's
explore how birds have the awesome ability to fly.

Types of flight birds.

Passive soaring: have long primary feathers that spread out creating “slots” allowing the birds to
catch vertical columns of hot air and soar higher in the air. Example: Bald Eagle

Active soaring: long and narrow feathers allowing birds to soar or fly without flapping their wings
for a long time. Example: Gull

High-speed wings: long and thin feathers but not as long as birds with active soaring. Example:
Ducks

What are flightless birds?

Birds that lost their abilities to fly but still have wings. However, the wings are smaller and less
developed than flight birds. Examples: Ostrich, Penguins, Turkey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjCar2YQRoI

Activity - Who Am I ?

Hummingbird

I am the smallest migrating bird who’s known for its melodious song and flapping wings.

I’m the only bird that can fly backwards

My primary food is tree sap, insects and pollen

I add beauty to the environment with colors such as teal, green & yellow.

Peewittler

I am a flycatcher and my original name is the Caribbean elaenia

I can be found in woodlands all round

Depending where I live in the Caribbean

I can be yellow, white or brown

Green Backed Herons

I am locally know as a Gaulin

A very intelligent bird

I have a very special call

a bit like an agitated chicken!

Eagle

I’m known to be one of the most powerful birds in the sky

I have a massive head and a yellow beak.

I have keen vision

I never eat dead meat

Chicken

I am local and you eat me very often.

I lay eggs which range in color from pure white, to dark brown, to olive green to speckled.

You can hear me day and night before you see me

There are 9,000 to 10,000 species of birds.

Habitat

What is a bird’s habitat?

A bird’s habitat are trees, shrubs, meadows, and even rock walls that produce such shelter.
Native trees and shrubs of different densities and heights give birds places of retreat and safety.

In the winter, evergreens and hedgerows and dense thickets offer critical cover.

Examples

Hummingbird - Wooded areas

Gaulin – wetlands

Chicken – usually they can be found on Farms / Backyards but lately they are living all over the
place.

Penguins - Frigid Tundra areas of icy climates like Antarctica

Activity – build a bird nest

https://kidscraftroom.com/make-a-birds-nest-steam-project/

birds as pollinators

The birds help fertilize plants in the same way as any other pollinator—by transferring pollen (via
their bills) from one flower to another as they flit between plants feeding on nectar. Bird
pollination mainly occurs in tropical regions, where they help pollinate a few food crops, including
bananas and papaya. When pollination is carried out by birds, it is called "Ornithophily."
Hummingbirds are one of the most common bird pollinators in Barbados . Fun fact about
humming birds , it’s the only bird that can fly backwards .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTceLKXwHLY

Session 3

So let’s talk about birds that we do see in Barbados.

Three most common bird species in Barbados

Begin by showing the kids this collage and asking them to identify each bird.

1 - Barbados Bullfinch (More commonly known as a Sparrow or a Sparky)

2 - Zenaida Dove / zen - eye - da / (More commonly known as a Wood dove)

3 - Carib Grackle (More commonly known as a Barbados Blackbird)

The Barbados Bullfinch is the only endemic species of bird in Barbados. This means that Barbados
is the only place in the entire world where you can find that kind of bird.

In addition to the local bird population, Barbados is also a temporary home for migratory birds
who head to our shores in winter for the warmth. Species include

Ducks

Falcons
warblers

Terns

Many of these migratory birds can be found in the wetland areas of Barbados, such as the Graeme
Hall and Chancery Lane.

Allow children to look out the window and identify any birds they see.

Endangered Birds

As mentioned earlier, an endangered mammal is an animal whose population size is decreasing,

this means that there are only a few of the species left alive on the entire planet. A species is
classified as critically endangered when there are fewer than 2,500 mature individuals living.
Endangerment is the stage before extinction.

What caused these birds to go extinct? What led to their endangerment to begin with?

What leads to Bird Endangerment?

If you cast your minds back to the session where we mentioned the term ecosystem, you will
remember one important thing. Each animal has an important role to play which assists with
stabilizing the environment.

What roles do birds play to humans and the environment?

Birds serve as food to many animals such as snakes, foxes and raccoons within the wild as well as
humans.

Many birds are very beautiful so many are captured and used as pets.

They are also used in agriculture for pollination

They are used to help with the decay of dead animals

However, some roles are detrimental to the existence of birds. For instance:

Due to their beauty, many have been used for their feathers to make hats and other items of
clothing along with quill pens and bedding.

Obtaining their feathers led to the increase in hunting practices. In some cultures bird hunting is a
cultural activity.

Birds like chickens are used in competitive games for gambling. This results in many injuries and
even death.

Due to pollution such as oil spills , When oil sticks to a bird's feathers, it causes them to mat and
separate, impairing waterproofing and exposing the animal's sensitive skin to extremes in
temperature.

excess use of pesticides, modernization, and extensive radiation, many birds are getting extinct.

Activity – oil spill simulation

Have students measure four tablespoons of vegetable oil and use a fork or a whisk to mix it with 1-
4 drops of food coloring. Ask: What do you think the oil and food coloring represent? Explain to
students that the oil represents crude oil and the food coloring represents chemicals trapped
inside of the oil. Make sure they understand that the food coloring will not mix completely with
the oil. Place feathers in the water then carefully pour the dyed oil into the center of the container
with water.

Allow students to try to remove the oil from feathers as quickly as possible .
Or allow children to try and guess a bird we talked about today based on it’s feather

song to recap birds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLjMhZuqKqo