Bird Study

2019
Monday
Materials: Whiteboard, markers, bird parts key, bird wing key, blank bird parts handouts, blank bird wing
handouts, blank paper, lined paper, career profiles, spare writing utensils
 Introduction/attendance, favourite bird (go around and learn names)
 Rules (be on time, prepared, and respectful (both to the instructors, each other, and nature))
 Collect and check blue cards (scoutmaster signature must be filled out)
 Homework (#11, career report, due by dinner on Wednesday in homework box)
o Come during open program!
 Introduce today’s theme – the basics and anatomy! (#1, #2)
 What is a bird? Or, in other words, what makes a bird?
o Take answers and list off on whiteboard. Examples include: vertebrate, endothermic (warm-
blooded), feathers, wings, flight (most of the time), toothless beaked jaws, hard-shelled eggs,
high metabolic rate, four-chambered heart (same as humans), lightweight but durable skeleton,
bipedal, literally dinosaurs
 Why are birds important? Why study and monitor them? (#1)
o Refer to information below (don’t read it word for word). Points to touch on: pollination, seed
dispersal, pest control, carcass disposal (do explain the situation in India – it’s a fantastic
example)
o Environmental indicators! “Canary in a coal mine,” accumulator of dangerous chemicals (top of
food chain), exist in almost every habitat and niche, affected by local and global trends
 Explain two examples in information section.
 Transition: To study birds, we must understand how they work...enter bird anatomy!
 Bird parts! Why is it important to know the different parts of birds? (Answer: field guides and
identification, which we’ll expand on tomorrow)
o Pass out blank bird parts sheets and run through the parts on your colored key, explaining
unfamiliar terms (e.g. scapulars, tibiotarsus) and emphasizing important parts for identification
due to coloration and patterning (e.g. crown, wingbars).
o Afterwards, pass out blank paper and have them do a rough sketch of a mount using their paper
as a guide. (start #2)
 Transition: Wings are especially complicated, being designed very efficiently for flight...
o Pass out blank bird wing sheets and run through the parts and purposes on your colored key.
Many parts can be compared to a plane’s design (such as coverts to improve aerodynamics – see
information below). (finish #2)
 Remaining time can be spent introducing the career report homework.

Tuesday
Materials: Bird ID logs, field guides, taxidermy bird mounts, binoculars
 Attendance
 Reminder about homework assignments (due by dinner on Wednesday!)
o Come during open program!
 Lightning review of yesterday’s topics – the basics and anatomy!
 Introduce today’s theme – field guides and identification intro! (#3, start #5)
 Distribute bird ID logs and run through the components (also reminding scouts to keep their papers in
the homework box). (start #5)
 Pass out bird field guides and lead the scouts through identifying one of the mounts, adding it to their ID
logs. Also incorporate relevant posters. The identification, location, and date/time are the important
components in the field; the life history information can be looked up in field guides later. Do one more
 example with them, unless they seem to have a good grasp universally. Either way, they can then
identify the bird mounts as a group (make sure everyone has a field guide or is participating in some
way!), except for the Pileated Woodpecker.
 Once multiple mounts have been correctly identified, bring out the woodpecker, hold it still for a few
seconds, then have it “fly” out the back door and hide it in the kitchen. Can they still identify it? See
what details they picked out having previously only observed immobile birds (probably only a few).
o What was the point of that demonstration? (Answer: birds rarely stick around to let you observe
them and flip through a field book – you need to be able to pick out the defining characteristics,
such as size, color, and patterns quickly)
 Transition: What if the bird is not only moving, but also far away?
 Introduce and explain the purpose and uses of a monocular, a spotting scope, and binoculars. (#3)
o Distribute binoculars and address specification numbers, as well as proper adjustment, focusing,
and cleaning/maintenance.
 Remaining time can be spent identifying the rest of the taxidermy mounts and then researching life
history (when it’s found in PA, feeding habitat, two types of food that it’s likely to eat).
 Remind scouts of the bird walk tomorrow morning at 5:30 AM! All must attend to not receive a
partial!

Wednesday Morning Bird Walk (5:30 AM to 6:30 AM)

Materials: Binoculars, field guides, bird ID logs, lined paper, cardboard writing surfaces, spare writing utensils
 Attendance
 Recap proper binocular use and maintenance for Fish and Wildlife Management and Nature merit badge
participants (have the Bird Study participants explain most concepts from yesterday!).
 Bringing their ID logs, lead the scouts in a loop around camp, touching on various locations and habitats
(i.e. forest, lake, fields, edge). Listen carefully for bird calls and identify to the best of your ability,
locating the bird’s physical location if at all possible.
 Touch on why the birds might be singing or calling. For at least five birds that were identified by sound,
add a note in the margin/empty log space describing the song or call and a possible reason/associated
behavior. (#7)
 The Bird Study students should lead the other scouts in most of the identification, promoting leadership
as well as practicing the content from yesterday.

Wednesday
Materials: Example range maps, blank range maps, colored pencils/sharpies, spare writing utensils
 Attendance
 Emphasize that homework is due by dinner!
o Come during open program!
 Lightning review of yesterday’s topics – field guides and identification intro!
 Introduce today’s theme – bird walk debrief and range maps! (#4, #7 [bird walk], #8a)
 Bird walk debrief! (#8a)
o Where all did we visit and why?
o Why did we see several of some bird species but only one or two of others?
o Other comments and/or suggestions?
 Transition: I’m sure you’ve noticed that most birds aren’t around during the cold season...but where do
they go?
 Range map activity! (#4)
o Pass out blank range maps and explain the example range maps to the scouts, as well as how to
find them in the field guides (emphasize the index).
 Remaining time can be spent on finishing homework, revisions, and feeder bird ID if necessary.
Thursday
Materials: Bird beak adaptations guide, bird feet adaptations guide, pinecones, peanut butter, knives, small
containers, wild bird seed, bin for seed, string
 Attendance
 Return homework if necessary
 Lightning review of yesterday’s topics – bird walk debrief and range maps!
 Introduce today’s theme – bird adaptations and pinecone feeders! (#6, #9a)
 Intro: Now that we’re familiar with a nice variety of bird species, let’s talk about some trends that you
might’ve noticed and the reason behind them.
 Four main categories of adaptations: (refer to information below and the visual guides to beak and feet
adaptations)
o Beak
o Body
o Leg and foot
o Feathers/plumage
 Transition: Next, we’re going to make a simple but creative feeder and figure out what all beak
adaptation groups it may appeal to!
 Pinecone feeder activity!
o Confirm that there are no pine, peanut, nor string allergies among the scouts! If there are,
discuss an alternative.
o Set out a box of string, a bin of pinecones, a bin of wild bird seed, and a few containers with
peanuts butter and knives. Construct one example by first tying the string to the pinecone,
spreading peanut butter over the pinecone, and roll it in bird seed. Hang in an appropriate
location along the forest edge behind Gilmore. Following these directions, scouts may begin.
o Each scout must complete one feeder. If they would like to and have completed all their
homework for Ecology/Conservation merit badges, they may make more. Identify birds at the
feeder out front if additional birds are still needed.

Friday
Materials: IUCN Red List graphic
 Attendance
 Return homework if necessary
 Lightning review of yesterday’s topics – bird adaptations and pinecone feeders!
 Introduce today’s theme – bird conservation and wrap-up! (finish #5, #10)
 Intro: At the beginning of the week, we discussed why birds are important, one example of which being
their use as an environmental indicator. Because birds are so vulnerable to environmental changes,
several are struggling...
 IUCN Red List graphics (#10a)
 What threats exist to birds? Answers include: habitat loss (destruction and fragmentation, biggest
threat), species introduction (unfamiliar predators and disease), hunting and exploitation, hybridization,
pollution, pesticides
o Examples of extinct species and cause for decline are found below.
o Examples of threatened/endangered bird species and cause for decline are found below.
 How can we reverse or prevent these negative effects? Answers include: captive breeding and
reintroduction, translocations, habitat protection (#10b)
o Expand on examples with examples of success below, including the story of DDT and birds of
prey (especially the bald eagle).
 Review any remaining field notebook work. (finish #5)
Requirements, information, and brainstorming:
1. Explain the need for bird study and why birds are useful indicators of the quality of the environment.
Describe how birds are part of the ecosystem.
a. Many plants depend on pollination by birds, especially the hummingbird which feeds on nectar, to
reproduce successfully.
b. Several trees, conifers in particular, are very reliant on birds for spreading their seeds. Birds with
fruit-based diets likewise aid in spreading many tree and plant seeds. Due to their migration habits,
this includes over longer distances (as opposed to resident mammals).
c. Birds of prey, such as hawks and owls, consume and control many pest species populations
(especially rodents). Many bird species consume and control insect populations, eating hundreds of
millions of metric tons each year all around the world.
d. Perhaps the most underappreciated ecosystem service from birds comes from the scavengers, such as
vultures, ravens, and crows. Without them, much less ideal alternatives would take their place, for
example the massive packs of feral dogs in India that lead to millions of additional dog bites each
year and a multi-billion dollar health crisis (India has the highest human rabies rate in the world). All
of this because 99.9% of their vultures were lost due to a vulnerability to an anti-inflammatory
medication for cows (which are the most common carcass, considering Hinduism prohibits the
consumption of cows).
e. Ever hear of a canary in a coal mine? Miners used to take caged canaries into coal mines to detect
poisonous gases like carbon monoxide and methane. Because canaries are far more sensitive to these
pollutants than humans, the miners could take note of signs of poisoning in the birds as a sign to
escape or put on a mask before they were affected themselves. Birds are especially sensitive to
environmental changes, therefore acting as fantastic bioindicators. They are present in some capacity
in nearly every ecosystem around the world, numerous and easily observable with a large amount of
available life history information. Being at the top of most food chains, they are the final and largest
accumulator of dangerous chemicals (see: birds of prey and DDT). On the note of food chains, they
appear in many places in food webs with a large variety of diets and niches. If anything in their
habitat changes, birds are going to feel it. Their universal involvement and interactions with their
ecosystems across the world give scientists a window into not only local, specific threats, but also
global threats such as climate change.
f. Examples of birds being used as environmental indicators:
1. Scientists monitor the common loons of Adirondack Park in New York to gauge the impact
of pollutants from coal-burning power plants, atmospheric mercury in particular. Through
monitoring the success of the loons’ breeding season and correlating the decline to increased
levels of mercury contamination, enough scientific evidence was gathered to show the need
for regulations on mercury emissions world-wide.
2. By monitoring bird songs using microphones, researchers at Oregon State University are able
to use an automatic system to monitor when birds migrate back from their wintering grounds.
Data collected throughout the years shows birds arriving earlier and earlier as the climate
continues to warm rapidly.
2. Show that you are familiar with the terms used to describe birds by sketching or tracing a perched bird and
then labeling 15 different parts of the bird. Sketch or trace an extended wing and label six types of wing
feathers.
a. See: Bird Parts Key, Bird Wing Key, Blank Bird Parts, Blank Bird Wing x2
b. Bird part terms that aren’t self-explanatory: (you can figure out what a toe, back, and tail are)
1. Crown – patch on the top of head, often colored and/or patterned.
2. Scapulars – the section of the features that cover the top of the wing when folded at rest, like
a shoulder of sorts.
3. Rump – patch right above tail, often colored and/or patterned.
4. Tibiotarsus – a fusion of bones that make up the main bone of the leg.
5. Wingbars – a line of contrasting color on the coverts.
6. Flank – the lower sides, sometimes colored and/or patterned.
 c. Wing feather terms:
1. Primary flight feathers (primaries) – being the longest feathers and most important for flight,
primaries propel the bird through the flapping motion. Without its primary flight features, a
bird cannot fly (hence domestic birds often having their “wings clipped,” the primaries are
removed).
2. Secondary flight feathers (secondaries) – not as important for flight as the primaries, but still
significant, the stiffer secondaries give the bird lift.
3. Primary coverts – overlay the primaries, providing efficient and smooth airflow in flight.
4. Secondary coverts – overlay the secondaries, with the same purpose as primary coverts.
5. Lesser coverts – remaining covert feathers that overlap primary and secondary coverts. With
these coverts overlapping one another and the flight features, birds conserve energy thanks to
efficient aerodynamics.
6. Alula – homologous to the thumb, the alula assists with lift and is most commonly used by
birds of prey to allow a higher angle of attack without stalling. If looking at a plane wing, one
can see a similar structure as the slats.
3. Demonstrate that you know how to properly use and care for binoculars, a spotting scope, or a monocular.
a. Explain what the specification numbers mean on binoculars, a spotting scope, or a monocular.
1. Specification numbers have two parts (example being 8 x 42). The first number is the
magnification power – a magnification power of 8 would mean that the object being viewed
will appear 8 times closer than with the naked eye. For example, something 100 meters away
will appear as though it were 12.5 meters away (100 divided by 8). The second number is the
objective lens diameter (in millimeters) – naturally, an objective lens diameter of 42 would
have a 42mm lens diameter. The larger the lens, the more light is captured, allowing one to
have a brighter view (therefore more useful in low-light conditions).
b. Show how to adjust the eyepiece and how to focus for proper viewing.
1. On most binoculars, including ours, there are two steps for adjusting and two steps for
focusing. To adjust, first adjust the sides until they are in-line with your eyes, forming a
single circle (as opposed to two disorienting, overlapping circles). If wearing glasses, or
simply for comfort, one can twist out the eyecup on each eyepiece. To focus the binoculars,
first choose an object a fair distance away, such as a building or tree across the street. Then
close your right eye and turn the center focus wheel until said object becomes clear. Keeping
the center focus wheel where it is, open your right eye and close your left eye. This time, turn
the ring on the right eyepiece below the eyecup, known as the diopter ring, until the view is
clear. This is to compensate for the difference in vision quality between your two eyes. From
there, you’re ready to observe wildlife! Just remember to keep the diopter ring where it is, as
it is already adjusted to your sight as needed – only turn the center focusing wheel to change
focus.
c. Show how to properly care for and clean the lenses.
1. Caring for binoculars is mostly preventative, with some maintenance and storage tips in
addition. When using binoculars, be careful not to hit them against objects as it may not only
damage the lens, but also important internal components such as the prisms (swinging them
by the strap is clearly unacceptable). In storage, keep the binoculars dry and in their
individual cases. While our current binoculars are water-resistant, they are not water-proof.
Finally, wipe the lens before and after use using either a cloth that came with the case or
paper and fluid that are both specifically made for cleaning lens (and even then, do not drop
the fluid directly on the lens as it can seep inside). Using other methods, such as a paper
towel or clothing can damage the easily scratched lens.
d. Describe when and where each type of viewing device would be most effective.
1. Between monocular, binoculars, and spotting scope, we have the most use for binoculars.
Binoculars are best for scouting and watching for longer periods of time (wildlife, in
particular), while the monocular might be best for long-distance hiking trips or exploring as it
is more compact. The spotting scope is useful for observing wildlife far enough away that
 even binoculars aren’t sufficient. Typically best for relatively stationary use, some spotting
scopes can be transported over short to medium distances.
4. Demonstrate that you know how to use a bird field guide. Show your counselor that you are able to
understand a range map by locating in the book and pointing out the wintering range, the breeding range,
and/or the year-round range of one species of each of the following types of birds: (Seabird, Plover, Falcon
or hawk, Warbler or vireo, Heron or egret, Sparrow, Nonnative bird)
a. See: Blank Range Map x8
5. Observe and be able to identify at least 20 species of wild birds. Prepare a field notebook, making a separate
entry for each species, and record the following information from your field observations and other
references. Note (5a) the date and time, (5b) the location and habitat, (5d) whether the bird is a migrant or a
summer, winter, or year-round resident of your area, and then (5c) describe the bird's main feeding habitat
and list two types of food that the bird is likely to eat.
a. See: Bird Identification Logs
b. Birds will be observed and identified primarily during merit badge session and morning bird walk.
6. Describe to your counselor how certain orders of birds are uniquely adapted to a specific habitat. In your
description, include characteristics such as the size and shape of the following:
a. Beak
1. https://www3.macaulaylibrary.org/bins/862/share
2. Nectar (ex: hummingbirds) – long, hollow beaks protecting the tongue used to retrieve
nectar.
3. Snatching/Spearing (ex: herons, egrets, mergansers) – long, sharp beaks used to snatch or
spear fish out of water.
4. Tearing (ex: birds of prey/raptors) – strong, sharp beaks used to tear apart animal meat.
5. Probing (ex: shorebirds) – very long, thin beaks used to probe sand or mud for food.
6. Drilling/Pecking (ex: woodpeckers) – strong beaks used to drill holes into trees (fun fact: the
woodpecker’s tongue wraps around its brain to protect it from trauma while pecking wood).
7. Seed cracking (ex: cardinals, sparrows, finches) – short, strong beaks with a triangular shape
used to crack open seeds.
8. Aerial insectivores (ex: flycatchers, swallows) – very short, wide, flat beaks used to swipe
flying insects out of the air.
9. Filtering (ex: mallards, teals, certain other ducks) – beaks designed like a strainer for filtering
out food from water.
10. Foliage insectivores (ex: warblers, thrushes) – sharp, pointed beaks used to precisely pick out
insects from foliage.
b. Body
1. Wings
a. Adapted to hunting – long, pointed wings for gliding, hovering, turning, and diving
(ex: gulls, other sea birds). Finger-like feathers at the end of wings to allow small
changes during long-distance gliding, minimizing energy usage and requiring little to
no actual wing flapping while searching for food.
b. Adapted to flying habit – migratory birds have pointed wings that nearly bend
backwards, making it difficult to take off but much easier to fly over long distances.
Birds such as pheasants, on the other hand are able to take off very quickly but can
only fly short distances.
2. General structure – designed to be as weight efficient as possible, including features such as
“hollow” bones (not truly hollow – contains large air pockets).
3. Vision
a. Adapted to hunting – predators have binocular vision in which the eyes face forward
to focus on an object at the same time, allowing better distance judgement.
b. Adapted to avoiding danger – many birds that are often preyed upon or must pay
close attention to all of their surroundings, such as the American woodcock, have
 largely monocular vision as there is one eye on both sides of the head (therefore able
to have nearly complete sight around them at all times).
4. Hearing
a. Adapted to hunting – some predators, such as nocturnal owls, have asymmetrical ear
openings to aid in locating prey by sound.
c. Leg and foot
1. Climbing (ex: woodpeckers) – two toes forwards, two toes backwards, allowing movement
up, down, and sideways on trees.
2. Swimming/Wading (ex: ducks, gulls, herons [without webbing]) – long, spread toes
distribute weight evenly, allowing birds to walk on soft surfaces around the water’s edge.
Some water birds also have webbing between their toes to facilitate swimming.
3. Running/Kicking (ex: emus, ostriches) – flightless birds, in particular, have strong legs and
sharp claws to allow fast speeds and powerful kicking to protect themselves.
4. Perching (ex: warblers, thrushes, wrens, most songbirds) – flexible toes that are relatively
independent of each other in movement and a tendon that allows them to practically lock
their toes in place give versatile perching ability.
5. Grasping (ex: birds of prey, raptors) – primarily for grasping onto prey and tearing meat with
extremely sharp and strong talons.
6. Scratching (ex: chickens, pheasants, wild turkeys) – strong feet allows scratching through dirt
and debris to uncover seeds and insects.
d. Feathers/plumage
1. Insulation (down feathers) – there is a reason why these feathers are so desirable for clothing,
bedding, and otherwise. These feathers are designed to conserve heat very efficiently.
2. Molting – feathers wear out and must be replaced. As such, birds molt when spring
approaches from their basic plumage to an alternative (mating) plumage that is, in the case of
male birds, typically bright and showy. As the fall approaches, they molt back into their basic
plumage. This cycle repeats for this entire lifespan.
3. Camouflage – certain birds have very cryptic coloration to blend in with their surroundings.
Have you ever walked through a forest and a game bird, such as a ruffed grouse, bursts out of
nowhere? If you haven’t, you’ve probably walked by one without even noticing.
4. Waterproofing – by using naturally produced oils and spreading them on their feathers, birds
can add a sort of waterproofing to their feathers and conserve heat (as well as reduce weight).
Waterfowl, in particular, are exceptional at this and likewise vulnerable to oil pollutants that
may ruin said adaptation.
7. Explain the function of a bird's song. Be able to identify five of the 20 species in your field notebook by
song or call alone. For each of these five species enter a description of the song or call, and note the
behavior of the bird making the sound. Note why you think the bird was making the call or song that you
heard.
a. Accomplished during morning bird walk.
8. Do ONE of the following:
a. (8a) Go on a field trip with a local club or with others who are knowledgeable about birds in your
area. Keep a list or fill out a checklist of all the birds your group observed during the field trip. Tell
your counselor which birds your group saw and why some species were common and some were
present in small numbers. Tell your counselor what makes the area you visited good for finding
birds.
1. Covered in bird walk debrief during merit badge session later that day.
9. Do ONE of the following. For the option you choose, describe what birds you hope to attract, and why.
a. (9a) Build a bird feeder and put it in an appropriate place in your yard or another location.
1. We can achieve this at camp by having each scout make a pinecone bird feeder (materials:
pinecones, string, peanut butter). First, confirm that there are no pine or peanut (or string?)
allergies among the scouts. If there are, discuss and accommodate with an alternative, easily
craftable feeder. Otherwise, make an example feeder where the string is attached to the
 pinecone (to hang from a tree) and the peanut butter is spread across the pinecone. Then,
allow scouts to do the same and then hang in approved locations. If a scout finishes early,
they are welcome to make additional feeders or work on relevant homework.
10. Do the following:
a. Explain the differences between extinct, endangered, and threatened.
1. Extinct – no known living specimens remaining.
2. Endangered – while there are living specimens remaining, the number of very low to the
extent of being at risk of extinction.
3. Threatened – has begun the decline towards becoming endangered and will become so if
threats are not properly addressed.
4. Examples of extinct bird species and cause for decline:
a. Dusky seaside sparrow
1. Habitat loss due to intentional flooding of their nesting grounds with the goal
of reduce mosquito population, followed by marsh drainage for highway
construction. Pollutions and pesticides, in addition, hastened their decline.
b. Dodo
1. Species introduction with no preexisting significant predators or competition.
Among these were cat, dog, pig, rat, and the crab-eating macaque, all of which
either directly predated the dodo or competed for their food sources. Habitat
loss also played a significant role.
c. Lyall's wren
1. Species introduction of the cat, creating several feral cat populations that
heavily predated on birds and other wildlife.
d. Laysan millerbird
1. Species introduction of the rabbit, which competed for food and decreased
vegetation, exposing eggs to predators. Also lost main food source of moths
due to their food source of vegetation being eaten by the introduced rabbits.
Remaining food sources involved competition with more aggressive bird
species.
b. Identify a bird species that is on the endangered or threatened list. Explain what caused their decline.
Discuss with your counselor what can be done to reverse this trend and what can be done to help
remove the species from the endangered or threatened list.
1. Significant threats to birds include habitat loss (destruction and fragmentation, biggest
threat), species introduction (unfamiliar predators and disease), hunting and exploitation,
hybridization, pollution, pesticides
2. Success story: Bald eagle, and other bird of prey species, declining rapidly due to widespread
use of insecticide DDT. DDT would wash off of crops into waterways and enter food
sources, eventually making its way to several birds of prey. While DDT was not lethal to the
birds themselves, it did interfere with their calcium metabolism, which lead to weakened
eggshells that would collapse under the weight of a brooding adult. Habitat loss and
hunting/exploitation are also contributors to the decline of the bald eagle. By banning use of
the chemical and passing legislation protecting the bird species, populations eventually
recovered.
3. Examples of threatened/endangered bird species and cause for decline:
a. Ivory-billed woodpecker (critically endangered, habitat loss due to logging, hunting
and exploitation)
b. Bachman's warbler (critically endangered, habitat loss due to logging and swamp
drainage)
c. South Island kokako (critically endangered, habitat loss due to forest burning and
forest clearance, species introduction of unfamiliar predators)
d. Black robin (endangered, species introduction of unfamiliar predators)
e. Mariana crow (critically endangered, species introduction of unfamiliar predators)
 f. Hawaiian duck (endangered, hybridization with introduced mallard)
4. Examples of conservation techniques:
a. Captive breeding and reintroduction – create an artificial habitat in either a zoo or a
breeding facility and transfer some or all remaining species individuals with the
purpose of reintroduction after sufficient and successful breeding. Three examples of
success per this technique are the California condor (22  273 by 2005), the
Mauritius kestrel (4  800 by 2006), and the Hawaiian goose (30  1800 in 2004)
b. Translocations – move populations of threatened/endangered species to other suitable
habitat locations, creating other populations that act as insurance in the case of one
population facing a significant threat. An example of success per this technique is the
kakapo, which were being threatened at their original location by introduced species.
c. Habitat protection – considering that habitat loss is the largest risk facing bird
populations, protecting the natural habitat of threatened/endangered species is an
important conservation technique. To accomplish this, government agencies,
conservation organizations, and private citizens might purchase areas of particular
conservation importance and set aside land as wildlife refuge or, in the case of
government agencies, state/national parks. Legislators may also pass laws regulating
certain activities (such as draining wetlands) or offering incentives to landowners for
creating habitat (such as edge habitat between forest and field). An example of
success per this technique include old growth forests being protected as spotted owl
habitat.
11. Identify three career opportunities connected to the study of birds. Pick one and find out the education,
training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss with your counselor if this profession might
interest you.
a.
12. Miscellaneous ideas
a. Reveal a mounted bird and have the scouts identify, most likely by flipping through field guide and
finding visual match. Afterwards, reveal another mount but only allow them to view it momentarily
before hiding it again. Make point how bird in the wild aren’t always going to stick around to be
studied, so they must quickly take note of defining features.