“In my hand I held the most remarkable of all living things, a creature of astounding abilities that elude our understanding, of extraordinary, even bizarre senses, of stamina and endurance far surpassing anything else in the animal world. Yet my captive measured a mere five inches in length and weighed less than half an ounce, about the weight of a fifty-cent piece. I held that truly awesome enigma, a bird.” (Fisher, 1979)
Cornell All About Birds - FIELD GUIDE
Course Description:
This semester-long course invites students to explore the biology, behavior, and ecology of birds, one of the most visible and captivating groups of animals on the planet. Through field observations, laboratory studies, and research projects, students will investigate avian anatomy and physiology, identification skills, migration patterns, communication, reproduction, and conservation. Special emphasis will be placed on local bird species and their habitats, using hands-on fieldwork and citizen science tools such as eBird and Merlin to collect and analyze data.
The course integrates Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for high school life science, with a focus on LS1 (From Molecules to Organisms), LS2 (Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics), and LS4 (Biological Evolution). Students will apply scientific practices to design investigations, interpret real-world data, and communicate their findings in both written and oral formats.
By the end of the course, students will have developed:
Bird identification skills using sight, sound, and field guides
An understanding of avian biology, ecology, and evolution
Experience with bird banding data, migration tracking, and citizen science databases
An appreciation for the role of birds in ecosystems and conservation challenges they face
Prerequisites: None (Biology recommended)
Credits: 0.5 (Semester)
Grade Level: 9–12
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: “Perspective: Let’s Start Teaching Ornithology in High School“
Seven Simple Actions to Save Birds
WHY STUDY BIRDS?
University of Minnesota: What is Citizen Science?
Cornell Lab: All About Birds - Vanishing: More Than 1 in 4 Birds Has Disappeared in the Last 50 Years
National Audubon Society: Climate Change and Birds
National Audubon Society: Survival by Degrees
Environmental Science: Birds as Environmental Indicators
National Audubon Society: North American Grasslands & Birds Report
eBird: Bird Counting 101
eBird: Line Graphs
Inside Birding: Size and Shape
Inside Birding: Color Pattern
Inside Birding: Understanding Behavior
Inside Birding: Habitat
AVIAN DIVERSITY & CLASSIFICATION:
Scientific American: How Birds Evolved Their Incredible Diversity
Quizlet: Avian Diversity and Classification
Beans, Funnels, and Islands: Mangrove Melody
HHMI: The Making of a Theory: Darwin, Wallace, and Natural Selection
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: The Evolution of Bird Migration
HHMI: How Can We Explain Evolutionary Relationships Among Species
ORIGIN OF BIRDS:
Berkeley - UofCA: Understanding Evolution: Origin of Birds
HHMI: Great Transitions - The Origin of Birds
Bird Academy: Flap to the Future: The Flight Adaptations
Quizlet: North American Bird Orders
AVIAN SEXUAL SELECTION:
Biology Simulation: Natural Selection
Deep Look: Hummingbird Hover
Birds of Paradise - Introduction
Ed Scholes - Evolutionary Biologist
Multi-Cams - Revealing the Female Perspective
Cornell: All About Birds - Natural & Sexual Selection: An Illustrated Introduction
Cornell: All About Birds - Life's a Stage
Cornell: All About Birds - Dance and the Birds-of-Paradise
Cornell: All About Birds - All About Fancy Males
Quizlet: Sexual Selection and Feathers
FEATHERS and FLIGHT:
Phenomena (28 - 30 sec)
Bird Academy: Bird Plumage Variations and Abnormalities
Bird Academy: Feather Function: What do feathers do?
Bird Academy: All About Feathers Interactive
TedEd: How Did Feathers Evolve?
Smarter Every Day: How Bird Wings Work?
Deep Look: What Makes Owls So Deadly Quiet?
Deep Look: Peregrine Falcons are Feathered Fighter Jets, Basically
Deep Look: What actually makes water roll off a duck's back?
TEDEd - Why can't some birds fly?
All About Birds: The Evolution of Migration
AVIAN ANATOMY:
Bird Academy: All About Bird Anatomy
Quizlet: Skeletal System
Woodpecker Tongues Are Avian Harpoons
Where Does a Woodpecker Keep It's Tongue?
Hungry Woodpecker Sticks Out Tongue
Why Don't Woodpeckers Get Brain Damage?
Quizlet: Muscular System
- - - - - - - - - - CURRENT EVENTS - - - - - - - - -
Cornell Lab of Ornithology (All About Birds)
- - - - - - - - - - WARM UPS - - - - - - - - -
Audubon: Better Know a Bird - The American Coot and Its Wonderfully Weird Feet
Audubon - Here's Why This Mama Merganser Has More Than 50 Ducklings