If you’ve never really looked at birds before, you’ll be amazed at how many are living all around you. There are thousands of different kinds of birds in the world and probably dozens right in your own neighborhood. Scientists believe birds may have evolved from dinosaurs!

You’ll see birds in trees and bushes, hopping around on lawns and sidewalks, and flying high or low. You’ll find birds sitting on street lights, power lines, buildings, fences, and, of course, bird feeders!

Sometimes birds build their nests in really strange places: in the corner of a roof, inside rain gutters, under a bridge, or even on a car. The photo shows a nest built by American Robins on a car tire. They rebuilt it there five times, even though the owner removed the nest to drive the car!

Cool Facts About Birds

• American Crows live in families and each member of the family has a specific job. Some look after their young brothers and sisters, just like in a human family.
• Birds don’t live as long as humans, but some birds live a very long time. A huge ocean bird called a Royal Albatross can live up to 58 years! The American Robin you see in your neighborhood can live up to 14 years.
• Being a parent isn’t easy for humans or for birds. For example, Barn Swallow parents fly back and forth up to 400 times a day to bring food to their babies.
• You know how much you love candy. Well, Cedar Waxwings are birds that love fruit. They love it so much that they might get dizzy and drunk by eating fermented fruit which contains alcohol.
• Birds are small but powerful. The tiny Ruby-throated Hummingbird beats its wings 70 times in just one second! It would take that long to flap your arms just once.
• Some birds are really fast. The Peregrine Falcon goes up to 200 miles per hour when it makes a steep dive to catch food. That’s faster than the race cars in the Indy 500!
• Killdeer are birds that like to build nest on gravel or stones on the ground. They provide air-conditioning for the eggs by getting their breast feathers wet and standing over the eggs. Think how nice a dip in the pool feels on a hot day!

Being a Citizen Scientist Is Cool Too!

If you like watching birds, you can be a citizen scientist for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (ornithology means the study of birds). One of the easiest ways to get started is with a project called Celebrate Urban Birds. All you do is watch birds for 10 minutes and then report which kinds you see and how many there are. You can do it all on the computer, and it doesn’t cost anything.

If you’d like to give it a try, first check with your parents, and then go to www.CelebrateUrbanBirds.org to sign up to get a free kit that has bird posters and instructions. You’ll also be helping real scientists who study birds and who are trying to understand more about where they go and how they live. Join us, it will be fun!

Recommended Reading

• On Meadowview Street by Henry Cole
• How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming by Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch
• Flute’s Journey: The Life of a Wood Thrush, written and illustrated by Lynne Cherry
• 101 Ways to Help Birds, by Laura Erickson
• Sharing the Wonder of Birds with Kids by Laura Erickson
• Songbird Journeys: Four Seasons in the Lives of Migratory Birds by Miyoko Chu
• Birdscapes, A Pop-Up Celebration of Birdsongs in Stereo Sound by Miyoko Chu
• All About Birds
• Celebrate Urban Birds
• Project PigeonWatch

© 2009 Cornell Lab of Ornithology

This December, I am rowing a boat solo across the Atlantic Ocean in an attempt to become the youngest person (22) and first American to row an ocean solo from continent to continent. The journey will begin in Senegal, West Africa, and finish in French Guiana, South America. During the 2,500 mile journey I will be rowing a 19 foot rowboat for 70 to 100 days, alone.

It’s not all about the records, and there is a much bigger purpose to this challenge. I have partnered with the Blue Planet Run Foundation whose mission is to help the billion people around the world who lack the most basic human need─safe drinking water. Unsafe drinking water is the leading cause of sickness, disease, and death worldwide―but it’s a problem that, working together, we can solve. I hope to raise enough funds to provide 1,000 people access to safe drinking water for life.

Please check out the website at http://www.rowforwater.com! You can help too. Visit Blue Planet Run to find out what you can do to help bring water to people who don’t have enough of it. And read about what other young people are doing to help.

Images © Katie Spotz 2009.

How much is your life affected by birds and how much of an effect do you have on the birds in your town? Here are some fun activities to explore your relationship with birds.

Try This at Home!

• Go outside and sketch the shape of the beak on a bird you see. Can you guess what that bird eats?
• Watch from your front door or a window. Do you see birds? Try watching at different times of day. Do you see more birds in the morning, at noon, or when the sun is going down?
• See if you can spot a bird nest. Is it on a ledge, in a hole, hanging from a branch, in some weeds, or on the side of a skyscraper? What is the nest made of?  Can you tell which bird is the mom and which is the dad? Can you see baby birds?
• Where do birds find water in your neighborhood—puddles, pails, gutters, fountains? Do you ever see birds drinking? Do they tip their heads back to let the water roll down their throats or do they suck water up using their beaks like a straw?

Bird Projects to Try

• Paint a mural with kids in your neighborhood using big pieces of cardboard.
• Take pieces of cloth, paper, or other materials and make a bird collage, remembering the shapes and colors of birds you’ve seen in your neighborhood.
• Cut off the top of a plastic soda bottle or milk jug. Decorate it with ears, arms, wings or anything you like to make a fun feeder. Fill it with black-oil sunflower seeds and hang it from a nearby tree.
• Plant sunflower seeds in an old boot, pan, pot, or other container. Even after the blossoms die, leave them on the plant so birds can eat the seeds

Create a Bird-Friendly Home

Birds will come to your yard or neighborhood if they find the food, water, and shelter they need. Even if you don’t have a big yard—or any yard at all—there are ways you can help the birds.

• Offer water in a shallow container that is easy to clean. Birds need fresh, clean water for drinking and bathing
• Put up a bird feeder. In cities it is best to use feeders with small perches suited for smaller birds that will not easily spill seed on the ground. If bird feeders are not permitted in your building, a simple potted sunflower or other seed or nectar-bearing flower placed on your balcony may provide food for birds.
• Birds find shelter in trees and bushes. If you don’t have any nearby, a nest box will give birds a place to take shelter. Find instructions on how to build a nest box here.

©2009 Cornell Lab of Ornithology

© P3 Magazine

1. How can we reach independence from garbage?
2. How does one person’s garbage connect him or her to every other person on the planet (how does garbage make us interdependent?)?

© P3 Magazine

Whether you’re camping in the backwoods or pitching a tent in the backyard there are countless adventures awaiting you. Open your eyes, use your imagination, and discover the amazing world of nature right outside your back door. Here are five fun things to do when you get outside. Check them out. Then see what kind of adventures you come up with yourself.

1. Check out the Seedy Side of Things. The next time you’re out in a field or a meadow, put a pair of socks on OVER your hiking boots and take a wander. At the end, take a peek at what kind of seedy hitchhikers you have picked up. See if your socks give you a clue about how plants compete in a crowded world—how do they get their seeds to travel if they don’t have legs?

Then observe those seeds in action:

• put them in a plastic baggie
• spritz them with some water
• put them in the sun

What happens after a few days?
2. Craft a Pond Peeper. If you find yourself by a pond or a tidepool, make a Pond Peeper by taking out both ends of a big coffee can (get a grownup to help you) and placing a large sheet of plastic wrap over one end. Use 4 to 5 rubber bands to secure the plastic wrap around the can. Now you can place this tool in the water and see things up close and personal without getting your face wet.

Use your observations of the pond to make something new. You could start a field journal to record all the plants and animals you see in the pond. Or make an art exhibit of what you see. Take pictures through the Peeper. What other ideas can you come up with?

3. Invent Your Own Constellation. There’s nothing like just looking up into the evening sky and being amazed by all those stars twinkling above us. Night time is a wonderful time to learn about the ancient myths and stories and the constellations. It’s also a great time to open up your imagination and see your own star pictures and make up stories about them. Look for “The Marshmallow Stealer,” a star grouping that looks like a raccoon roasting a marshmallow on a stick. Can you find “Surfer Falling,” a beach-time favorite? What constellations do you see? Find your own to make up stories about.

4. Make some Campsite Pictographs. I don’t go anywhere without a box of chalk. It’s a great thing to have on hand for budding storytellers. Like the ancient tribes of the Southwest, you can create symbols and drawings to decorate rocks in and around camp. The chalk shows up nicely and in the end washes off with rain. It’s an eco-friendly way to connect with our ancestors.

5. Use the sun to tell time. You can make a sundial out of something as simple as a stick in the ground. Or make a portable one out of a recycled coffee cup and a straw:

• Poke a hole in the side of the cup about an inch below the rim.
• Thread the straw through the hole and through the center of your lid so the straw sits at a 45 degree angle.
• Now find north.

If you don’t have a compass, how can you find north? Here’s a clue: Where is the sun rising and setting?

• Line the straw up so it points north.
• Make marks on the lid every hour and write the time.

You can take your sundial anywhere—line up the straw to the North and VOILA! You have a portable camp clock.

I spy with my little eye—a bat swooping through the dusky night sky! The bat, Earth’s only flying mammal, is one of the most misunderstood and most helpful and interesting creatures in our world. And being outside is the best way to see them perform their graceful, daring acrobatics in the air. Camping out—whether in your backyard or in a national forest—is a perfect way to observe these clever creatures. Bats are nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day and are active during the night. Eating, playing, and hunting all happens as soon as the sun goes down. Sitting around your campfire when it is twilight’s turn in the sky is a prime time to look up and watch tiny bats swoop and dive while they hunt for insects. Make sure you’re comfortable—you’ll need to be patient as you gaze up at the tree-ringed sky and wait for bats to flitter and fly over your head. If there are lots of insects around your campsite, then you’ll probably get to see some bats.

If you know a little bit about bats, it makes it even more fun to watch for them. Lots of myths, or untrue stories, surround bats. It’s up to you to ignore those myths and spread the word about how remarkable these creatures are. Some myths about bats: They can’t see (ever hear the phrase, Blind as a bat?), they get tangled in your hair, and they are dirty animals that spread rabies. Not so! They aren’t blind—most of them see quite well. And, if they can locate tiny insects in the dark, then why would they fly into people and get tangled in their hair? As far as being dirty and carrying diseases like rabies, they can get rabies, just like dogs, cats, raccoons, and people can but rarely ever do. And you don’t ever have to worry about that if you never, ever touch a bat. Don’t forget that they are wild animals—we should leave them alone and never pick them up or touch them.

Now that you’re a myth-buster, here are some cool facts about bats for you to pass around: They help control insect populations, and they pollinate plants that provide food for you. Bats help reseed forests that have been cut down, and bat guano, or poop, helps humans make medicine, make fuel, and fertilize our farms and gardens. Wow! Pretty useful little creatures!

A bat uses echolocation for navigation and seeking food. The bat sends out sound waves using its mouth or nose. When those sound waves hit an object, it bounces an echo back to the bat’s super-duper incredible ears. The bat can tell the size, shape, and texture of things from that echo. Cool! Most North American bats are small, with the Little Brown Bat being the most common. Adult Little Brown Bats are about 3 inches long with a wingspan of 9 inches. Watch for them at twilight as they hunt for bugs—a Little Brown Bat can typically catch 1,500 mosquito-sized insects an hour. And they often use the same flight routes over and over again, so you get plenty of chances to watch them do their batty thing!

For more info about bats, check out www.batconservation.org or www.bats4kids.org. And for a great book that gives a different take on bats, head down to the library and check out Stellaluna by Janelle Cannon.

Image of fruit bat by Diana Lili M, 2007, Creative Commons license.

When you’re camping, sleeping in is nice. But getting up before the sun is even more fun! It’s easy to stay wrapped in your sleeping bag until you smell the pancakes cooking. But hey, you’re camping—be adventurous! While most humans are snoozing, the forest creatures are cruising through the woods, and you can have a front row seat to one amazing and rarely-seen show. Talk to the grownups in your camping party the night before, and ask one of them to get up early with you. Get your clothes, camera, and notebook ready before you hit the hay. It won’t be easy to get out of bed in the morning, but having your gear at hand will help you get started on your adventure right away.

Quietly and slowly walk through the woods. Notice the sounds, scents, and scenery. Inhale the warm, Earthy smell of dewy pine needles on the forest floor. Watch a squirrel scurrying for its breakfast, a chipmunk perched on its hind legs as it washes its face, the graceful antlers of a black-tailed deer moving through the forest. These critters will be nestled in their beds by the time every one else gets up, but you earned a secret peek into their world. Way to go!

Image by Sam Felder, 2006, Creative Commons license.

Meet the Little Humbugs: half human, half bug, Butterfly Girls and Dragonfly Boys. They are the protectors of Nature. Their mission is to motivate children to explore the outdoors and in doing so to develop a connection with the Natural World.

Nika the Butterfly Girl spends hours outside searching for something quite special—Gemstones. Once she’s collected enough in her pod bag, she hurries back excitedly to the Humbug forest to share her sparkling gems with her friends.

Now it’s your turn to look for stones—any kind of stones, rocks, or fossils.

• Always ask for permission to go looking for rocks and minerals.
• On a beach is a good place to look or even in your own backyard.
• Walk slowly and keep your eyes peeled.
• When you’ve collected a variety of rocks/stones you’ll want to clean them.
• Recycle an old toothbrush. Toothbrushes are ideal for scrubbing your rocks clean.
• Leave the rocks to dry and then inspect them with a magnifying glass.

If you’re not lucky enough to find a gemstone, why not try another fun thing the Little Humbugs love to do? Paint your stones and rocks.

• Try to find as smooth a stone as possible. This will make it easier to paint.
• Clean your stone/rock with your recycled toothbrush.
• Paint a design with your favourite colours or paint a bug on your stone. (Ladybugs and Bees are a Humbug favourite.)
• Allow the stone to dry. You could get an adult to varnish your stone if you wish to place it outside.

Chloe the Little Humbug Gardener spends hours outside too. Chloe makes sure everyone is eating a healthy diet by providing fruit and vegetables for all the Humbugs. Everything is freshly picked from her Organic gardens in the forest. One of Chloe’s favourite things to do once she’s finished watering her vegetables is to go on a bug hunt.

Now it’s your turn to get outside. If you don’t have a yard, take a walk to the local park or visit a forest. You’ll find bugs anywhere and everywhere.

• Always ask for permission to go looking for bugs. Some can sting.
• Here are some useful items (they’re not essential):
  1. kid sized binoculars
  2. a container for keeping the bugs for observation (recycle a jam jar)
  3. a bug catching net
  4. a magnifying glass
  5. a journal if you want to take notes and draw your bugs

Chloe keeps a record of all the bugs she finds—she draws the bugs and then writes a description next to the picture.

• Under stones, on leaves and petals, and under logs are all good places to look.
• Always remember to let your bugs go free once you’ve observed and taken notes.

Happy BUG and ROCK HUNTING from all the Little Humbugs!

Did you know that there are 32 million acres of sterile monoculture grass lawns across the United States? That makes grass lawns the biggest irrigated crop in our country, using an average of 10,000 gallons per lawn to water during the summer, much more than a garden requires. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, over 70 million pounds of pesticides are applied to American lawns each year, ten times more per acre than agricultural pesticides. Pesticides contaminate soil and water supplies, harming humans and wildlife with cancer, immune disorders, and reproductive problems.

But let’s get back to the eating part. Imagine growing your own kiwi, apple, pear, peach, cherry, orange, or plum trees. How about pea vines and grape vines. Carrots and potatoes. Leeks and lettuce. Raspberries and gooseberries. All this could be yours without going to the grocery store. Not enough sun, you say? Why not plant in your front yard? A front yard edible garden movement is sweeping the nation and for good reason! Front yards are often sunnier, flatter, and ripe for planting. Edible gardens can be beautiful too, and much more inviting than a flat expanse of clipped (or overgrown, as the case may be) grass like every other Jones or Hernandez in the neighborhood.

If you still don’t have enough sun, try planter pots in key places or shade-loving edible plants. Root vegetables and fruits typically need full sun, but certain leaf, stem, and bud vegetables can take dappled sunlight or as little as three to six hours a day of direct sun. Broccoli, cauliflower, beans, kale, spinach, chard, leaf lettuce, endive, beets, and even some types of strawberries can handle partial sunlight quite well.

Don’t have a yard? Try planter pots in windows and balconies, or start a garden in community space or a plot in your neighborhood. If you don’t have a local pea patch, organize one! Chances are you’ll get plenty of interested green thumbs to share tools and advice with. Happy planting, and happy eating.