Science Takes Wing - Lesson II - BIRD SOUNDS 1

Lesson activity based on the ASU Ask-a-Biologist virtual aviary Science Takes Wing - Lesson II - BIRD SOUNDS Lesson activity based on the ASU Ask-a-Biologist virtual aviary 2

Did you know? Birds “sing” to attract mates and announce their territories. Birds “call” in alarm, or to announce food. Each Bird species has its own song and call. 3

Most birdwatchers find birds by hearing them first. You can learn to identify birds by sound, too! 4

Here are 10 common birds found in the southwestern U.S. 5

Learning Bird Sounds Listen to each bird’s sound and make notes about what you hear. Is the sound sweet, raspy, fast, slow? Use your notes to answer quiz questions. 6

Example: Red-tailed Hawk Write on your paper something like: “Raspy Scream” 7

Example Quiz: Which Bird Do you Hear? Yellow-beak Bluebird Red-tailed Hawk C. Roadrunner 8

We will learn all 10 birds and their songs then have the quiz. 9

Killdeer 10

Mourning Dove 11

Anna’s Hummingbird 12

Gila Woodpecker 13

Northern Mockingbird 14

Curve-billed Thrasher 15

Great-tailed Grackle 16

House Finch 17

House Sparrow 18

Ready for the Quiz? Listen to the bird song and select the correct answer from the choices given. Use your notes to help! 19

C. Great-tailed Grackle Bird Song 1 Which bird do you hear? Northern Mockingbird B. House Finch C. Great-tailed Grackle 20

Bird Song 2 Which bird do you hear? Gila Woodpecker B. House Sparrow Curve-billed Thrasher 21

Bird Song 3 Which bird do you hear? A. House Sparrow B. Killdeer C. Mourning Dove 22

Bird Song 4 Which bird do you hear? Gila Woodpecker Anna’s Hummingbird Red-tailed Hawk 23

Bird Song 5 Which bird do you hear? A. Killdeer B. House Finch Curve-billed Thrasher 24

Bird Song 6 Which bird do you hear? A. House Sparrow Curve-billed Thrasher Red-tailed Hawk 25

Bird Song 7 Which bird do you hear? Anna’s Hummingbird Northern Mockingbird Great-tailed Grackle 26

Bird Song 8 Which bird do you hear? Northern Mockingbird Anna’s Hummingbird Red-tailed Hawk 27

Bird Song 9 Which bird do you hear? Gila Woodpecker Great-tailed Grackle Red-tailed Hawk 28

Bird Song 10 Which bird do you hear? A. House Sparrow Anna’s Hummingbird C. Killdeer 29

Correct Your Quiz B. House Finch C. Curve-billed Thrasher C. Mourning Dove B. Anna’s Hummingbird A. Killdeer C. Red-tailed Hawk C. Great-tailed Grackle A. Northern Mockingbird A. Gila Woodpecker A. House Sparrow How did you do? 30

Try Listening Outside Explore bird sounds outdoors by sitting quietly and listening for 10 minutes. How many different bird songs or calls do you hear? Try this activity at different times of day. When do you hear the most? Why? 31

Learn More Want to hear more bird songs? Visit the virtual aviary at the Ask-a-Biologist web site to listen and learn more about birds in the southwest.. http://askabiologist.asu.edu/birdsongs/ For more classroom activities please contact: Cathy Wise (602) 468-6470, cwise@audubon.org 32

Acknowledgements Bird Photograph Credits: The Ask-a-Biologist program is supported by the ASU School of Life Sciences. All the bird recordings and photographs for this activity used with permission of Ask-a-Biologist and Birding PDA. Sharing this activity is encouraged. Please be sure to submit the permission request form so that we can track the use of materials and keep this program running. http://askabiologist.asu.edu/pages/permissions.php Bird Photograph Credits: Red-tailed Hawk, Killdeer, Curve-billed Thrasher: Robert Shantz Mourning Dove, Great-tailed Grackle, House Finch, House Sparrow: Richard P. Dunbar Anna’s Hummingbird and Gila Woodpecker: Barb Winterfield Northern Mockingbird: Richard Ditch Bird Cartoons by: Sabine Deviche 33

Science Takes Wing - Lesson II - BIRD SOUNDS AZ Science Standards Alignment, Grades 5-8 Strand 1: Inquiry Process, Concept 1-3 * Strand 4: Life Science, Concept 4* * Performance objectives vary by grade 34

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