By: Andrea Phillips By Andrea Phillips

 Very recognizable green head and yellow bill.  Thought to be the most abundant and wide- ranging duck on Earth.  Prefer calm, shallow sanctuaries, but can be found in almost any body of freshwater across Asia, Europe and North America.  The male, or drake, is the most distinctively colored of the mallards.  They grow up to 26 inches and can weigh up to 3 pounds.

 The wild turkey was Benjamin Franklin’s choice for the national bird because he thought it was noble.  Typically forage on forest floors, but can also be found in forests and swamps.  They feed on nuts, seeds, fruits, insects, and salamanders.  They have a distinctive “gobble” that can be heard a mile away.  Only male turkeys display the ruffled feathers, fanlike tail, bare head, and bright beard commonly associated with these birds

 This small, pointed-winged kite looks more like a falcon than any other of our kites.  A buoyant flier, it soars on flat wings, often high up in the air on thermals, catching and eating insects on the wing.  Back and wings are dark brown with buffy edges, scapulars have white spots.  Under parts are heavily streaked, and the dark tail has multiple thin white bands.  The pointed wings are notable in that the outer primary is much shorter than the next one

 The bald eagle, with its snowy-feathered (not bald) head and white tail, is the proud national bird symbol of the United States.  For many decades, bald eagles were hunted for sport and for the "protection" of fishing grounds.  Though their numbers have grown in much of their range, bald eagles remain most abundant in Alaska and Canada.  These powerful birds of prey use their talons to fish, but they get many of their meals by scavenging carrion or stealing the kills of other animals.

 The roadrunner is about 56 centimeters (22 in) long and weighs about 300 grams (10.5 oz), and is the largest North American cuckoo.  The adult has a bushy crest and long thick dark bill.  The name roadrunner comes from the bird's habit of racing down roads in front of moving vehicles and then darting to safety in the brush.  They have long, sturdy legs and a slender, pointed bill.

 The great horned owl is the most common owl of the Americas, easily recognizable because of the feather tufts on its head.  Great horned owls are adaptable birds and live from the Arctic to South America.  Northern populations migrate in winter, but most live permanently in more temperate climes.  The birds nest in tree holes, stumps, caves, or in the abandoned nests of other large birds

 The male ruby-throated hummingbird does indeed have a striking red throat, though the female of the species does not.  These speedy little birds can beat their wings 53 times a second and fly in an acrobatic style matched by few other birds.  These hummingbirds have extremely short legs, so they cannot walk or even hop with any efficiency.  Ruby-throated hummingbirds live in woodland areas, but also frequent gardens where flowering plants are plentiful.  They hover to feed on flowers, nectar, and sap

 Pileated woodpeckers are the largest of the common woodpeckers found in most of North America.  These crow-sized birds present a memorable sight with their zebra-striped heads and necks, long bills, and distinctive red crests.  Pileated woodpeckers forage for their favorite meal, carpenter ants, by digging large, rectangular holes in trees.  The enthusiastic drumming that creates such holes sounds like a loud hammering, and is audible for a great distance.

 The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher forms large premigratory roosts in late summer, with up to 1,000 birds in one flock.  The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher uses many human products in its nest, such as string, cloth, paper, carpet fuzz, and cigarette filters  A striking bird of the central United States, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is nearly unmistakable with its long forked tail and salmon-pink belly.  The state bird of Oklahoma, it is commonly found in only a handful of other states.

 The American White Pelican is one of North America's largest birds.  It is four to six feet in length and weighs up to 16 pounds. Its wingspan is an impressive 9 feet.  It is a white bird with black wing tips, and a long, wide orange bill. Beneath its bill is a bright, yellow-orange pouch for feeding.  During the breeding season the bill and legs are a bright orange. Its head has white plumes and it has a flattened horn on the upper mandible.  Prefers company to a solitary existence.

 After reviewing and discussing the PowerPoint, students will be assigned one bird to briefly research.  After researching (1 day max), students will write a 2 paragraph descriptive paper over their assigned bird. However, students may NOT use the bird’s name in the essay.  They may describe their bird through physical characteristics, behavior, habitat, call, etc.  When finished, students must choose a partner to switch papers with. Their partner must then decide which bird is being described solely based on the description given in the paper.

 (google images) 