1. Science Takes Wing - Lesson II - BIRD SOUNDS1

2. 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

3. 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

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

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

6. 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

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

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

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

10. Killdeer 10

11. Mourning Dove 11

12. Anna’s Hummingbird 12

13. Gila Woodpecker 13

14. Northern Mockingbird 14

15. Curve-billed Thrasher15

16. Great-tailed Grackle 16

17. House Finch 17

18. House Sparrow 18

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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..
For more classroom activities please contact:
Cathy Wise (602) , 32

33. 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.
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

34. 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

35. 35