Birds Index -- Exploring Nature Educational Resource

Birds come in all shapes and sizes but they all have certain traits in common. They have feathers instead of hair or fur. They are the only animal group that has feathers. ...(Read more...)

Birds come in all shapes and sizes but they all have certain traits in common.

They have feathers instead of hair or fur. They are the only animal group that has feathers.
They have beaks or bills and no teeth.
They have two feet and two wings.
They are warm blooded.
They do not have live young like mammals, but lay eggs.
Most birds take care of their young, feeding them until they are old enough to find their own food.
Most birds build some kind of nest.
Birds have good eyesight and can see colors.
Most birds can fly. They have hollow bones to make their skeleton lighter for flight. They have large developed chest muscles for flight.
Birds can survive cold temperatures because they have an underlying layer of down feathers that act as thermal insulation, like wearing a down jacket!
Male birds are often (but not always) much more brightly colored than females. This is called sexual dimorphism. Females are often dull colored to blend in (camouflage) while nesting.
Some birds eat meat (rodents, fish, other birds or carrion). Some are seed eaters and some eat plants.
Many birds travel to a cooler climate for reproducing and summer feeding, and then return to a warmer climate for the winter. Moving from place to place like this is called migration.
Birds sing to attract a mate or mark a territory.
Not all birds can fly!

Flightless birds include ostrich, emus, rhea, cassowary, kiwi, penguins, and others. They all nest on the ground. Flightless birds have developed other ways of defending themselves from predators.

Some are fast runners.
Some are fast swimmers.
Some can kick!
Some live on Islands where there are no predators, so they don’t need to fly.

Can you name one famous flightless bird that became extinct because predators invaded the islands where they lived?

There are many different groups (Orders) of birds. The different orders are separated by different traits. Here are some of the orders of birds.

Orders of Birds:

Struthioniformes - Cassowaries, Emus, Kiwis, Ostriches and Rheas
Galliformes - Grouse, Quails, Pheasants and Turkeys
Anseriformes - Ducks, Geese, and Swans
Psittaciformes - Macaws and Parrots
Strigiformes - Owls
Trochiliformes - Hummingbirds
Coraciiformes - Kingfishers
Falconiformes - Hawks, Eagles, and Vultures
Gaviiformes - Loons
Piciformes - Woodpeckers
Charadriformes - Sandpipers and Seagulls
Ciconiiformes - Herons
Columbriformes - Doves and Pigeons
Passeriformes (songbirds) - Buntings, Cardinals, Catbirds, Chats, Chickadees, Crossbills, Crows, Dippers, Finches, Flycatchers, Goldfinches, Gnatcatchers, Gnateaters, Jays, Kinglets, Larks, Magpies, Martins, Mockingbirds, Nuthatches, Ovenbirds, Pipits, Pittas, Robins, Ravens, Shrikes, Sparrows, Starlings, Swallows, Tits, Thrushes, Waxwings, Weavers, Woodcreepers, Woodwarblers, Wrens, and Vireos

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Albatross (Laysan)
Albatross (Sooty)
Bittern (American)
Black Robin
Blackbird (Brewer's)
Blackbird (Red-winged)
Blue Duck
Blue Jay
Bluebird (Eastern)
Bobolink
Butcherbird
Cardinal
Catbird
Chickadee (Black-capped)
Clark's Nutcracker
Cowbird (Brown-headed)
Crossbill (Red)
Crow
Eagle (Bald)
Eagle (Crowned)
Eagle (Golden)
Eagle (Harpy)
Emu
Falcon (Peregrine)
Finch (Purple)
Finch (Zebra)
Flamingo
Flicker (Northern)
Flycatcher (Great-crested)
Flycatcher (Olive-sided)
Goldfinch (American)
Goose (Canada)
Grackle (Common)
Grosbeak (Evening)
Grosbeak (Rose-breasted)
Grouse (Ruffed)
Grouse (Spruce)
Gull (California)
Hawk (Broad-winged)
Hawk (Marsh) - Northern Harrier
Hawk (Red-tailed)
Hawk (Sharp-shinned)
Heron (Great Blue)
Heron (Yellow-Crowned Night)
Hihi (Stitchbird)
Hoiho (Yellow-eyed Penguin )
Hornbill (Great)
Hummingbird (Calliope)
Hummingbird (Ruby-throated)
Jay (Pinyon)
Jay (Steller's)
Jay (Western Scrub)
Junco (Dark-eyed)
Kaka (Bush Parrot)
Kakapo (Night Parrot)
Kaki (Black Stilt)
Kamana (Australasian Crested Grebe)
Kea
Kereru (New Zealand Native Pigeon)
Kestrel (American)
Killdeer
Kingbird (Eastern)
Kingfisher (Belted)
Kinglet (Golden-crowned)
Kinglet (Ruby-crowned)
Kiwi (Brown)
Kokako (New Zealand Wattlebirds)
Lark (Horned)
Loon (Common)
Macaw (Scarlet)
Magpie (Black-billed)
Mallard
Meadowlark (Eastern)
Merganser (Common)
Mohua (Yellowhead)
Mourning Dove
Nighthawk (Common)
Nuthatch (Red-breasted)
Nuthatch (White-breasted)
Oriole (Baltimore)
Osprey
Ostrich
Owl (Barn)
Owl (Barred)
Owl (Eastern Screech)
Owl (Great Gray)
Owl (Great Horned)
Owl (Saw-whet)
Owl (Short-eared)
Owl (Snowy)
Oystercatcher (Chatham Island)
Parakeet (Orange-fronted) or Kakariki
Parakeet (Yellow-crowned) or Kakariki
Peacock (Indian)
Pelican (Brown)
Penguin (Adelie)
Penguin (Chinstrap)
Penguin (Emperor)
Penguin (Gentoo)
Penguin (King)
Penguin (Macaroni)
Penguin (Rockhopper)
Petrel (Wilsons Storm)
Pewee (Eastern Wood)
Phoebe (Eastern)
Pine Siskin
Plover (Semipalmated)
Prairie Chicken (Greater)
Ptarmigan (Willow)
Puffin (Atlantic)
Puffin (Horned)
Redpoll (Common)
Redstart (American)
Rhea
Roadrunner (Greater)
Robin (American)
Rufus-sided Towhee
Sandpiper (Least)
Sandpiper (Spotted)
Sapsucker (Yellow-bellied)
Secretary Bird
Shrike (Northern)
Snipe (Common)
Snow Goose
Sparrow (Fox)
Sparrow (House)
Sparrow (White-throated)
Swallow (Barn)
Swallow (Tree)
Swan (Trumpeter)
Takahe
Teal (Blue-winged)
Tern (Arctic)
Thrasher (Brown)
Thrush (Hermit)
Thrush (Wood)
Tieke (Saddleback)
Toucan (Keel-billed)
Tufted Titmouse
Tui (Parson Bird)
Turkey (Wild)
Turnstone (Ruddy)
Veery
Vireo (Red-eyed)
Vulture (Turkey)
Waxwing (Cedar)
Weaverbird (African Village)
Weka (Bush Hen)
Whippoorwill (Whip-poor-will)
Wood Duck
Woodcock
Woodpecker (Downy)
Woodpecker (Hairy)
Woodpecker (Pileated)
Woodpecker (Red-headed)
Wren (House)
Yellowthroat (Common)

Activities, Handouts and Teaching Aids
Animal Signs - Woodpeckers & the Life Cycle of Trees
Bird Traits Lecture, Activity and Quiz
Bird Research - Your First Investigation
Color the Ducks to Learn their Names
Wordsearch - Learning Bird Names
Making Bird Journals
Matching Penguins - Games to Improve Observation Skills
Label the Parts of a Bird
Woodpeckers in Your Forest -- Learn to Identify Them
Birds of Prey Coloring
True or False Quiz - Bird Traits
Matching Quiz - Name the Songbirds
Bird Classification Lecture and Handouts
Bird Traits Lecture, Activity and Quiz
Name the Flightless Birds from Around the World

National Science Standards for Animals (Wildlife)

3. Life Science Standards
Science subject matter focuses on the science facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models that are important for all students to know, understand, and use.
K-4 Characteristics of organisms, life cycles of organisms, organisms and environments.
5-8 Structure and function in living systems, reproduction and heredity, regulation and behavior, populations and ecosystems, diversity and adaptations of organisms.
9-12 The cell, molecular basis of heredity, biological evolution, interdependence of organisms, matter, energy, and organization in living systems, behavior of organisms.