Backyard Bird Behaviours
An ethogram is a catalogue or table of all the different kinds of behaviour or activity observed in an animal. Survey for behavioural adaptations of local birds using your own ethogram.
Materials
- Binoculars (if you have them)
- Pencil
- Printout of ethogram
Location
- School grounds
- Your backyard
Instructions
Pick a species of bird observed both at home and at school. Fill out the ethogram (below) for that species, comparing how it behaves at school against how it behaves at home. Compare the behavioural differences between the two environments.
Note: Ensure you observe your species in the morning and spend at least 15 min observing behaviours.
Discussion Questions
- Compare the behaviours of your bird species between each location.
- Explain any differences in behaviour.