Birds live in different habitats

Bird beaks are designed for the specific food they eat

Some birds are more adaptable to eating many kinds of foods while others are very specific

Some everyday tools resemble bird beaks

Copies, Blank Bird Beak Recording Sheet and Bird Images

Copies, station cards

Bird Videos Slide deck

A bin for each station

Tool Variations:

• Tongs

• Spatula

• Envelope

• Strainer

• Chopsticks

• Eyedropper

• Tweezer

• Cups

• Pliers

• red dye

• soil

• dried leaves

• mini marshmallows 

• wash basins 1 per station

Station Variations:

• Soil and fake worms or gummy worms

• Red dyed water

• Log with holes drilled in it

• Bird Seed/ dried corn

• Popcorn (popped) or puffed rice

Set up the different stations around the room.

1. • 1. 1. Practice Round: Barn Swallow

           1. 2 different size envelopes

           2. Tongs

           3. Popcorn or puffed rice

        2. Station 1: Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

           1. 2 cups

           2. Lightly Red Dyed Water (nectar)

           3. 2 Eye droppers

           4. 2 chopsticks

           5. Optional: towel for underneath bin

        3. Station 2: American Woodcock

           1. Soil

           2. Fake worms or gummy worms

           3. 2 Strainers

           4. 2 Chopsticks

           5. Optional: towel for underneath bin

        4. Station 3: Pileated Woodpecker

           1. Log with holes drilled in it

           2. Bird Seed/Deer Feed

           3. 2 Tweezers

           4. 2 Straws 

        5. Station 4: Keel-Billed Toucan

           1. Dried Leaves

           2. Mini marshmallows

           3. Tongs

           4. Spatula

        6. Station 5: Wood Duck

           1. Water on bottom on bin

           2. Dried corn and bird seed

           3. 2 Chopsticks

           4. 2 Strainers

        7. Station 6: Northern Cardinal

           1. Dried Beans

           2. 2 Pliers

           3. 2 Tongs

Explain to students that they will work in small groups and rotate through each station. At each station, students will test two different tools and determine which tool ("beak") is most effective for getting that specific “food”. 

After students rotate through all the stations, have students vote on which tool worked best at each one.

Hand out the cut and paste worksheet and bird images to each student.

Go through each of the stations and connect a real life bird to each station. After a bird is identified for a station, have students glue the image of that bird in its station row.

Once the bird's picture is glued on the worksheet, show students a picture of that bird with the bird beak type and connect its beak name to how it feeds. 

Show students a short video clip of the bird feeding to help students visualize why that bird has adapted to have that specific beak. 

A hands-on, fun, engaging lesson!

Students will be using everyday items to simulate bird bills

This lesson is messy, takes time to prepare and clean up but is well worth the results.

Once materials are collected future use is much easier. 

Easily done and less of a mess in an outdoor setting.