Projects - Birds and Flight

By Nicola, Eilidh and Lara, P5/4

We have been working with the RSPB to learn about birds and looking after them this winter. In groups we researched different birds and presented our findings to the rest of the class. We made sure they had been listening by giving them worksheets to complete and organising quizzes.

We looked at the adaptation of wings, beaks and feet and matched birds to their habitats and diets. We looked at plumage and colouration of birds and learned that birds need camouflage to hide from predators, to catch prey and to attract a mate. In art we made camouflaged bird pictures with collage materials and matching background colours. Our birds were very well hidden!

We looked at how the feathers, like the body feathers, flight feathers and down feathers help birds to fly and to keep warm. The shape of the wings have adapted according to where the birds live. We measured out string to represent the wingspan of various birds and compared them. We had great fun building paper birds and then flying them and measuring the distances they covered, we also worked out the average distance covered.

We identified nests used by various birds and wrote a ‘Nest for Sale’ brochure. We also wrote some good stories about an Eagle catching its prey.

The janitor helped us to position bird feeders in the school garden and we are making sure the birds have enough to eat all through the winter. We are hoping some birds will nest in our new bird box in the spring to raise a family, they might even come back every year.

Field Trip with RSPB

The kids were out doing a bird survey for the RSPB last week and they let me go along. They saw lots of different birds even though it was pouring all afternoon. Mrs White from the RSPB brought binoculars to help us see better and Mrs McPhait, who is a friend of the school came with us too. Now we have to compile our results and send them off to be part of a national survey. Find out more about RSPB from the Links Menu