Birdology: 30 Activities and Observations for Exploring the World of Birds
gists study birds simply by watching Although most of the birds in this book are wild native species many nonnatives are included such as the English sparrow starling and common pigeon Domesticated birds such as chickens along with pet birds or birds seen in zoos and parks are also includ ed because these birds are often the most familiar Some of the species most familiar to us are pet birds and zoo birds This is a male cockatiel His name is Rocko The time you spend watching birds now may lead to future study as a biologist ornithologist or bird rehabilitator emerging on the forefront of new dis coveries and adventures to better understand the environment around us And studying birds is a lot of great outdoor fun A Note of Caution Birds are protected by federal laws It is illegal to collect any feathers nests or eggs of wild birds These laws were made to prevent the
kind of mass collection and destruction that caused the near extinction of some species in the 1880s It is only safe to observe draw or photograph any feathers found lying on the ground They may have acquired harmful organisms that could cause infec tion if handled The same caution must be used in studying hawk or owl castings observe and record but don't touch These cautions are also explained in the text
It's a Bird hat makes a bird a bird What makes birds special Birds are unique animals because they have feathers But feathers need a lot of care preen ing and bathing are important Birds are fasci nating to us because they make a huge variety of sounds It's fun to keep a bird journal so you can remember all the sounds and songs you hear Feather Facts Here are some basic facts about birds and their feath ers N All birds have feathers they are the only animals on earth that have feathers N Most birds can fly but some can't You probably already know that a penguin can't fly and an ostrich can't fly either But they all have feathers N Feathers come in many shapes and sizes A feather from a hummingbird is very small O LOOK FOR
