We have been having a blast watching the birds on our bird feeders this spring. Even better – an Eastern Phoebe built her nest on a support board under our back deck. We set up an iPad above the open areas between the deck boards to get some photos and videos, and my kids have been thrilled to watch the changes in the nest. We’ve been watching since there were eggs in the nest, and now we have little fledglings!
Come back to the blog in the near future and I’ll have some videos posted. Until then, I wanted to share some of these amazing free resources with my fellow bird-lovers!
Free Book, Activity Books, and Notebooking Pages
Read the vintage book, The First Book of Birds (free online in PDF format). WE. LOVE. IT!! 🙂
Download a free activity book from Mountain Bluebird Trails. This 51-page book is filled with activities and information!
Get a free 50-page notebooking download from The Notebooking Nook.
Print a 51-page Feeder Bird Coloring Book from Cornell Labs.
Games, Activities, and Helpful Links
My 11-year-old loves the Bird Song Hero game from The Cornell Lab’s Bird Academy. It’s challenging but intriguing and educational! The game uses a spectrogram to teach listeners how to recognize and remember over 50 bird songs.
Make a bird seed writing tray for younger learners. We did this outside because I didn’t want to have to clean up tiny seeds off my floors!
Check out the Wild Birds Unlimited website. Click on Your Backyard Birds and select the bird you want to read about. Several large photos of each bird are available along with bird-specific information about how to attract different types to your yard. You’ll also discover where specific birds nest, whether they migrate, and more. Range maps are included, too!
While at the site above, be sure to check out the Get Close to Nature link, too. You’ll find bird treat recipes, activities for kids, and ideas for decorating for birds.
Curriculum and Printables
Get the free Amazing Birds curriculum from Cornell Labs. This is made for classroom use, but it can be adapted for homeschooling. It includes a free student activity book, a teacher’s guide, and lots of useful science tie-ins based on bird behavior.
Print some beautiful painted birds and hang them up!
Download free Feeder Bird and Hummingbird mini posters.
I hope you enjoy these freebies! Happy birdwatching! 🙂