Learn about Bluebirds Project - maps as science tools

For the last ten years, ornithologists have teamed up with birding enthusiasts to count the birds of North America. Citizen scientists select an area. They count all the birds they see for several set days. They report this data to The Great Backyard Bird Count.

Consider the 2008 data they have for a species of bluebirds found in your region.

1. Create a Map to see the data. (Follow the directions on the web page.)

2. Which data menu should you change to gauge how bluebirds are doing in your region?

Observe this data for 4 different cycles.
Are the bluebirds in your area: thriving, doing okay or declining?

3. Check out NestWatch. (NestWatch is a citizen-science project)

Use a table or matrix to contrast the data collected in the NestWatch project with the data collected in the Backyard Bird Count.

Which project is more detailed?

4. The 3 species of Bluebirds are focal species for the NestWatch.
This focal species information offers a distribution (range) map.

What does this map tell you about a bird species?

Based on this information are you likely or unlikely to see each of the bluebird species near your home?

Eastern Bluebird -

Western Bluebird -

Mountain Bluebird -

5. Use an online map resource to locate a map of your community or a region (approximately 2 miles) around your school or your home. Print the map. (You may be able to complete this question without printing the map. If you can excellent! Accomplish it using your technology know how instead.)

Based on what you know about bluebirds and your community:

Circle 3 places bluebirds might be found.

Cross out with an X, three places bluebirds are not likely to be found.

Place a small rectangle on three places where a nestbox could be placed to aid cavity nesting birds. Avoid places that would be attractive to non native birds like starlings or english sparrows.

Extend your thinking:

Your club has decided to work with the local bluebirders to set up a bluebird trail. How will GIS help in monitoring the project?

"You can know the name of a bird in all the languages of the world,
but when you're finished, you'll know absolutely nothing whatever about the bird...
So let's look at the bird and see what it's doing -- that's what counts.
I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something
and knowing something." Richard Feynman

Explore more:

Understanding bird data

A Study Of Bluebird Management - (7th grader project)

Why Monitor Birds?

Habitat Differences are examined in study of Eastern Bluebird

Handbook of Biological Statistics! online textbook

BirdSleuth: Investigating Evidence - free materials from Cornell University

Nature / Internet Hunts / Pennsylvania Projects / Puzzles and Projects / Computers / Mrs. O's House / Site Map

2002 Cindy O'Hora, Updated 5/2008, Posted May 2002 Contact:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License.

Save a tree - use a digital answer format - Highlight the text. Copy it. Paste it in a word processing document. Save the document in your folder. Answer on the word processing document in a contrasting color (not yellow) or font (avoid , or other ornate artistic fonts). Save frequently as you work. Submit the digital document.

Proof your responses. It is funny how speling errors and typeos sneak in to the bets work.
Make your own printer paper answer sheet