A bird’s life isn’t so easy, at least that’s the lesson some Lenihan students learned during a hands-on experience with Marshall County Conservation this week.
Diane Hall, naturalist with Marshall County Conservation, spent two days at Lenihan teaching about birds and ecosystems. Students saw examples of nests and discussed why each bird’s nest met its needs.
Hall had the students use clothespins to mimic bird beaks and work in small groups to build their own nests. Each group received a “recipe” for their bird species, with a list of ingredients that goes into that type of nest. Using only the clothespin as their tool, the students had to work together to weave straw, branches, leaves and other materials into a suitable bird habitat.
Hall regularly conducts hands-on learning experiences for students. A recent lesson also included learning about how different birds adapt to having different beaks. Students were presented with different ecological environments (like a deep pool of water) and had to determine what kind of beak was needed for a bird to pick up food from the bottom of the pool.
