Did you know birds are related to dinosaurs? And that birds can make sounds you can’t because they have two voice boxes? And that there is a kind of bird that migrates from the north pole to the south pole every year? Amazing facts like these are part of the reason why birdwatching is such a popular outdoor activity, and a great one to do with kids!
You can watch birds from the comfort of your backyard or make it a family excursion! You don’t need any special equipment to get started, just your eyes and some books from the library! Here are five picture books to whet your beak for bird watching, and five more to help you get started bird watching!
Bird Books by pbinmyhair on Polyvore
Some birds never leave home. And some birds travel far seeking warm weather. These two little birds have quite an adventure when they leave the nest! Learn more about animals that migrate at Kids Discover.
Birds make all different sounds and can be identified by their “song.” Eleven different birds are mentioned in this book, learn about them and see if you can sing along!
A simple story about the simple beauty of birds. Sometimes birds blend into the background and we can even forget they are there, but the author takes a few moments to ponder the birds and what they do in the world. What do you notice about birds the most?
What a mouthful! There is no making sense of these rhymes, so just have some fun and be silly birds. Can you identify the birds in the pictures?
A sweet story of a girl and her grandfather and what happens when she joins him birdwatching. Sometimes birdwatchers are the best storytellers.
Young Birders by pbinmyhair featuring watches
A must read learning to identify birds flying through the air! This book is chock-full of information about wings, flight terms and birds that don’t fly. Check out Flight School
by Lita Judge for a heartwarming story about birds helping out a fellow-feathered-friend who isn’t a flier.
There is so much to look at with this book, don’t forget to “Look up!” at how many birds you already have living in your backyard.
Wildlife artist Robert Bateman includes tons of details on how to feed and attract all different types of birds to your backyard. While this book is all information, it reads comfortably like a story too!
Some of these birds your child will see in books and some in their very own yard! Either way, they can be familiar with 25 right off the bat.
This very helpful field guild is geared to the youngest birder and includes birding manners, what to look for basics, tons of pictures and what to listen for when out looking for your favorite birds.
Activities
Bagel Bird Feeder – Vegetable shortening is a safe substitute for peanut butter in this activity!
Watercolor bird ornaments
Sites to Check Out!
http://www.lcfpd.org/birdwatching/
http://www.chicagobotanic.org/birds/spring_bird_migration
http://www.visitlakecounty.org/lakecounty-outdoor-birdwatching.cfm
Visit the Vernon Area Public Library or find your local public library here:http://bit.ly/NEILlibs for these books and many more like them!
Looking for more book recommendations for you or your little ones? Visit our Goodreads or Pinterest accounts for librarian-selected reading for all ages.
You can get more Early Literacy picks from Heather’s Blog: Little Literacy Librarian.
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