(1) Birds in the field, field or opera glasses, and bird guides. (2) Some extra time, as field work is rather slow. (3) Considerable energy, as birds rise early and may be up and away before the usual hour for your appearance.

Directions.

The object of this work is to become acquainted with the living bird, to learn not only its name, but also some of its ways. You will need to spend time to do this, and as a rule the more time you spend the more you will see. Every time you go out after birds, record at the time every kind of bird you see, so that at the end of the season you will know not only when each kind of bird came, but also how long it staid. When you see a new bird, record immediately its colors, markings, actions, notes, and anything else which may help you later to identify it. Do not trust to memory nor to the inspiration of the classroom. After weeks of observation, write the following summary.

Summary of the Results of Field Study of Birds
  1. Over what length of time have your observations extended? Where have you studied? What have you found to be the best conditions for studying birds? How many birds have you identified?
  2. When in the year do birds migrate; when in the twenty-four hours?
  3. In spring migration which birds come first; which come last? What reason is there for this order?
  4. What may retard migration? What may hasten it?
  5. What could prevent certain birds from ever coming here, or, if they did come, from staying?
  6. Name some birds which stay here permanently; some which come only for the winter; some which come for the summers; some which merely pass through, going and coming.
  7. Can you see anything which may determine whether a bird will nest here or farther north? If so, what is it?
  8. Why is the house sparrow so successful?
  9. Why are blue jays so nomadic in winter?
  10. What months do the herring gulls stay here? When do they leave? Where do they go when they leave? What do they do while they are gone? When do they return? What is their economic value?
  11. How many birds' nests have you seen this spring? To what kinds of birds did they belong? If you have been able to study one in particular, give its history as far as you know it.
  12. Tell what you have learned by your own observation this spring concerning the kinds of food birds eat, and their methods of obtaining food.
  13. What bird songs have you learned to know? When do these birds sing most? Does a bird have more than one song?
  14. What birds have you seen near your home? What attached them to the vicinity? How might you attract more birds?
Birds; Review and Library Exercise
  1. What are the distinguishing characteristics of birds?
  2. Give the orders of birds, with the characteristics of each order and an example of each.
  3. Define and give illustrations of the meaning of the expressions: "land birds;" "water birds;" "shore birds;" "swamp birds;" "scavengers;" "policemen of the air."
  4. Discuss the temperature of birds, the amount of energy they show, and the oxygen they use.
  5. Beaks of birds.
  6. Feet of birds.
  7. The crop and gizzard. Why absent in many birds?
  8. What is there in a bird's construction which enables it to twist its head so far around? What are the advantages in being able to do so?
  9. Account for the oiliness of plumage of water birds; for the complete feathering of legs and feet in some forms.
  10. Define moulting and discuss its advantages and disadvantages.
  11. Give reasons why you would not expect a bird to hibernate.
  12. Name two or more kinds of birds which show "recognition marks." What sort of birds would you expect to find with such marks? Why?
  13. Is a bird's egg alive when it is laid? Why does it have so much food stored in it? What direct interest have we in this fact?
  14. How are the eggs of various birds protected while they are developing?
  15. Note.—Do not be satisfied with only one way. A bird seldom is.
  16. Compare præcocial and altricial birds as to their stage of development when hatched; the location and character of the nest; the care given by the parents; the singing habit of the parents; the success of the type.
  17. Name at least three insect-eating birds and tell how many insects it is estimated each will destroy in a day. Effect in a garden?
  18. [**check nested paras]If you had an orchard to protect from insects would you spray it with poison, or would you police it with birds?
  19. Note.—Consider both sides. There is much to be said on each.
  20. If you decided that you needed more birds, how would you get them?
  21. Suppose you had a city lot in the suburbs, 50 feet wide by 200 feet deep, with a house covering the first 50 feet. Make a plan of the back yard to show what you could do to attract the birds to it in the summer; in the winter. Remember that birds must have protection against enemies as well as against changes in weather, etc.
  22. For what purposes are birds killed by man? Which of these do you consider legitimate? Which birds may not legally be killed at any time of the year in this state? Which may at certain seasons? Which may at any time? When should an "open season" be permitted? How long should it last?
  23. Give a short biography of Audubon. Describe the purpose of the Audubon Society and some of the work accomplished by it.
  24. When were the house sparrows, or, as we call them, the English sparrows, introduced into this country? Where? Why? Have they proved a success from our standpoint? From their own? Why have they increased so enormously? What part of the country is still free from them? Why? Give the reasons for and the methods of fighting English sparrows.
  25. The history of the passenger pigeon.
  26. What has the quail or bobwhite to do with our food supply?
  27. Poultry keeping.
  28. Name three bird magazines and give a characteristic of each one.
  29. Fossil birds and the light they shed on the probable ancestry of birds.
Study of the Migration of Animals in General

The migration of birds is only one case of a phenomenon which is comparatively common. From your text and reference books find other examples of migration. What are the causes which make animals migrate? What methods do various animals use? What are some results of these migrations? Summarize your study in the following thesis:—

The distribution of animals.