Children will consider what the world would be like if there were no birds. Students will gain an understanding of the importance of birds.
Background
Songbirds play an important role in the boreal forest, just as all birds play an important role in the habitats where they live. If there were no birds, our world would be very different. It may be impossible to imagine or accurately predict what the earth would be like without birds. It is interesting to think about the birdless world when considering the role birds play in our environment.
Consider all of the things we know songbirds do to keep the boreal forest healthy, such as eat insects, disperse seeds, and provide food for other boreal forest critters. If there weren't any birds controlling the insect population what are some possible results? What would happen if the seeds were not spread around? Think of the role other birds, such as birds of prey, waterfowl or grouse, have in the boreal forest.
Boreal forest songbirds eat insects. Warblers eat the insects they find in trees including aphids and caterpillars. Aphids and caterpillars eat tree leaves. If there were no birds eating these insects then the tree leaves would disappear. Trees rely on their leaves to take in sunlight and turn it into the energy they need to live. If there are no leaves then this process wouldn't happen. Trees provide a huge portion of the oxygen we need to survive. If there were no trees, then there might be no oxygen, so how could people survive?
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