Children will graph all the birds that have been banded and recaptured at ABO. They will gain an understanding about what information can be discovered from banding and recapturing boreal forest songbirds.
Background
A surprising number of birds are recaptured at the Creamer's Field Migration Station. We know this because of each bird's numbered leg band and the careful records we keep on each bird when it is captured. Recapturing banded birds can give us information on survival rates, timing of migration, health of the individual, life span, and breeding success. If the bird is recaptured in a different year than it was banded we call it a return.
Materials
pencil
graph paper
bird returns table (appendix a5)
- Look at the table and decide what two variables you will graph (see example above). This could be decided by simple interest or directed toward a question you are trying to answer.
- Plot the information from the return table on graph paper. You will have to decide which scale to use. Each axis should be labeled with the variable and the graph should have a title.
Discussion
Did your choice about the variables and scale give the desired results? Did you see any patterns in your graph? Why would there be patterns? Does this activity suggest other questions that might be answered by graphing the information another way? Does this activity suggest other questions that might be answered by banding birds?
With the information included on the table several different graphs could be developed that would suggest interesting conclusions:
-total recaptures by year (shown above)
-recaptures by year for each species
-total recaptures by species
It is important that the graphs are accurately labeled!
An extension could be setting this activity up as a study using the scientific methods outlined in Activity 1 of this chapter.
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