Oxford Birds and Feeding Habits

Relevance
In researching, Robert Burton stated in North American Handbook that trees were the most important feature for attracting birds. He also found that it is more difficult to attract birds in a structured place, birds prefer weeds. Certain birds like open spaces for feeding, for example, Killdeer. Soil at the edges of the lawn are useful to seed eaters. This evidence leads to a broader question regarding human knowledge. How does food relate to behavior? And why? Eating and behavioral patterns can be paralleled between humans and birds. By using birds as an example of nature, we can further our understanding of ourselves.

Materials and Methods
Our experimental design is to place sixteen bird feeders, four in four locations, to observe eating trends of birds. The first set of bird feeders will be placed at the edge of the woods between Peabody and Boyd. This will be monitored and recorded by Malika. The next set will be located in the open field by Mary Lyon. This site will be observed by Lene. The following set will be placed deep within the woods behind Kumler, and John will be venturing back there with notebook in hand. The last set will placed by the pond where Katie will be sitting with the swans and watching birds. These locations were chosen to show the results of the most diverse areas possible.
There are a wide variety of feeder types suitable for all tastes and situations, since making them is much more fun and affordable to college students, that will be our course of action. Feeders bring birds up from the grass and out from the cover of trees and shrubs, giving us the opportunity to observe their excitement as they eat. We will make the feeders out of empty milk/water jugs and hang them from the trees. Jugs will be marked accordingly to show their volumes. We plan to use a measuring cup, fill the jugs with water, and mark different volumes according to the water levels on the side of the jugs. This is a hopper-feeder that will hold food for several days and help ensure a continuing supply. The four types of food that we will use is millet, suet, sunflower seeds, and a commercial mix. The temperature outside will be taken, times of observations noted, and food levels will be monitored. Observations will be on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday (specific dates will be recorded). All of this will recorded in our data chart. With this method our results should be accurate, unless our feeder are interrupted by squirrels. Precautions will be taken in our feeder design so that squirrels will not fit into the feeders. Other ideas that were dismissed were: expanding to main campus (it has a different atmosphere than Western Campus), the use of one type of food, purchasing feeders (which was too costly), and we decided to mark the volume off on the sides of the jugs to make recording food levels easier - as apposed to emptying the feeders and weighing the food. The various locations would make this too difficult.
The day before the lab is presented the feeders will be set to "full capacity".The day of the lab, the class will be divided into groups and expected to travel to all four locations and help us collect data for that day. While present at the locations we hope to experience the feeding process in action. By recording data at these sites, groups should be able to identify the various species feeding at the time. Information concerning birding will be generated in the lab packet. Song variations, color, flight patterns, and stalking techniques will be explained. Also, the importance of quiet will be stressed. Prior to venturing out, a demonstration will be given as to how to collect data properly. The location of the feeder will noted, the date, the outside temperature, time, various species, the food used, and any other observations of interest will be collected. It's important to remember that birding is as much about the self as it is about the physical facts. Maybe students will record feelings at the beginning of class, at the sites, and at the end of class.

Results:
We do not have any actual observations to report at this time. Once we do have our findings we plan on comparing all the different categories of data in various ways. A line graph will probably the most easily read chart of our findings when comparing the four different locations or types of food. A line graph will allow the results to be compared in a way that we can still see the individual days. Also maps of Western campus will be made and coded as to the amount of bird activity in that area.

Discussion and Conclusion:
N/A

Literature Cited:
Beyond the Bird Feeder By: John V. Dennis
A Guide to the Behavior of Common Birds By: Donald W. Stokes
Birding in Ohio By: Tom Thomson
North American Birdfeeder Handbook By: Robert Burton
Bird Behavior By: Robert Burton
Bird Watch By: Bates Littlehales
America's Favorite Backyard Birds By: Kit and George Harrison

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• Getting the feeders out! (10/10/99) [ Contributor: Dr. C-Section: Cummins ]

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