Natural History: Birds
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Avian Adaptations Kit
This kit includes 20 bird specimens designed to focus on the adaptations that set different birds apart from one another. The hands-on specimens allow students to observe different bird features and form hypotheses about the adaptive functions of key traits. The diversity of this kit provides opportunities for the students to sort and classify birds, and to investigate evolution and taxonomy.
What’s in the Kit?
Bird specimens from 20 species
A mounted head, skull or bill, spread wing, tail, and feet from each* of the following:
Great Horned Owl
Raven
Northern Shoveler
Pelagic Cormorant
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Short-eared Owl
Chicken
Willow Ptarmigan
Ruffed Grouse
Pigeon
American Kestrel
Northern Flicker
Snow Bunting
White-winged Crossbill
Orange-crowned Warbler
Pine Grosbeak
White-crowned Sparrow
Varied Thrush
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Rufus Hummingbird
*Some specimens represented only by wing, head and/or feet
Recommended grade levels: 4-12
Key words: Adaptation; Birds; Classification; Diversity; Evolution; Variation
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Avian Diversity - Wings Kit
This kit includes wings from over a dozen taxonomic orders. Students can use hands-on specimens to explore the anatomy of a bird wing, the different types of feathers and the functions they serve, and the diverse ways in which birds achieve flight. The diversity of this kit provides opportunities for the students to sort and classify birds, and to investigate evolution and taxonomy.
What’s in the Kit?
33 spread bird wings (from 31 different bird specimens)
Different Types of Bird Flight activity
Bird Anatomy activity
Systematics and Classification activity
Recommended Grade Levels: K-12
Key words: Birds; Diversity; Feathers; Flight; Variation; Wings
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Gull Wings & Feet Kit
Explore variations within species! The Mew Gull (Larus canus) is one of the most abundant migrating birds in Fairbanks each summer. This kit contains
20 sets of Mew Gull wings for hands-on learning about bird wings, different types
of feathers, and the ways in which birds achieve flight. Also included are 20 pairs
of Mew Gull feet. Students can also look closely at the similarities and differences
among individuals to explore diversity within a species.
What’s in the Kit?
40 Mew Gull wings specimens
40 Mew Gull feet specimens
Herring Gull wing specimen
2 adult Herring Gull feet specimens
3 Herring Gull tails (different ages) specimens
Recommended grade levels: K-12
Key words: Birds; Feathers; Feet; Flight; Population; Variation; Wings
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Raptors of Alaska Kit
This kit allows students to become familiar with the many birds of prey that live in Alaska. Students will learn about the different groups of hawks and discover how they fly. They can also investigate what makes an owl an owl, and what special adaptations they have for hunting and flying silently, and for living year round in Alaska.
What’s in the Kit?
Bird Round Skins (13) specimens
Sharp-shinned Hawk
American Kestrel
Merlin
Boreal Owl
Barred Owl
Northern Goshawk
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Gray Owl
Great Horned Owl (2)
Northern Hawk Owl
Short-eared Owl
Bird Wings (5) specimens
Great Gray Owl
Northern Goshawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Osprey
Bird Tails (5) specimens
Boreal Owl
Great Horned Owl
Northern Goshawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Osprey
8 bird talons specimens:
Boreal Owl
Great Gray Owl
Great Horned Owl
Northern Goshawk
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
American Kestrel
Boreal Owl Skull specimen
The Alaska Owlmanac information and activity
Bird Anatomy activity
What Makes an Owl an Owl activity
Classification of Hawks, Owls, Nails, and Screws activity
Paper Bald Eagle activity
Make a Food Chain activity
Checklist of Alaska’s Raptors information
Handy Dandy Hawk Handbook information
Owl Information Cards information
Recommended grade levels: K-12
Key words: Birds of Prey; Diversity; Hawks; Owls; Raptors; Talons
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