Backyard Birds

Take a peek through a window to your back yard. What kinds of animals do you see? Do you notice any feathered friends? Birdwatching is a fun activity that you can do just about anywhere—at a nature preserve, in a park, or even in your back yard! Scientists believe there are about 10,000 different kinds of birds in the world today. Let’s take a look at a few of them to see which ones might take a trip to your back yard.

Birds of North America

There are at least 2,000 types of birds in North America. Of those many birds, you might spot some of these in your backyard:

American Robin: You might see a robin early in the morning hunting for earthworms in your  yard. These birds are brownish-gray with an orange chest. They eat berries, insects, and caterpillars.

Mourning Dove: This dove’s call sounds as if the bird is singing a song! Mourning doves are part of the pigeon family. They eat mostly seeds and will even swallow sand and small rocks to help break down their food!

Blue Jay: These blue beauties like to snack on acorns, nuts, fruits, and insects, and they’re even known to eat small animals such as mice or frogs.

Cardinal: Male cardinals are bright red. The color attracts female cardinals, which are more tan and gray. Cardinals also eat seeds, fruit, and insects.

Song Sparrow: These birds are very common in North America. They are only about six inches (15.24 cm) long and enjoy eating seeds. There are also about 140 different kinds of sparrows that live all over the world.

Birds in the Bible

Can you guess which Bible passages talk about these birds? Look up the verses below to find out, and draw a line to match the verse to the correct bird!

Eagles                 Job 38:41

Ravens                Matthew 10:29

Doves                  Isaiah 40:31                                                                           

Sparrows             Matthew 10:16

Build a Backyard Birdhouse

 Spring is a great time to get outside and to get creative by making a homemade birdhouse for your backyard friends.

 Here’s what you’ll need:

• empty milk carton (washed and dried)
• acrylic paints
• scissors
• sturdy string or twine
• hole puncher
• bird seed (optional)

What to do:

1. Have an adult help you cut holes in the milk carton so the birds can enter the house. It’s easier to cut a square or rectangular hole.
2. Decorate your birdhouse with paint.
3. Let your birdhouse dry. Then ask an adult to punch a hole near the top of the birdhouse. Tie a string through the hole so you can hang your birdhouse on a tree branch.
4. Add bird seed to the bottom of your birdhouse to attract birds.
5. Hang your birdhouse in your back yard.