Project Feeder Watch

Are you a teacher who likes to promote science in your classroom? Here’s a great ongoing Citizen Science project that will really get your students interested in birds, whether they are in kindergarten or high school! The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has been advocating Citizen Science for many years, and has several projects open to teachers and students. Classroom FeederWatch is Citizen Science at its finest!

Chickadee
Chickadee

Students enjoy feeding and watching local birds, while scientists learn from their findings. To begin Classroom FeederWatch, students and their teacher must simply set up a bird feeding station near or on the school grounds, then observe which birds are feeding there each week during specific times. Students will use the scientific method as they predict, observe, and record information. Data is then entered into the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website, helping scientists to track bird populations, locations, and patterns.

Classroom FeederWatch comes with a great curriculum full of ideas for activities and extensions, which can be adjusted for all ages, ability levels, and busy schedules! The program costs approximately $100 for the first year (to cover the curriculum), and is $15 each year following.

There is also a Project Feeder Watch curricular unit for homeschoolers.
Learn more about Citizen Science at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s website, or go directly to Project Feeder Watch.

Happy Feeder Watching!