With summer just around the corner, it is well past time for some outdoor science from Let’s Discover.

This week, you won’t need much at all: just patience, some binoculars (optional!) and most importantly, some sort of recording/playback device (a smartphone or a handheld recorder would work very well).

Birds can be found all over the world, but how familiar are you with the feathered fellows in your own backyard? Get ready because we are going to have you introduce yourself this week! The plan is very simple: many birds are at least a little bit territorial, and the way that they stake out their space is by singing. This is convenient for identification by ear, but you can also use this habit to attract birds to you. If you sit quietly outside for a period of time, you will notice the occasional birdsong. Get a good recording of one song, and play it back. The bird most likely to respond or react will be one of the same species that the song came from – possibly the original owner. You can meet your flighty neighbours by playing back their songs, seeing who comes to investigate, and putting a face to a tune. Note: there are smartphone apps that will do this for you, but we recommend the collecting process as part of the fun.

There are two catches: first, try not to play back the birds’ songs for too long at a time. It’s at least a little stressful for them, and though they won’t be as diligent about investigating songs as in the very early spring (when they’re first establishing their territories), by doing this, you are taking them temporarily away from the important business of foraging and possibly raising some young. Second, try not to attract them if any neighbourhood cats are around. Cats will catch and eat small birds and they don’t need any help from us!

Enjoy meeting your avian neighbours! Try to collect lots of songs, and if you bring a birding book (or the Internet) along, you can identify a few. If you’d also like to meet our ocean-going neighbours, keep an eye firmly on our website – our latest exhibit, TANKED: An Atlantic Aquarium Exhibit will be fully open soon – stay tuned!

 

For more great things to discover – visit the Discovery Centre on Barrington Street in Halifax, check out their website or join them on facebook