8. Do ONE of the following:

a. Go on a field trip with a local club or with others who are knowledgeable about birds in your area.

1) Keep a list or fill out a checklist of all the birds your group observed during the field trip.

2) Tell your counselor which birds your group saw and why some species were common and some were present in small numbers.

3) Tell your counselor what makes the area you visited good for finding birds.



or



b. By using a public library, the internet, or contacting the National Audubon Society, find the name and location of the Christmas Bird Count nearest your home and obtain the results of a recent count.

1) Explain what kinds of information are collected during the annual event.

2) Tell your counselor which species are most common, and explain why these birds are abundant.

3) Tell your counselor which species are uncommon, and explain why these were present in small numbers. If the number of birds of these species is decreasing, explain why, and what, if anything, could be done to reverse their decline.