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Can you imagine living outside throughout the winter, with only feathers for a coat, and dead leaves and moss as a duvet?Imagine waking up whilst it is still dark, before all of your friends (and foes), and singing to tell them where you’re living. Can you imagine being a Robin?Your Young Climate Warriors challenge is to stop and notice the wild birds over the holidays. Can you be on the look out for robins?Sometimes it’s easy to chase round the garden, play in the park or jump into the car without stopping to look and listen to the birds. Maybe you could go outside at dawn or dusk and focus on listening to the bird song – robins often start their ‘spring song’ in mid-December!
Life is getting harder for our birds, why do you think that might be? Climate change, as well as changes in farming practices such as the use of fertilizers and pesticides and the removal of hedgerows, are making life harder for birds, as well as other wild animals. Providing bird food can make a big difference to the survival of robins and other garden birds during cold weather. A robin’s favourite treat is mealworms (a type of beetle lava), but they love kitchen scraps too. Maybe this holiday you could be in charge of helping the robins and other birds – taking out meaty scraps, cheese, cake and biscuit crumbs or dried fruit (peanuts must be crushed if given).You could even make your own simple toilet roll bird feeder (with an empty toilet roll, peanut butter and bird seed) – or even a Christmas wreath for birds! Hang it on a tree branch – and wait and watch!
When you have taken the time to stop and notice a robin, or other wild birds, then please remember to HIT THE RED BUTTON! If you’re feeling arty, maybe you could have a go at drawing a robin and send it in for our gallery?Here’s a video to follow if you need some tips?
There are over 10,000 different species of birds around the world, and they are all having to adapt to climate change in different ways – can you think how they might be adapting?Studies are showing that temperature changes are triggering alterations to important events in a bird’s life. Some birds are laying their eggs earlier in the year, changing their migration routes or nesting in new locations. In the UK, many bird species (as well as butterflies, moths and dragonflies) have moved north over the last four decades, moving by, on average, 20km per decade.Research suggests bird sizes may even be shrinking and wingspans lengthening, as a result of man-made climate change.
If you’d like some help learning to recognise garden birds, here’s a WWT bird spotter sheet. If you aren’t sure which song belongs to a robin, this RSPB audio clip gives a beautiful rendition.
We need to help combat climate change on behalf of all these birds, who, even with their beautiful singing, struggle to make their voices heard. Don’t forget to HIT THE RED BUTTON when you have taken time to stop and watch a robin, or other wild birds, whilst you are out and about!
