COURSE STRUCTURE
The course consists of nine lessons.

Classification & Introduction to Birdwatching
History of birds; Classification (Classes, Subclasses, Superorders, etc); Bird Migration; Birdwatching clubs & Other information sources, etc Binoculars, etc

The Biology of Birds
Anatomy, external & internal structure, breeding, eggs etc.

Common and Widespread Land Birds
Pests, introduced birds, pigeons, crows & their relatives, etc.

Giant Birds & Long Legged Birds
Emu, Ostrich, Herons, Storks & Relatives etc

Seabirds & Waterbirds

Hunters
Birds of Prey, Owls, Kingfishers

Passeriformes includes all song birds, plus lots of other birds including: larks, jays, magpies, swallows, nightingales, wrens, mockingbirds, robins, bluebirds, thrushes, pipits, shrikes, warblers, blackbirds, orioles, finches, grosbeaks, tanagers, and more

Other Birds
Parrots, Honeyeaters, Swifts & others

Attracting, Feeding & Keeping Birds

The aim of this course is to introduce the student to the many interesting and diverse bird species, and their physiology and habitats. You will learn a wide variety of things, through a combination of things such as reading, interacting with tutors, undertaking research and practical tasks, including observing birds.

Aims

• Discuss the study of birds, including bird taxonomy
• Describe anatomical and physical characteristics of birds.
• Describe anatomical and physical characteristics of birds.
• Discuss a range of different common and widespread land birds.
• Discuss a range of different flightless and long legged birds including Ratites and Ciconiiformes.
• Discuss and describe a range of water birds and sea birds.
• Discuss and describe a range of hunting birds.
• Discuss and describe a range of Passeriformes.
• Discuss and describe a range of parrots and other birds..
• Explain domestication of birds and the methodology and implications of attracting and feeding wild birds.

Duration 100 hours

EXAMPLES OF WHAT YOU WILL DO IN THIS COURSE

Observe birds in the wild and/or in widlife parks or zoos.

Contact a Birdwatching Club or organisation in your own country, or region of the world, and find out what services and information they offer. You may locate groups on the internet, or listed under clubs and organisations in the Yellow Pages section of your phone book. You could contact them on the phone, or by email, by letter; or by attending a meeting.

Write a brief history of the evolution of birds. Include mention of species that have become extinct and give reasons as to why you think this occurred.

Discuss the breeding cycle of one particular bird species (of your own choosing). Identify any traits or behavioural patterns that are unique to this species

Select different birds from groups studied in a lesson, and research each different bird using any resources you have available to you, such as textbooks, the internet, libraries, etc. Write a paragraph describing each of the six birds you selected, giving a detailed description of their external appearance, together with details of their distribution, structure, feeding habits and breeding. If possible, focus on any birds from each group that inhabit or regularly migrate to your region.

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