Explore the world with shorebirds

              Image by George C. West Copyright ©1995
Birds from left to right: Black Turnstone, Surfbird,
Short-billed Dowitcher, Dunlin, Western Sandpiper
All materials contained within this guide are for educational purposes only. Illustrations contained within
this volume are copyrighted by the respective artist and may not be reproduced without written permission
unless otherwise noted. Permission to use these images within this guide was granted to the Shorebird Sister
Schools Program to encourage shorebird habitat protection in our nations’ school children.
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 3
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
Introduction
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Why Teach About Shorebirds? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
How to Use This Education Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Thumbing Through Explore the World with Shorebirds! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Ideas for Young Audiences (Pre-K – 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Ideas for Home School Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Ideas for Youth Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Ideas for Nature Center Visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Shorebird Sister Schools Program and Connecting Cultures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
What Is the Shorebird Sister Schools Program?
An Overview of the Shorebird Sister Schools Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
How to Join the Shorebird Education Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
How to Use the Shorebird Sister Schools Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Integrating the Shorebird Sister Schools Program into Your Community . . 29
Register as a Shorebird Sister School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
How to Begin a Shorebird Sister Schools Program Pen Pal Exchange . . . . 32
Connecting to Other Cultures
Increasing Cultural Awareness (includes student activity) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
List of Explore the World with Shorebirds! Activities with Cultural
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Cultural Profiles Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
*Cultural Profiles
Alaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Canada’s Arctic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Hawaii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Paraguay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Argentina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
*Additional profiles will be posted on the website at http://sssp.fws.gov.
We welcome additional profiles. If you would like to write one for your
country or state please send an e-mail to sssp@fws.gov.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 4
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
A Shorebird Primer for Educators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
What Makes a Bird a Shorebird? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
North American Shorebird Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
How to Identify Shorebird Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Shorebirds Depend on a Chain of Healthy Habitats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Shorebird Adaptations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Magnificent Shorebird Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Shorebird Migration Flyways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
The Shorebird Flyway in Your Backyard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Pacific Flyway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Atlantic Flyway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Central Flyway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
East Asian — Australasian Flyway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Central Pacific Flyway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Shorebird Nesting and Breeding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Threats to Migrating Shorebirds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Shorebird Conservation — A Hopeful Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Shorebird Technology and Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Classroom Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Activities Indexes and Correlation to National Standards
1.Subject and Skill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
2.Visual Arts, English, Math, History/Social Studies, Science . . . . . . . . . . 105
Introduction to Shorebirds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Adaptations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Habitat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Nesting and Breeding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Migration and Migratory Stopover Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Shorebird Research and Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
The Big Shorebird Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Shorebirds on Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Review and Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Table of Contents
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 5
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
Field Trip Planner and Activities
Field Trip Planner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
Field Trip Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
Tips for a Successful Field Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Group Management Hints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
Good Field Trip Etiquette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
Field Trip Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
Video Hints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414
Photo/Video Release Form (in-school use) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Photo/Video Release Form (for submission to SSSP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416
Field Trip Permission and Medical Information Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
Field Trip Activities 419
Pre-field trip Activities
Using a Field Guide and Binoculars 420
Map and Miles Study 423
Making Field Sampling Equipment 424
Birding Code of Ethics 426
On-site Activities
Shorebird Field Study 429
Cast a Track 433
Mud Creatures Study 434
Sampling Local Shorebird Populations 440
Migration Headache (Migration Activities Section) 286
The Incredible Journey (Migration Activities Section) 327
Behave Yourself (Nesting and Breeding Activities Section) 267
It’s A Tough Life (Nesting and Breeding Activities Section) 279
Banded Birds (Research and Technology Activities Section) 346
Shorebirds On The Web (Research and Technology Activities Section) 366
Post-field trip Activities
Sharing Circle 442
Data Analysis 443
Shorebirds On The Web (Research and Technology Activities Section) 366
Field Trip Journals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444
Field Trip Activity Sheets for Lower Elementary Students . . . . . . . . . . 445
Basic Shorebird Observation Journal Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 449
Advanced Shorebird Observation Journal Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458
Advanced Invertebrate Observation Journal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464
Chapter 6
Table of Contents
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 6
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470
Shorebird Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472
Shorebird Coloring Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517
Shorebird Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544
Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network List
of Important Shorebird Sites in North and South America . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
North American Shorebirds and the Habitats They Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549
Western Hemisphere Migration Flyways Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Map of Five Shorebird Flyways in the Shorebird Sister Schools Program . 551
Shorebird Family Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552
Shorebird Morphology: Flying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553
Shorebird Morphology: Standing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 555
Shorebird Beaks and Feeding Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
Shorebirds, Wading Birds, Seabirds:
Physical and Behavioral Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559
Evaluation of Educator’s Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560
Appendices
Table of Contents
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 7
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
Acknowledgments
Explore the World with Shorebirds!
was expanded from the regional
Arctic-Nesting Shorebirds Teacher’s
Guide, written by Maureen de Zeeuw,
and from Shorebirds of the Pacific,
developed at the U. S. Fish and
Wildlife Service’s Alaska Maritime
National Wildlife Refuge office in
Homer, Alaska. The Shorebird
Sister Schools Program Coordinator,
Hilary Chapman, SSSP educator’s
guide committee, and environmental
education specialist Suzanne Trapp
completed this Educator’s Guide
update.
Special thanks to members of
the educator’s guide committee
for volunteering their time and
expertise: Lori Haynes, Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission; Linda Dill, New
Jersey Audubon Society; and
Maureen de Zeeuw, Tamara Mills,
and Suzanne Fellows of the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service. Special
thanks to Brad Andres, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service National
Shorebird Coordinator for his time
and assistance. Many thanks also to
Nancy Whalen for proof-reading the
entire guide.
Heart felt appreciation and thanks
to Suzanne Trapp who took our
innumerable ideas and changes, and
made sense out of it!
Great thanks to the following
educators who took time out of their
busy schedules to review, test, and
provide feedback on the revised
guide:
Margaret Olsen
Woodward Academy, Jonesboro,
Georgia
Susan Raymond
M.Ed., Georgetown Charter School,
Millsboro, Delaware
Joe Super
Bishop Ryan High School, Minot,
North Dakota
Marilyn Cook
H.G. Olsen Elementary, Port
Aransas, Texas
Marcia Bisnett
Miami Norland Senior High, Miami,
Florida
Steven Daniel
Department of Education Culture
and Employment, Yellowknife,
Nunavut, Canada
Dan Butterworth
Crooked River State Park, St. Marys,
Georgia
Ashley Dayer
Oregon Coastal National Wildlife
Refuge Complex
Bonnie Swarbrick
Buenos Aires National Wildlife
Refuge, Arizona
Laura Diprizio
Division of Migratory Birds, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley,
Massachusetts
Sue Thomas
Division of Migratory Birds, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland,
Oregon
Thanks to Project WILD, Alaska
Wildlife Curriculum, New Jersey
Audubon Society, North American
Bluebird Society, Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resource,
and the many other organizations
and agencies that allowed adapted
versions of their activities to become
part of this curriculum. Illustrations
were donated by George C. West and
Maureen de Zeeuw.
The Following Project Sponsors
Provided Funding:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
Division of Migratory Birds and
the National Conservation Training
Center
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service’s mission is to work with
others to conserve, protect and
enhance fish, wildlife, and plants
and their habitats for the continuing
benefit of the American people.
Over 500 refuges and wetland
management districts protect fish
and wildlife habitat, including areas
important to shorebirds.
The National Fish
and Wildlife Foundation
By awarding challenge grants,
the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation conserves healthy
populations of fish, wildlife, and
plants — on land and in the sea
— through creative and respectful
partnerships, sustainable solutions,
and better education.
ConocoPhillips Company
For more than a decade,
ConocoPhillips has been a
partner in bird conservation to
benefit birds, their habitats, and
the environment. “As a natural
resource company, we know the
importance of protecting the air,
land and water upon which we all
depend.”
Graphic Design
Kudos and great thanks to Kelly Fike
for the layout and design of the guide.
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 9
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
Why Teach
About
Shorebirds?
With all the curricula
that already exist on
specialized topics,
the natural question
arises, why should
teachers use this one?
While at first glance
the focus appears to
be on shorebirds only,
a closer look reveals
that these lessons
teach a broad range
of scientific concepts
and offer a global
connection to other
students, scientists,
and educators.
Consider what makes
this program unique.
Shorebirds Are a Theme Easily
Integrated into Many Subjects!
■ The sheer magnitude of what
shorebirds accomplish in their
efforts to survive is truly amazing
and a great tie in to numerous
subjects. For example, Hawaii has
a rich culture that incorporates
its most well-known shorebird,
the Kolea or Pacific-Golden
Plover, into its chants, hulas, and
folklore. The Kolea provides a
great opportunity to teach about
science, but it also brings in
history and social studies.
■ Calculating distances and
mapping where these birds
migrate also make great
opportunities for bringing math
and geography into the classroom
in a relevant and fun way.
Curriculum Activities Are Correlated
with National Education Standards!
■ This provides justification to your
school administrators for your
time in the classroom and field
trip expenses.
Shorebirds Are a Hook
for Habitat Conservation!
■ By learning about and protecting
shorebirds, you are protecting
an entire ecosystem and all flora
and fauna that depend on these
important natural areas.
Shorebirds Are Found
Throughout North America!
■ Because of the migratory nature
of shorebirds, at some time during
the year, shorebirds can be seen
in all 50 United States, allowing
many people to participate in this
program.
Shorebirds Connect
Us Internationally!
■ Shorebirds are among the longest
distance migrants of the bird
world.
■ The Shorebird Sister Schools
Program (SSSP) can connect your
field site and education program
to many different countries and
cultures through the E-mail
Network, Web site, and pen pal
components of the program.
■ Geography, history, foreign
language and culture are
incorporated into what first
appears to be a science program.
It Is Easy to Schedule Field Trips!
■ Shorebirds migrate in huge flocks
and stop at the same places at
relatively predictable times of the
year. This allows for advanced
planning of educational events,
festivals, and field trips.
■ School children along the flyways
can actively observe and report
on the migration of shorebirds
through their communities to the
Shorebird Sister Schools Web
site.
Shorebirds Are Fun to Watch!
■ The sheer number, variety, and
behaviors of shorebirds make
them an intriguing, observable
species to teach and learn about.
Shorebirds Need Your Help!
■ Shorebirds can tell us a lot about
the overall health of the habitats
in which they live. They are also
part of our earth’s incredible
biodiversity. Scientists fear
that many shorebird populations
are declining largely due to the
loss of habitat and pollution. To
protect shorebirds and their
habitat means to protect the very
environment we all depend on.
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 11
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
How to Use This Guide
Thumbing Through Explore the World with Shorebirds! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Ideas for Younger Audiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Ideas for Home School Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Ideas for Youth Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Ideas for Nature Center Visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 13
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
Use this summary to familiarize
yourself with the contents and
organization of Explore the World
with Shorebirds!
Introduction
“Why Teach About Shorebirds?”
fact sheet
SSSP and Connecting Cultures:
Details on how to participate in the
Shorebird Sister Schools Program.
Tips for teaching about cultures
and introducing the topic to
students.
Profiles of other cultures and their
views of conservation and birds.
A Shorebird Primer:
You do not need to be a bird expert
to teach about shorebirds!
Background information to teach
shorebird behavior, adaptations,
migration, research and technology,
and conservation.
“How to Identify Shorebird
Species” information that is
especially useful if you are planning
a field trip.
Maps, geographic descriptions, and
lists of common shorebirds of your
area.
Answers to common migration
questions such as: What are
migration flyways? What routes
do shorebirds take on their long
flights between their breeding
and wintering grounds? What
migration flyway(s) pass through
your area?
Classroom and Field Trip
Multidisciplinary Activities include:
Indexes correlating educator’s guide
activities with skills and the National
Education Standards in science,
math, language arts, social studies,
and history.
Activities that can be used whether
you live near shorebird breeding
or nonbreeding areas, migratory
stopover sites, or a combination of
these.
Multidisciplinary activities
designed to help students develop
a variety of academic and life skills
while learning about migratory
shorebirds, shorebird habitat, and
the significance of human interaction
with both.
You can quickly tell if an activity
is for you and your class by looking
at key information listed at the
beginning of each unit. This includes
grade level(s), time requirement,
skills and subjects, shorebird
concepts, overview, and materials.
Divided By Three Age Categories
Activities are divided into lower
elementary (grades 2–3), upper
elementary/lower middle school
(grades 4–8), and upper middle/high
school (grades 9–12). The activities
can also be used with non-school
groups and non-formal education
centers. A few activities can be
modified for preschool, kindergarten,
and first grade. Recommendations
for using activities with other student
groups follow in this section of the
guide.
Correlated to National Standards
The lessons in Explore the World
with Shorebirds! are correlated to
National Education Standards and
go beyond just science education.
They provide opportunities for your
students to learn about other cultures
and global conservation through
the technology components of the
program.
Organized by Shorebird Topic
The activities in this education
guide are organized into nine
Shorebird Learning Topics:
Introduction to Shorebirds,
Adaptations, Habitat, Nesting and
Breeding, Migration, Shorebird
Research and Technology, The
“Big” Shorebird Picture, Shorebird
Field Trips, and Review and
Assessment.
Field Trip Planning and Activities
This section provides many
resources for planning a field trip
and includes many activities.
Appendix includes:
Shorebird Profiles, organized
by flyway, that describe the life
history of some of the more common
shorebirds.
Shorebird Coloring Pages for
developing field identification guides
or puppets.
Shorebird resources available
such as teaching trunks, slide sets,
videos, and shorebird field guides.
Glossary that provides definitions
for the italicized vocabulary words
that appear throughout the guide
and in the vocabulary lists at the
beginning of each activity unit.
Thumbing Through
Explore the World
with Shorebirds!
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 14
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
Preschool,
Kindergarten,
First Grade
Young Children Get Excited over the
Little Things!
It will not matter if they never get
a chance to see a live shorebird.
Exploring the topic in a creative
and dramatic way will capture their
attention and interest in nature.
Most Young Children Love to Create!
Take advantage of their willingness
to express their ideas through art.
Many Young Children Are Often Less
Inhibited than Older Students.
Harness their desire to be silly!
Use the activities that focus on
sound, movement, and drama.
Teach Simpler Concepts
Most of the concepts explored
in this education guide are too
abstract for a young child to grasp.
Simply introducing your preschool,
kindergarten, and first-grade
students to the group known
as shorebirds is a great start.
Many of the activities written for
lower elementary students can be
simplified for younger students.
Below are some revised concepts to
substitute in the lower elementary
activities found in the activities
section.
Preschool, Kindergarten and First
Grade Shorebird Concepts
■ Birds are different from all other
animals. (Adapt Build a Shorebird
into Build a Bird.
■ There are shorebirds in your
neighborhood. (Shorebird Profiles;
Shorebird Coloring Pages in the
Appendix)
■ There are many different kinds of
shorebirds. (Shorebird Profiles;
Shorebird Coloring pages in the
Appendix)
■ Sometimes male and female
shorebirds look different from
each other. (Colorful Changes)
■ Many shorebirds live in wetlands.
(Shorebird Food Webs)
■ Wetlands are important to people
and animals. (Wetland Metaphors)
■ Shorebirds are an important part
of their habitat. (Shorebird Food
Webs)
■ Shorebirds have to protect their
nests and chicks from other
animals. (Guard Your Nest;
Musical Nests)
■ Shorebirds are designed to eat
certain things. (What Can I Eat
with This Beak?)
■ Different kinds of shorebirds use
different calls and gestures to find
a mate. (Behave Yourself, Calling
All Birds)
Create a Shorebird Environment in
Your Classroom
Young children learn best through
discovery and play. Provide them
with opportunities to become
familiar with shorebirds by
incorporating shorebirds into your
classroom. Here are some simple,
low cost ideas:
■ Add shorebird stories to your
book collection. (For suggestions,
refer to the Glossary at the end of
the education guide.)
■ Buy or make a variety of
shorebird puppets. Add a puppet
stage to your classroom.
■ Display the shorebird posters
included in this binder in the
room.
■ Clip shorebird pictures out
of magazines and make a
concentration game.
■ Create a bird-watching station in
your room by placing binoculars
and beginner field guides where
children can watch birds.
■ Take your students outdoors to
look and listen for birds.
■ Play bird-call tapes or CDs in the
classroom.
■ Take a field trip to a local wetland.
How to Adapt “Explore the World with
Shorebirds!” for Young Audiences
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 15
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
Focus on Skills More
Than on Information
Young students learn best through
active play and personal discovery.
The more you can incorporate
a shorebird theme into your
everyday, skill-building activities,
the more they will learn about
this group of birds. Here are some
examples of Explore the World with
Shorebirds! activities that can be
adapted to focus on skill-building.
Listening and Observation
Musical Nests (an adaptation of
the game Musical Chairs) and
Behave Yourself! are simple and
fun ways to practice listening and
observation skills.
Artistic Expression
Encourage creativity by allowing
your students to design and build
their own shorebird puppets (Get
to Know the Shorebirds Puppet
Show) or to create their own,
unique shorebird design (Build a
Shorebird).
Dramatic Play and Storytelling
Write and act out a shorebird
story. (For suggestions refer to the
Glossary at the end of the education
guide.) Perhaps your class would
like to write its own story about
a local shorebird and illustrate it
themselves (A Day in My Life as
a Shorebird). Are your students
natural actors? Perform the puppet
show script provided or write one
of your own as a class (Get to Know
the Shorebirds Puppet Show).
Comparing Similarities
and Differences
Ask students to compare different
groups of birds and even different
shorebird species. Compare bills,
feet, length of their legs, shape
of their heads, and plumage. Do
all shorebirds act the same? Do
all shorebirds sound the same?
(Introduction to Shorebirds;
What Can I Eat with This Beak?;
Shorebird Profiles).
Scientific Discovery
Almost any outdoor excursion
offers an opportunity for scientific
discovery. Whether it is a field
trip to a local wetland, lake, or
beach or a simple walk around
the playground, there should be
many signs of birds nearby. Look
for feathers, tracks, nests, and
droppings. Listen for bird-calls
and songs. Search for bird foods.
Simplify Mud Creature Study into
a scavenger hunt for things that
live in the mud. Use Cast a Track
to bring a shorebird track back to
your classroom.
If you can not find many signs of
birds, ask “What would bring birds
into this area?” Use the activity
Shorebird Food Webs to help you
figure out what is missing in the
habitat you are exploring.
Team Building
Explore the World with Shorebirds!
offers many opportunities for
students to work together. Whether
they team up to write a story,
create a set of shorebird puppets
(Build a Shorebird; Get To Know
the Shorebirds Puppet Show), play
a learning game (Musical Nests;
Behave Yourself), build a food web
(Shorebird Food Webs), or explore a
wetland together on a field trip, the
activities in this education guide
will encourage team building.
Invite Older Shorebird Students to
Include Younger Ones in Shorebird
Lessons
If the older students in your school
are using Explore the World
with Shorebirds!, ask them to
incorporate your class into their
activities. Can your class be the
audience for a Get to Know the
Shorebirds Puppet Show? Can your
class visit the Shorebird Fair or
dress up as shorebirds in an older
class’s Shorebird Wax Museum?
How about a joint field trip where
older students pair up with younger
ones to help them use binoculars
and identify shorebirds? With
some creative thinking, advanced
planning, and a desire to mentor
younger students, almost any
activity in this educator’s guide can
benefit the preschool, kindergarten,
and first-grade audience.
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 16
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
Why It Works
You Have Maximum Schedule
Flexibility to Be Spontaneous
Since you are not bound by a
traditional school year, a defined
class schedule, or dictated
educator’s guide timelines, you
can take advantage of teachable
moments as they present
themselves.
You Can Emphasize Your Child’s
Particular Interests
You do not have to be concerned
about activities appealing to a wide
range of interests and abilities. You
can focus on topic areas especially
interesting to your child and can
more easily integrate shorebirds
into subject areas he or she needs to
emphasize.
Family Trips Are Learning
Experiences
You have tremendous flexibility for
shorebird viewing opportunities
when you consider family outings,
weekend getaways, and longer
vacations. Soon you will notice
that shorebirds are everywhere.
After using Explore the World with
Shorebirds! you may even consider
a family trip to a prime shorebird
viewing area.
Let “Explore the World with
Shorebirds!” Grow with Your Child
Use the Subjects and Skills Index
Charts found in the Classroom
Activities to develop a study plan
that emphasizes the skills you
want to practice and your child’s
specific interests. Activities are
provided for grades 2 – 12. Take
advantage of your flexibility and
explore the world of shorebirds for
several years, building up to more
complicated topics and community-oriented
projects as your child
learns and grows. Families with
multiple home school children can
easily select an activity appropriate
for each child’s age and learning
level. See the sample study plan at
the end of this section.
Use Your Family Computer as a
Shorebird Learning Tool
Tracking migrating shorebirds,
posting questions to shorebird
biologists, and playing shorebird
learning games are just a few of the
learning opportunities you will find
there. For more information on how
to use sssp@fws.gov, refer to How
to Use the Shorebird Sister Schools
Web Site in SSSP and Cultural
Connections.
Network with Other Home School
Families for Large Group Activities
Since this educator’s guide was
initially designed for use by
classroom teachers, many large
group educational activities are
included. With a little advanced
planning and creativity, you
can incorporate them into your
shorebird lessons. Take your
interest in shorebirds to your
local home school chapter and
brainstorm which activities might
be best suited for the group to
participate in together.
Being part of a larger group can
also have certain advantages. For
example, booking speakers or
presenters and reserving time with
a naturalist at a nature center are
usually easier if you are part of a
group. Community service projects
are often more educational if you
plan and work within a group.
Here are some ideas for modifying
activities designed for a larger
group:
■ Combine shorebird activities
like Shorebird Food Webs,
When the Grass Was Greener,
Musical Nests, It’s a Tough
Life, Migration Headache, The
Incredible Journey, Precarious
Path, and Banded Bird, with a
field trip or a special shorebird
presentation.
■ Include your extended family and
friends in activities like Guard
Your Nest and Imaginary Mist
Nests. Plan these activities to
coincide with their visits.
■ Invite your area home school
students to work together to
plan and present a Get to Know
the Shorebirds Puppet Show or
an informational Shorebird Fair
within the community.
■ Host an afternoon of Shorebird
Jeo-Bird-Y or Peeps and
Predators in which families test
their new shorebird knowledge.
Emphasize Field Trips and
Seasonally Relevant Topics
You may have noticed in the sample
study plan that several field trip
activities were suggested each year.
You are in a unique opportunity
to emphasize teachable moments.
Prepare for the impromptu stop at a
local wetland on a good weather day
when you know shorebirds could be
in the area. Time your lessons to
coincide with the shorebird seasons.
For example, focus on migrations
and migratory stopover sites when
shorebirds are moving through
your area or you are tracking
them online. Teach about breeding
plumage in the spring and summer
when your children may spot
local shorebirds in their breeding
plumage.
How to Adapt “Explore the World
with Shorebirds!” for Home School
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 17
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
Year 1
Introduction to Shorebirds
Shorebird Profiles
Adaptations
Build s Shorebird
Habitat
Shorebird Food Webs
Nesting and Breeding
Guard Your Nest
Colorful Changes
Migration
Migration Headache
Shorebird Research and Technology
Where Are the Birds Today?
Field Trips
Using a Field Guide and Binoculars
Shorebird Field Study
Cast a Track
The “Big Shorebird Picture”
Shorebird Values on the Line (to
assess what your child thinks and
believes)
Year 2
Introduction to Shorebirds
Get to Know the Shorebirds Puppet
Show
Adaptations
What Can I Eat with This Beak?
Habitat
Match the Habitat Cards
Nesting and Breeding
It’s a Tough Life
Migration
Migration Math Madness
Shorebird Research and Technology
Banded Birds
Field Trips
Using Field Guide and Binoculars
(review)
Making Field Sampling Equipment
Mud Creatures Study
Data Analysis
The “Big Shorebird Picture”
Shorebird Poetry
Shorebird News
Year 3
Introduction to Shorebirds
Most Wanted: Shorebirds
Adaptations
Avian Olympics
Habitat
Map Your Habitats
Nesting and Breeding
Shorebird Bubble Map
Migration
Bird’s-Eye View
Shorebird Research and Technology
You Be the Scientist
Field Trips
Sampling Local Shorebird
Populations
Data Analysis
The “Big Shorebird Picture”
What You Can Do for Shorebirds!
Shorebird Fair
Shorebird Values on the Line
These activities are more suitable
for larger groups. Refer to Network
with Other Home School Families
for Large Group Activities on the
previous page for suggestions on
how to use these activities with
your group.
“Explore the World with Shorebirds!”
Sample Home School Study Plan
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 18
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
Why It Works
You Have Greater Time and Schedule
Flexibility Than Most Groups
Most of the time, youth groups can
visit sites without the complications
of arranging bus transportation
within the confines of a traditional
school week and year.
The Community Likes to Get Involved
with Youth Groups
There are usually plenty of
interested parent helpers or
community volunteers to chaperone
group activities. Local civic
organizations and businesses such
as local bird clubs or bird stores are
often eager to sponsor youth events.
Youth Groups Like Service Learning
Projects
Since youth groups meet on an
extended, regular schedule, it is
relatively easy to start and finish a
community service project.
Youth Groups Are a Popular Activity
Many sites are eager to attract the
local youth group audience. Many
children and their parents are
looking to become part of a fun, yet
educational, group.
Shorebird Field Trips Are a Logical
Choice for Youth Groups
Planning a Shorebird Field Trip
gives you many suggestions on
having a fun and safe field trip. In
the Field Trip Activities section,
you will find pre-trip, onsite, and
post-trip activities for your group.
A variety of Field Trip Journal
Pages is also located in the Field
Trip section. Select the one(s) most
suited to your group and your field
trip needs.
Take as many shorebird field
trips as you can! Ask parents to
carpool to nearby shorebird field
trip sites. Call ahead to arrange a
time with the site’s naturalist. If
the naturalist is not available, look
within your own community for a
local shorebird expert to help with
field identification and questions.
Ask your local natural resource
or extension agency about the
possibility of talking with a bird
biologist about shorebirds. Find
out if anyone in your community is
banding shorebirds.
Plan a Community Service Project
That Benefits Shorebirds
Service projects can attract a
lot of attention to your group
and to shorebirds. Have your
kids research the species of
shorebirds that visit your area.
What challenges do they face?
Are there any controversial issues
surrounding these shorebirds
within your own community? How
can your group help?
The more the project selection
and planning is done by your kids,
the greater their enthusiasm and
commitment will be. Offer them
suggestions and guidance when
they need it, but resist the urge
to take over. For a list of ideas
and suggestions on how to plan
and organize a community service
project, look up What You Can
Do for Shorebirds! in The Big
Shorebird Picture section.
Ask Older Groups to
Mentor Younger Ones
Most of the activities in Explore
the World with Shorebirds! are
most appropriate for children in
grades 2 – 12, as written. This
provides a wonderful opportunity
for older groups to help teach
younger ones. Pair up ages for
field trips. Look for ways younger
students can contribute to the
productions and community
projects that older groups develop.
Use younger groups as an audience
for shorebird stories, puppet shows,
and art shows hosted by their older
counterparts.
How to Adapt “Explore the
World with Shorebirds!” for
Youth Groups
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 19
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
Why It Works
Your Audience Chose to Come
You already know that the people in
your building are interested in the
information and activities you have
to offer. You will not have to spend
a lot of time soliciting enthusiasm or
participation.
Sometimes the Best Learning
Happens in Mixed Groups
Most of the time, parents take
charge of their children in mixed
groups, allowing the presenter to
focus on his or her presentation.
Often it is the children’s enthusiasm
that sparks parents’ interest and
gives them permission to enjoy
the games and activities you have
planned. Most of the time family
groups are comfortable “teams”
in which even young children can
participate with help from an older
sibling or parent.
Flexibility
You can plan programs and
activities year-round. You are not
confined to a classroom or a set
block of time. You can decide how
big your group will be by setting
size limits.
You May Already Have
Shorebird Resources
Perhaps you have shorebirds
feeding or nesting on-site. You
probably arrange space to setup
interesting displays and conduct
programs and demonstrations.
You might even have a naturalist
who already knows something
about shorebird biology and the
identification of local species.
Host a Shorebird-Viewing Workshop
Invite bird enthusiasts to an
afternoon or a weekend shorebird
workshop. Plan your wildlife-watching
workshop around the
peak viewing sites and dates in
your area. Include activities from
Explore the World with Shorebirds!
and follow up with shorebird
viewing trips. Remember, many
parents are looking for activities
their whole family can enjoy
together. Teachers, home school
parents, and scout or club leaders
are also audiences to consider.
Design a Shorebird
Field Trip Teacher Packet
If your site is a frequent field-trip
destination, design a field trip with
a shorebird theme for your local
teachers.
Here are some ideas:
■ Assemble a field-trip packet that
includes pre- and post- field trip
activities, species profiles for
shorebirds that use your site, and
general shorebird information
from the Shorebird Primer.
■ Provide staff assistance, if
possible, or line up volunteers to
help with the on-site activities.
■ Offer a pre-field trip orientation
for teachers who would like to
know more about shorebirds and
the particular species they can
expect to see at your site.
Use Shorebird Demonstrations,
Presentations, and Games
Many activities in Explore the
World with Shorebirds! are easily
modified into presentations or
demonstrations. Plan to include
some of the activities below in your
program schedule during peak
shorebird viewing times.
Here are a few examples of
activities that fit well with a mixed
audience:
■ Wetland Metaphors
(Classroom Activities —
Habitat Section)
Introduce your audience to the
role wetlands play within the
ecosystem, their importance to
shorebirds, and their value to
human health.
■ Build A Shorebird
(Classroom Activities —
Adaptation Section)
This activity can be done using
a volunteer from your audience.
It is also engaging for a roaming
interpreter. Simply dress up in
all the shorebird adaptations
described in the activity and roam
the visitor center or observation
area, asking your visitors to
guess what animal you are.
Explain your strange-looking
adaptations and how they benefit
you.
■ Shorebird Food Webs
(Classroom Activities —
Habitat Section)
Prepare a set of shorebird food
web cards (found in the Student
Appendix) that are suitable
to your area’s habitat. Collect
volunteers from within your
center or advertise a food web
activity that anyone can play.
■ Migration Headache, The
Incredible Journey, and It’s a
Tough Life
(Classroom Activities —
Migration and the Nesting
and Breeding Sections)
These are all teaching activities
that work well when conducted
outside with a medium-sized
group of almost any age. Read the
rules carefully beforehand and
assemble the props in a labeled
box that can set on the shelf,
ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Adapting “Explore the World
with Shorebirds!” for Nature
Center Visitors
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 20
SHOREBIRDSISTER SCHOOLSPROGRAM
■ Get to Know the Shorebirds
Puppet Shows
(Classroom Activities —
Introduction to Shorebirds
Section)
Use the sample script, modify it
for your specific location, or write
a new one for presentation in your
nature or visitor center. Look
for artistic volunteers to create
the puppets and backdrop. This
is likely to be especially popular
with your preschool visitors and
day care groups.
■ What Can I Eat with This Beak?
(Classroom Activities —
Adaptations Section)
Set up a small “shorebird
feeding station” somewhere in
your center. Put out the beak-simulation
tools as described in
the activity. Use pie plates to hold
“shorebird foods,” and ask your
visitors to try to match the right
style beak with the foods it is
designed to help a shorebird eat.
Be sure to leave the right answers
and pictures of the shorebirds you
are highlighting on cards at the
table.
For example:
To simulate a Dowitcher probing
for aquatic worms, bury gummy
worms in sand and provide a pair
of needle-nosed pliers to pull
them out.
To simulate an Oystercatcher
feeding on mollusks, leave a pair
of heavy pliers for crushing open
a nut or a shell
To simulate a Western Sandpiper
picking insects off the surface of
the beach, use a pair of tweezers
to pick up grains of rice from a pie
plate of sand.
Host a Shorebird Contest
Get out the word about the
shorebirds in your area by
sponsoring a shorebird contest,
using one of the activities in
Explore the World with Shorebirds!
■ Most Wanted Shorebirds
(Classroom Activities
— Introduction to Shorebirds
Section)
Invite local school children to
design a “Most Wanted Poster”
for shorebirds in your area. Then
select a variety of posters to
showcase at the nature center
or around town. Perhaps a local
printing company would donate
the cost of printing posters of the
winning artwork.
■ A Year (a Day or a Week) in My
Life as a Shorebird
(Classroom Activities
— Introduction to Shorebirds
Section)
■ Host a writing contest that
describes the life of a favorite
shorebird. Ask your local
newspaper to print the winning
article and a little more about
where and when readers can see
this shorebird.
■ Shorebird Poetry
(Classroom Activities — The Big
Shorebird Picture Section)
Sponsor a community poetry
contest. Ask local businesses to
contribute prizes. Ask you local
paper to print the winning poems.
■ Shorebirds on Display
(Classroom Activities — The Big
Shorebird Picture Section)
Invite scout troops, science clubs,
and/or schools to design a display
that communicates information
about a controversial shorebird
issue, little known facts about
shorebirds, or identification
information about the birds
visiting your area.
Organize a Shorebird
Service Project on Your Site
The opportunities for service
projects on your site are really only
limited by your own imagination
and the willingness of your
community to lend a hand. Litter
clean-ups are pretty simple and
fairly typical, especially in the
spring when snow melts and people
are ready to get outside and enjoy
the weather. Go beyond what you
may be familiar with and ask
yourself “What does our site really
need to benefit shorebirds?” If you
need concrete ideas, look up What
You Can Do for Shorebirds!
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 21
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Shorebird Sister Schools Program
(SSSP) and Connecting Cultures
Concepts
■ By following shorebirds’ movements, we can discover new places and people throughout the world.
■ Following shorebird migration broadens our understanding of how we are connected to other people
and places and how our actions can influence global conservation efforts.
■ Different types of communication media provide a corridor to other places and people.
■ Culturally knowledgeable citizens demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the relationships,
processes, and interactions among all elements in the world.
Shorebird Sister Schools
An Overview of the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Join the Shorebird E-mail Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Use the Shorebird Sister Schools Web Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Integrate the Shorebird Sister Schools Program into Your Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Register as a Shorebird Sister School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Begin a Shorebird Sister Schools Program Pen Pal Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Connecting Cultures
Cultural Connections in a Conservation Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
List of Activities with Cultural Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Increasing Cultural Awareness Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
SSSP Country Cultural Profiles*
Alaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Canada’s Arctic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Hawaii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Paraguay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Argentina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
*Additional profiles will be posted on the Web at http://sssp.fws.gov. We welcome additional profiles. If you would
like to write one for your state or country please contact the SSSP coordinator at sssp@fws.gov.
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 23
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
What Is the Shorebird
Sister School Program (SSSP)?
The Shorebird Sister Schools
Program (SSSP) is an Internet-based,
multidisciplinary,
environmental education program
that provides a forum for
students, biologists, and shorebird
enthusiasts to track, discuss,
share information, and learn about
shorebirds throughout the year.
The primary components of the
program include:
■ World Wide Web site,
http://sssp.fws.gov
■ Shorebird E-mail Network
(Listserve).
■ Educator’s guide for Grades 2-12.
Through SSSP your students can:
■ Learn about shorebirds, their
habitats, and migration.
■ Participate in spring tracking
projects and learn how
researchers use the scientific
study method.
■ Connect with others to learn
about shared natural resources
and different cultures.
■ Nominate their hometown as
a “shorebird sister city” to
recognize their community’s good
land stewardship for shorebirds.
■ Develop a variety of academic and
life skills using shorebirds as a
theme.
How the SSSP Got Its Start
The Shorebird Sister Schools
Program began as a supplemental
education program of the
Kachemak Bay shorebird festival
in Homer, Alaska, hosted by the
Alaska Maritime National Wildlife
Refuge, the local Chamber of
Commerce, and local schools. In
the early years of the festival,
local schools took advantage of the
amazing phenomenon that occurs
when hundreds of thousands of
shorebirds stop at the Kachemak
Bay for two weeks in May while
en route to the Arctic breeding
grounds. Local festival planners
recognized their education efforts
were focused only on the two weeks
while the birds were in Homer, so
they began looking for a way to
make the phenomenon of migration
more tangible to students. How
could this be accomplished? A
local teacher proposed the use of
E-mail to build an information-sharing
network among schools
located along the Pacific Flyway.
Students from each stopover site
would monitor the progress of
shorebird migration and report
their observations by sending
E-mail to the other schools
participating in the project. In 1994,
seventeen schools from California
to Alaska were connected using
a basic Internet E-mail service.
It was archaic and very slow,
but it worked—SSSP was born!
The success in the beginning
and now is due entirely to the
partnership among educators,
students, community members, and
biologists.
Today, people subscribing to
the network include educators,
students, biologists, wildlife refuge
managers, planners, and shorebird
enthusiasts. The Web site is used
by thousands of people each month,
especially during peak migration,
and has expanded from a Pacific
Flyway focus to include all major
United States and East Asian-
Australasian flyways. The Web site
is in English, Spanish, Japanese,
and Russian. The educator’s guide
has been translated into Spanish,
Russian, Japanese, and Portuguese.
Currently, people from numerous
countries and most United States
are involved in the SSSP program.
The program is an integral part of
the U.S. Shorebird Conservation
Plan. In collaboration with
partners, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service researchers, managers,
and educators work together to
help guide this education program
toward accomplishing long-term
shorebird conservation goals.
How Can My Students
Get Involved in the SSSP?
■ Subscribe to the E-mail Network
so you can receive a monthly
update on upcoming events and
activities for your students, and
new features on the Website.
■ Visit National Wildlife Refuges
and other wildlife areas to
experience shorebirds in their
habitat, and then share your
students’ observations through
the SSSP Website.
■ Download educational materials
and activities, migratory
maps, links to related sites,
and shorebird photos from the
program Website.
■ Incorporate the activities,
handouts, and shorebird
information from the educator’s
guide Explore the World with
Shorebirds! into your lesson
plans.
■ Register your school as a
Shorebird Sister School through
the Website.
■ Send original poems, essays,
and artwork for posting on the
Website.
■ Participate in migration tracking
projects by collecting data for
biologists or by tracking the
migration of shorebirds on a
classroom map.
Learn more, contact the Shorebird
Sister Schools Program Coordinator
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
698 Conservation Way
Shepherdstown, WV 25443-9713
304/876 7783 (phone), 304/876 7231
(fax), sssp@fws.gov (e-mail)
An Overview of
The Shorebird Sister
Schools Program
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 24
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Vision:
The Shorebird Sister
Schools Program
(SSSP), through
education and
outreach, engages
public participation
in the conservation
of shorebird species
and their wetland,
grassland, and
shoreline ecosystems.
Goals:
■ Link science and education to
facilitate public awareness,
knowledge, and assistance in
the conservation of shorebird
populations in order to reverse
species decline and maintain
populations not declining.
■ Link science and education to
facilitate public awareness,
knowledge, and assistance in
the conservation of wetland,
grassland, and shoreline
ecosystems important to
shorebirds throughout their
range.
■ Foster shorebird education
throughout the major flyways in
the Western Hemisphere and the
Central Pacific and East Asian-
Australasian
Flyways.
Objectives:
■ Share with all interested
educators, communities and
partners the tools developed
for the SSSP for use with SSSP
activities and other education
programs.
■ Work with SSSP coordinators and
partners to identify and develop
new tools to support shorebird
and ecosystem education and the
SSSP.
■ Raise awareness and knowledge
about shorebirds and their
habitats at identified important
wetlands in collaboration with
National Wildlife Refuges and
partners.
■ Facilitate community-based
shorebird conservation through
schools and other youth groups
that will be demonstrated
by community support and
involvement in the conservation
of the wetland, grassland, and
shoreline ecosystems.
■ Promote development of projects
that link shorebird populations,
ecosystems, and people
throughout flyways in order
to connect local conservation
activities to the larger
hemispheric conservation effort.
■ Provide opportunities for students
to learn about endangered,
threatened, and vulnerable
species and ecosystems in their
local areas.
Shorebird Sister
Schools Program
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 25
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
A unique attribute of the Shorebird
Sister Schools Program is the
active participation of shorebird
enthusiasts, kids, educators, and
wildlife biologists in the E-mail
Network. This Network serves two
primary functions:
■ A forum to share ideas, educational
activities, ask questions, and more.
■ A monthly eNews that may
include new highlights on the
SSSP Website, grant information,
updates on bird related issues, and
more.
Everyone is invited to subscribe
and post messages on education
activities, shorebirds, or related
topics.
The Shorebird E-mail Network is not
a chat room but a system that sends
a posted message to all the E-mail
addresses listed in the membership.
Network members subscribe to
receive the free electronic mail. The
Shorebird Sister Schools Coordinator
monitors the communication to
ensure that you receive only relevant
information.
1. Computer System Requirements
■ Computer: monitor, keyboard,
mouse, computer (IBM clone or
Apple/MacIntosh)
■ An active Internet connection
■ Internet browser — Netscape,
SPRY, Mosaic, Microsoft
Internet Explorer, etc. — some
free to schools and some
available commercially
2. Setup an E-mail Address
To interact with the network, you
will need an E-mail address. This
will allow you to send and receive
mail messages from other members
of the network.
3. Join the Network (Figure 1)
You can join directly from the Web
site, http://sssp.fws.gov, by clicking
on the “Get Involved” link and going
to “Join SSSP” or you can send an
e-mail to fws-shorebirds-request@
lists.fws.gov with the word
“subscribe” in the subject field.
You will receive a return message
saying that you have been added
to the Network. If you have any
trouble signing up, please contact the
Shorebird Sister School Program
Coordinator at sssp@fws.gov.
4. To Post (Send) a Message
to the Network (Figure 2)
Send an E-mail message to the
network at the address fws-shorebirds@
lists.fws.gov You
can also send your message
directly to the SSSP Coordinator,
sssp@fws.gov, and the coordinator
will post your message.
The following are some
ideas on how you can
use the E-mail Network:
Educators can:
■ Ask for educational resources
■ Ask about volunteer opportunities
to help with shorebird research
■ Ask for another educator
interested in pan pal exchange
■ Share new resources for
shorebird education
■ Share lesson plans and/or look
for a particular lesson plan
Shorebird Conservation
Organizations can post
■ New Western Hemisphere
Shorebird Reserve Sites
■ Upcoming distance learning
broadcast events
■ Requests for volunteers
■ Conference announcements or
information
■ Updates on various
environmental issues such as
West Nile Virus
How to Join the
Shorebird E-mail
Network (Listserve)
Figure 1
Figure 2
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 26
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
The World Wide Web can offer
teachers and students all over
the world a wealth of resources
for learning about and sharing
information on shorebirds. The
Shorebird Sister Schools site
at http://sssp.fws.gov provides
information and links to enhance
your students learning and allow
them to more fully participate in
SSSP.
Here are just a few suggestions on
how you can use the SSSP Web site.
Register as a Shorebird Sister School.
By registering as a “shorebird
sister school,” participants can
learn about other schools, find
pen pals, receive new materials,
and help the SSSP Coordinator
track who’s involved for program
evaluation. To sign up, go to http:
//sssp.fws.gov.
Follow shorebird migration.
Through the Website you can track
shorebird migration by clicking on
the “Tracking” link and then “View
Shorebird Sightings.” This allows
you to monitor the movements of
shorebirds reported by researchers,
students, and volunteer participants
through the Website. Use your own
large wall map to track shorebird
migration as reports come in via
the Website.
Ask a biologist a question
about shorebirds.
Through the E-mail network,
students can E-mail to biologists
questions they have not been able to
answer through other sources.
Example Questions:
QUESTION:
Hi, my name is Susan Flores and
I just wanted to ask the specific
diet of Pacific Golden Plovers also
known as Asiatic Golden - Plovers.
Do they eat insects, fish, crabs,
shrimp or something else? They do
stop here in Hong Kong at the Mai
Po Marshes. Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Susan, svflores@netfront.net
ANSWER
Pacific Golden Plovers here in
Hawaii tend to inhabit open,
grassy areas (parks, golf courses,
cemeteries). During a recent
observation of them, we noted that
they ate earthworms and a variety
of insects. We also noted that they
pecked at the ground an average of
6 times per minute in an attempt
to get food. How often they were
successful has yet to be determined.
Hope this info is helpful. Aloha from
Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Reece Olayvar, hikehi@hgea.org
QUESTION:
I was wondering if shorebird
migration starts around Argentina,
then they go to the Delaware Bay
to eat the horseshoe crab eggs, then
they go to the artic to reproduce,
then what do they do when they
are going back? They don’t have
the horseshoe crab eggs to eat, and
when do they leave the artic?
Dawn Bole
boledawn@smyrna.k12.de.us
ANSWER:
In answer to your question, my
understanding is that during the
fall migration the shorebirds are
found over a wider area and variety
of habitats and eat a wider variety
of invertebrates. Clam spat found in
peat banks is one item I have heard
of. Probably small clams, mussels,
mole crabs, etc are also consumed.
Shorebirds begin leaving the artic
and migrating south in August.
Gregory Breese, biologist
United States Fish and Wildlife
Service
Follow tracking projects.
Each year biologist tracking
projects are featured. Check the
Web site for opportunities to
participate.
Learn how to use
the Web site archives.
Give your students questions to
which they must find answers in
the archived E-mail messages
on the Web site. For example,
students could answer the following
questions using the archived
E-mails from Fall/Winter 2001:
Where are people from who are
reporting observations of Piping
Plovers? Where are people from
who are reporting Red Knots?
What bird are people in Hawaii
observing? What birds have been
seen in Alaska in the spring? What
new book on shorebirds has been
reported? What was reported from
Russia? What banded bird was
sighted and reported?
How to Use the
Shorebird Sister
Schools Website
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 27
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Report shorebird observations.
(Figure 3)
Report shorebird observations from
a class field trip or from your school
yard by going to http://sssp.fws.gov
“Tracking” link and click on
“Report Shorebird Sighting”.
Example Posting:
Find pen pals interested
in shorebirds.
Use the Website to find a “sister
school” for a pen pal exchange.
Students can share with pen pals
what they have learned about
shorebirds, habitats, conservation,
and also learn about each other’s
communities and culture. Click on
the “About SSSP” and go to “Who’s
Participating?”
Join an Internet field trip.
Distance learning events that will
bring live learning and adventure
right into your classroom are
posted on the Web. Click on the
“Resources” link to learn about
upcoming events.
Exhibit your student’s shorebird
projects. (Figure 4)
Send your creative writings and
artwork by following the directions
posted on the Web site, http:
//sssp.fws.gov, at “Get Involved”
and then click on “Student Gallery.”
Submit a copy of the SSSP release
form with your work. The release
form is also available on the Web
site. For photo submissions, a
separate form is available on the
Web and in this guide’s Field Trip
Planner.
Learn on the “For Kids”
corner of the Web site.
Take a shorebird quiz, print
coloring pages, view student
artwork or photographs of
shorebirds in the field, or link
to other conservation Web sites
especially for kids.
Hi from Anchorage Alaska and the Heritage Christian School!!
We are students with Mrs.Galvisʼ combined 5th & 6th grade
class. We just took a field trip to Homer Alaska for the
Katchemak Bay Shorebird Festival. We had a great time! We
were able to view the birds as the tide was coming in and we
watched as thousands and thousands of birds got closer and
closer to us--Very cool!! We also had two other stations:
at one we dug around in the mud and learned about the
invertebrates that the shorebirds eat and the other we learned
about bird banding. We would love to hear from other schools
in Alaska, the lower 48 or, even better, from students from
other countries. Our bird list is below.
Species sited:
Date: May 5, 2000
Time: 1– 3:30 pm
Other: High Tide (coming in)
Weather: Sunny, warm in mid 50ʼs, wind variable
Site: Mud Bay
Habitat Type: Mud flats
Food found in the mud: clams, blue mussels, Baltic
macomas, worms, snails
We had a terrific time and thought that the day was interesting
and awesome. We learned a lot and became a lot more
knowledgeable about shorebirds. It was very worthwhile and
we will encourage our families to come out and watch the
shorebird migration too.
Please write back.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Galvisʼ 5th and 6th grade class
Heritage Christian School
Dunlin 100 - 200
Western Sandpiper 1000ʼs
Semipalmated Plover 5
Golden-Plover 2 (probably American Golden Plover)
Black-bellied Plover 2
Dowitcher 10
Bald Eagle 2
Canada Goose 1 (flying overhead)
Figure 3
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 28
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Shorebird Sister Schools Program
Student Gallery Release Form
Name: Grade:
School:
Item type: essay poetry artwork
I grant permission to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Shorebird Sister Schools Program to post my work on
the Shorebird Sister Schools Web site and use in publications.
Signature: Date:
Parent/Guardian:
Shorebird Sister Schools Program
Student Gallery Release Form
Name: Grade:
School:
Item type: essay poetry artwork
I grant permission to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Shorebird Sister Schools Program to post my work on
the Shorebird Sister Schools Web site and use in publications.
Signature: Date:
Parent/Guardian:
Figure 4
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 29
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Integrating the Shorebird Sister Schools Program (SSSP) into Your Community:
Assessment: Are you a teacher? Are you a non-formal educator?
Where does SSSP fit
into your program?
In what subject areas will SSSP meet
your goals: science, social studies, math,
technology, geography, English1?
Does SSSP fit into the conservation goals
of your organization?
What do you need
to implement the
program?
■ Shorebird habitat area for a field trip
■ Shorebird and invertebrate knowledge
■ Field Equipment Kits for your students
that contain binoculars, identification
guides, and magnifying glasses
■ A spotting scope (a valuable extra)
■ Computer(s) and E-mail account to send
field observation data to the Shorebird
Sister Schools E-mail Network
■ Language translation assistance if
you are doing an international pen pal
exchange
■ Interested school or student groups
■ Integration of SSSP into organization
goals
■ Shorebird and invertebrate expertise
■ A computer laptop for entering field
observation data with students during
the field trip (or afterward at your desk)
How to fill needs? Ask a local conservation organization to
fund field trip and equipment expenses.
Write a grant to fund field trip and
equipment expenses. Many small grants
are available.
Contact a local biologist, bird club,
National Wildlife Refuge, or conservation
organization to provide expertise in the
classroom and on the field trip.
Team up with a computer science class or
school librarian to integrate the technology
activities.
Team up with a foreign language teacher/
student or a local association whose
members speak the language.
Talk to local principals or teachers about
the program. Ask which school, teacher,
and/or school program SSSP might fit into.
Get a contact name.
Work with a local student conservation
organization like a school biology club or
Boy Scout or Girl Scout clubs.
Gain your supervisor’s support. Develop
a plan to demonstrate how SSSP will help
meet your institution’s conservation goals.
Work with local biologists to establish
partnerships and to assist with the
biological aspects of the program.
1See Classroom Activities section on how the Explore the World with Shorebirds! curriculum meets National
Education Standards
Use the chart below to help you
plan how and where SSSP can fit
into your program.
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 30
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Integrating the Shorebird Sister Schools Program (SSSP) into Your Community:
Assessment: Are you a teacher? Are you a non-formal educator?
How do I begin the
program?
There are many ways to integrate the
Explore the World with Shorebirds!
activities into your program. Activities,
information, and field trips can be
integrated into teaching units throughout
the year. The example below is a very
general overview focusing on two possible
options:
1. Is your unit on habitats or ecosystems?
Begin with wetlands, then use
shorebirds as an example of an indicator
of wetland health for the students to
study. Optional activities might include:
What are wetlands?
■ Wetland Metaphors
■ Match the Habitat Cards
■ Seven Types of Habitat
What are shorebirds?
■ Shorebird Profiles
■ What Makes a Bird a Shorebird?
How does what you learn apply to the
field?
■ Plan a field trip with a local
environmental center that
has wetlands and, if possible,
shorebirds. Use:
■ Shorebird Field Study
■ Mud Creature Study
■ Sampling Local Shorebird
Populations
2. Work with your environmental
education contact at a local
environmental center to plan the
integration of the curriculum. Plan field
trips to the center and guest speakers
for the classroom to support your
topics. Do pre-and post-activities from
the curriculum to support the unit of
study. Have your class post messages
to the SSSP shorebird discussion group
about what they are learning and what
shorebirds they have seen. Send your
postings to fws-shorebirds@lists.fws.g
ov.
3. Use the Educator’s Guide and the
Shorebird Sister School Web site
(http://sssp.fws.gov) for background
information and connections to other
resources.
Work closely with the local school or
student club that you have partnered with
to implement the program. Important
points to keep in mind when planning are:
■ Tie activities to national, state, or local
education standards your area schools
use.
■ Work with the teacher to plan
assessment activities to monitor the
progress of the students.
■ Help support teachers and students in
their planning and posting of messages
to the SSSP E-mail Network.
■ Provide biological resource support for
the teacher, giving presentations in the
classroom and assistance on field trips.
Questions: Contact the Shorebird Sister Schools Coordinator at sssp@fws.gov or call 304/876 7783.
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 31
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Who can register?
Anyone participating in SSSP
can register including schools,
nonfomal education centers (nature
centers, parks, refuges, etc), home
schools, youth groups (scouts, 4-H
clubs, etc), individual shorebird
enthusiasts, partner agencies and
organizations, and biologists.
Why register?
■ You will receive new materials as
they are developed.
■ You will learn where other
participants are located.
■ You will join a network of other
participants along your flyway.
■ If you choose to do a pen pal
exchange, this will be an easy
way to find a pen pal.
■ You will help support the annual
reporting and evaluation process
needed to continue the program.
How do you register?
Go to the Shorebird Sister Schools
Website at http://sssp.fws.gov click
on “Get Involved” and then “Join
SSSP.” Fill out the form provided
and submit it electronically through
the Web site. It’s that simple!
Register as a
Shorebird Sister
School Participant
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 32
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
1. Set objectives and plan your
activities.
Before you begin, ask yourself
“What do I want my students to
learn from the exchange?” Set some
reasonable objectives and then align
your activities to help meet each of
your objectives. For example:
Students will be able to:
■ Describe two cultural similarities
and/or differences between pen
pal communities.
Pen pals can exchange pictures of
their communities and activities
and describe their daily life
activities — the sports they
play, their families and favorite
family activities, holidays in their
communities; and local weather
and geography.
■ Name two shorebirds in English
and the languages of their pen
pals.
Pen pals can exchange pictures
of shorebirds from the SSSP Web
site with their common names at
the bottom.
■ Compare the appearance of these
two shorebirds when in different
plumage-breeding vs. non-breeding.
Pen pals can choose two shorebird
species and describe how they
look when they see them in
their communities and including
pictures if possible.
■ Describe the similarities and
differences between shorebird
habitat here and those in the pen
pals’ countries.
Pen pals can exchange drawings
and descriptions of the
invertebrates and wetlands in
their communities.
2. Consider logistics
and follow through.
If there are not enough pen pals
for each student to receive one, you
may want to pair students or do one
pen pal letter for the entire class.
If there are more students than
you can respond to from the pen
pal partner school, invite another
teacher to participate.
Once you commit, please follow
through; otherwise the children
waiting for the pen pal exchange
will be very disappointed.
3. Register As A Shorebird
Sister School
Go to the SSSP Web site (http:
//sssp.fws.gov), click on “Get
Involved,” and then “Join SSSP.”
Fill out the form and check the box
for “Shorebird PenPals.”
4. Request a pen pal class.
Go to the “About SSSP” link SSSP
Website http://sssp.fws.gov. Look
at the “Who’s Participating?” link
to find another group interested
in exchanging pen pals. Send the
group’s contact an E-mail message
including the following information:
■ Where your school is located:
town, state, and flyway
■ How many students are in your
class
If you would like to exchange pen
pals with another country who
may not speak the same language,
send an E-mail message to the
SSSP Coordinator (sssp@fws.gov)
asking for assistance. The SSSP
Coordinator will assist in making
the international contact. However,
you must consider how you will
handle translating the pen pals
from another country into English.
For example, could the Spanish
class or teacher at your school
assist with the translations? Is
there an organization in your
community that could assist with
translations?
Next, establish communication with
the pen pal exchange teacher.
■ If possible, share your project
objectives with each other.
Sharing expectations will help
broaden your understanding
of each other and improve
communication and success.
■ Make sure each teacher knows
how long, how often, and what
will be exchanged. Remember,
school year calendars can be
different too!
How to Begin a
Shorebird Sister Schools
Pen Pal Exchange
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 33
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Tips on What to Send to Your Pen Pals
Keep exchanges simple and
balanced. Do not send elaborate
packages that cannot be
reciprocated. If you question
whether or not to send an item,
consider selecting something else.
Help Your Pen Pals Get
to Know Each Other
Use the Cultural Profiles in this
section to learn more about the
culture, customs, and shorebird
habitat in the country of the pen
pal(s) with whom your students
correspond.
Help your students on their first
letters. Give them some ideas and
guidelines on what to write and
share based on the objectives you
have established for the project.
The first letters could focus on
introducing themselves, their
community and their culture. Later
letters could discuss wetlands,
birds, weather, and other activities.
■ Send photos of the children, the
local community and habitats.
■ Have each student write an
autobiography.
Handmade Items Are the Best
Crafts, drawings and sketches are
great, especially for international
exchanges, but remember that
the students may not be able to
translate the letters.
■ Start a mural that your pen pal
class could finish.
■ Have students create a comic
strip or board game depicting
local birds and wetlands or
explaining topics such as
migration or conservation.
■ Develop a chart depicting the
average weather by month in your
community and corresponding
numbers of birds.
Avoid Expensive Items or Things
That Require High Technology
If you want to send a video or
cassette tape, ask your pen pal
teacher if he or she has the proper
equipment before sending it.
■ Patches, buttons, and pins are
easy and simple to send.
■ Maps, brochures, and pictures
of the local community are other
inexpensive but interesting
options.
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 34
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
What more clearly demonstrates
the global scope of environmental
issues than the decline of migratory
bird populations? When birds
migrate across political boundaries,
they don’t pass through customs or
receive any notification that they
have crossed a line on a human-devised
map. Shorebirds that breed
in North America migrate through
or winter in no fewer than 41
countries!
When birds depend on multiple
habitats, they may be at the mercy
of the attitudes of the people
who view them through varied
perspectives. The farmer may see
the birds through different eyes
than the industrial worker, the
politician, or the naturalist. This
creates a range of personal views
and behaviors that will positively
and negatively impact migratory
bird species.
Research has shown that
populations of many long-distance
migrants have declined, but most
researchers have not yet shown
where the greatest impact on these
declining populations occurs. Is
it in the United States, Canada,
Mexico, or Central or South
America? When the landscape is
changing everywhere, it is difficult
to point to one particular location
that puts the birds at greatest risk.
But it is clear that, if we are to
conserve habitat and support the
survival of these species, we must
work together across our different
cultural and geographic borders. If
a conservation project creates more
habitat for birds in Latin America,
will it make any difference if
available habitat in the United
States continues to decline?
Migratory bird conservation
requires that we communicate with
our neighbors in other cultures
and countries to understand each
other’s perspective, what each of
us values, and our varied attitudes
toward birds and their habitat.
Education can help us share
perspectives and concerns about
the issue. Research will help us
understand the needs of the birds
in each of their habitat areas,
especially collaborative research
that includes partners along the
migration path. Conservation
efforts that can bridge cultural and
geographic gaps will be most likely
to achieve the most positive results
for birds. A good example is the
ongoing research on the Red Knot
which migrates from Tierra del
Fuego, Argentina to the Atlantic
coast of the United States, to the
Canadian Arctic. Researchers from
Argentina, the United States, and
Canada are working together to
understand the complex reasons for
this bird’s decline.
Education can facilitate awareness
and knowledge about migratory
birds and the diverse values and
attitudes that people have toward
them. Because the Shorebird Sister
Schools Program is working to
connect people along flyways for the
conservation of shorebirds, it can
help facilitate connections between
cultures too.
SSSP provides several ways to
learn about other cultures.
■ Tips for teaching about culture
background and student activities
■ Cultural profiles of some SSSP
partner countries (more will be
posted on the Web site)
■ Pen pal exchanges
■ E-mail Network
■ SSSP registration on the Web site
■ Cultural extension for
many of the activities in
the educator’s guide—
look for this symbol!
To learn more about the E-mail
Network and SSSP registration, go
to the beginning of this section.
Cultural Connections in
a Conservation Context
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 35
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
The following activities have optional cultural extensions. Look for the
symbol of the earth to quickly locate the cultural extension. Have fun
learning about other cultures!
Introduction to Shorebirds
Shorebird Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
A Year In My Life as a Shorebird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Get to Know the Shorebirds Puppet Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Build a Shorebird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Adaptations
Build a Shorebird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Habitat
Shorebird Food Webs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Can’t We Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Wetland Metaphors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Map Your Habitats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Migration
Migration Headache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
The Incredible Journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Precarious Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Birds-eye View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Nesting and Breeding
Guard Your Nest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Shorebird Research and Technology
You Be the Scientist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Imaginary Mist Nests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
The Big Shorebird Picture
Shorebird News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Shorebirds on Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Shorebird Decision Dilemmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
What You Can Do for Shorebirds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Assessment
Wild Spellers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
Shorebird Jeo-Bird-Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Shorebird Speeches and Listening Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
Shorebird Bubble Map and Concept Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
List of Activities
with Cultural
Connections
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 36
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Grade Level: upper elementary/
middle school and high school
Duration: one class period, two
optional if you add research time
Skills: vocabulary, discussion,
team building, communication,
comparison,
Subjects: language arts, fine arts,
social studies; technology optional
(if students do research)
Vocabulary: culture
Overview:
Students will study the cultural
profiles in this section, present what
they learn to the class, then work
in pairs to compare similarities and
differences between the cultures
they studied.
Concepts:
■ By following shorebirds
movements, we can discover new
places and people throughout the
world.
■ Following shorebird migration
broadens our understanding of
how we are connected to other
people and places and how our
actions can influence global
conservation efforts.
■ Culturally knowledgeable citizens
demonstrate an awareness and
appreciation of the relationships,
processes, and interactions among
all elements in the world.
Objectives:
After this activity, students will be
able to:
■ Define culture.
■ Name two reasons it is important
to understand and respect other
cultures.
■ List two similarities and
differences between two cultures
Materials:
■ Copies of the cultural profiles for
each group
Note: New cultural profiles not
in the educator’s guide can be
found on the Shorebird Sister
Schools Program Web site, http:
//sssp.fws.gov.
■ Atlas or world map
Introduction
How can we practice cultural
sensitivity? Guidelines for teaching
about cultures:
Regardless of the topic of
classroom discussion, we benefit
from understanding the genuine
complexity of cultural viewpoints
and customs among us. We have a
great diversity of cultures in many
of our classrooms in the United
States. This is a starting point for
teaching about cultural sensitivity
and awareness. Cultural awareness
will help students be successful
as adults in interactions that will
occur daily in their personal and
professional lives. The common
exchange of ideas, products,
information, materials, and people
increases the importance of being
globally and culturally aware,
especially in a world of tumultuous
events.
Culturally sensitive teachers
realize that those individuals
raised in different cultures may be
different but are equally human
and deserving of respect. The most
successful teachers:
■ Practice viewing cultures and
situations non-judgmentally.
■ Work to uncover and neutralize
their own stereotypes, biases,
assumptions and prejudices.
■ Teach students to view
differences as wonderful features.
A common cross-cultural problem is
that those with little cross-cultural
experience often view those from
other cultures (and their behaviors)
as strange, weird or even inferior.
Teachers who successfully teach
about other cultures help students to
appreciate the differences as unique,
interesting and novel. The following
activity will increase your students’
cultural awareness and their
understanding of the culture of other
people participating in the SSSP.
Procedure
1. Present the following mini-activities
below to introduce
students to the importance of
being aware of other cultures.
What is the importance of teaching
about cultures?
The culture in which we grow up
shapes the way we see things. As
a quick example, what do you read
below?
A bird
in the
the hand
If you read “a bird in the hand,”
you missed the second “the.” Why?
You saw with your mind rather
than with your eyes.
Similarly, spell aloud these words:
joke
smoke
folk
the word for the white of an egg
If you spelled “yolk,” you spelled
the word for an egg’s yellow,
partially because the exercise led
you into a pattern.
Similarly, the culture in which we
grow up leads us into patterns
and shapes our views toward
natural resource conservation or
environmental issues.
Increasing Cultural
Awareness Activity
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 37
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
■ If you grow up in a culture in
which your survival depends
on the birds, fish and mammals
you eat, you develop a strong
connection to those birds.
■ If you grow up in settings and
amid cultural groups in which
more birds seem to live in cages
than in the wild, you may find that
birds appeal to you aesthetically
but rank lower in priority than,
say, motorcycles or lunch.
Because we feel our cultural
conditioning in ways we often do
not notice, we need to teach about
culture so we can understand how
others relate to conservation issues.
What is culture?
Culture is:
■ A set of perceptions and systems
with which we grow up and which
we believe are true, real, and the
way things should be.
■ The rules for behavior that shape,
color and filter how we see the
world and how we interact.
■ The assumptions and assigned
meanings that we give to
behaviors.
Your culture and cultural
conditioning shapes the way in
which you relate to everything in
your world.
Why do we need to learn
about other cultural groups?
In teams of three, brainstorm
words or phrases that come to mind
when you see or think about each of
these words:
■ Rich people
■ Skinny people
■ Eskimos
■ Japanese people
■ Egyptians
■ Southerners
■ Gang members
■ Men
■ Women
If you are like most people, certain
words came to mind when you
when you saw or thought about
most of these nine categories; and
perhaps you had no idea what to
write about one or two categories.
What this activity shows is that
we have stereotypes about some
cultural groups and occasionally
no information about others. When
interacting with people, it is good
to keep an open mind (not let our
personal biases influence what
we think about others) and make
the effort to understand other
perspectives.
2. Divide students in teams of two
and assign each team a cultural
profile. Ask each team to:
■ Find where the country is located
in the atlas or world map.
■ Read the cultural profile and
identify five interesting aspects
of that culture. Two of the team’s
choices must relate to shorebirds
and/or the environment.
■ Present what the team has
learned to the class.
Note: Interesting aspects of
each culture do not have to be
different from that of students.
They can present aspects that are
similar, such as the culture they
are studying also enjoys computer
games.
Optional Team Assignment:
Give each team time to research
its assigned country using
encyclopedias and/or the Internet.
In addition to the five interesting
aspects in the cultural profile,
ask students to include in their
presentations additional information
not included in the cultural profile,
such as the country’s national bird,
popular music, sports, heroes, food,
dress, etc.
3. After the presentations, assign or
allow students to find a partner
who studies a different culture.
Ask the students to interview
their partners and identify two
differences and two similarities
between the cultures they study.
4. Facilitate a group discussion
among the class about what they
learned from each other.
Additional Activities:
1. Pen Pal Exchanges
The class can request to do pen
pal exchanges with another class
in the United States or in another
country. Follow the directions
from the “How to Begin a
Shorebird Sister Schools Pen Pal
Exchange.”
2. Research Other
Shorebird Sister Schools
Go to Who’s Participating on the
SSSP Web site. Click on the dots
representing other Sister schools.
Ask students to choose three and
learn the following:
■ School or group name.
■ Location (Ask advanced
students to figure out in which
flyway the school is located)
■ What type of shorebirds lives
there and in what type of
habitat?
■ One item unique to that school
or group’s community.
Cultural Concepts and Mini-
Activities Provided by:
Lynne Curry
The Growth Company Inc.
121 West Fireweed Lane, Suite 175
Anchorage, AK
Ph: 907/276-4769
E-mail: lynne@thegrowthcompan
y.net
Editing By
Hilary Chapman
Shorebird Sister Schoools Program
Coordinator
sssp@fws.gov
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 38
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Daily Life in Alaska
Alaska is one of the most culturally
diverse areas of North America.
In addition to cultures found in
the lower 48 United States, many
are unique to Alaska, including
Indian, Unangan (Aleut), and
Eskimo groups. The vast array and
diversity of cultures in Alaska make
for highly contrasting tales of daily
life. From urban to subsistence
lifestyles, Alaskans are confronted
with challenges posed not only by
the natural world around them,
but also by changes to policies
and government, both locally and
nationally.
Much of rural Alaska maintains
a subsistence lifestyle rooted
in traditional practices from
generations past. Whales, seals,
birds, fish and other animals are
still harvested by many rural
communities. They not only serve
as a food source but also play a role
in many aspects of culture. Animal
skins and parts may be used for
clothing, cooking implements,
weapons, and often in traditional
ceremonies.
“Urban” Alaskans experience
the typical day-to-day life of
many Americans. Television,
computers, Game Boys, and
gadgets of all types have found a
place in Alaska. Residents of urban
Alaska mirror other citizens of
cities with long work days, two-income
families, and daycare for
children. However, many Alaskans
in urban areas take advantage
of nearby wilderness areas,
national forests, and state parks.
There are many opportunities to
experience nature and outdoor
life within a short drive, and this
increased accessibility to untouched
wilderness makes for a convenient
escape from typical city life. Spring
and summertime are busy with the
migration of fishermen to salmon-rich
streams, while wintertime
welcomes the swish of skis and buzz
of snowmobiles zooming along the
packed snow.
Shorebirds in Alaskan Cultures
Birds play a tremendous role in the
lives of Alaskans. Both traditionally
and in modern times, birds are
recognized as important spiritual,
social, and economic natural
resources. Many cultures in Alaska
have a spiritual connection to birds
through tales and legends passed
on from generation to generation,
while other groups look to birds for
recreation and a means to reconnect
with nature.
One example of the traditional
importance of birds is found in the
Tlingit and Haida cultures. The
Tlingit and Haida are two of the
major groups of native people living
in southeast Alaska. Besides the
seasonal use of bird eggs for food
and other such subsistence uses,
one bird in particular is known for
its importance in Tlingit and Haida
cultures. The raven, the largest
North American passerine, or
“songbird,” is a supernatural figure
in their belief systems, known for
its intelligence, deception, and
tricks. Tlingit and Haida Indians
organize their populations into two
important social divisions, Raven
and Eagle or Wolf. These two
groups, in turn, contain many clans
that are represented by various
animal or mythical crests. This
social organization is respectfully
retained today, and one can still
admire the beautiful artwork that
represents these clans on the large
wooden clan houses in several
Southeast Alaskan towns.
While most birds have some link
to traditional cultures in Alaska,
shorebirds have more recently
been recognized as important
socioeconomic resources. These
marathon migrants are celebrated
by several Alaskan communities
through festivals and events,
bringing not only awareness of
the need for shorebird and habitat
conservation, but also an economic
boom to host communities. The
Kackemak Bay Shorebird Festival
of Homer and the Copper River
Shorebird Festival of Cordova,
Alaska, are two examples
of communities celebrating
shorebirds. The spectrum of people
who attend these festivals to marvel
at the numbers of shorebirds
includes; birdwatchers, naturalists,
students, educators, families, and
tourists. Shorebird festivals in
Alaska continue to grow, becoming
increasingly popular and serving as
major attractions to residents and
tourists looking to reconnect with
nature through birds.
Shorebirds and Their
Habitat in Alaska
Because of its size and northerly
position, Alaska provides breeding
habitat for more shorebird species
than any other state in the U.S.
Shorebirds take advantage of rocky
shores along the Aleutian Islands,
mudflats within Kachemak Bay and
the Copper River Delta, marshes
of the Yukon-Kuskokwim National
Wildlife Refuge, or tundra along
the northern coasts.
The diversity of habitat within
Alaska is reflected in the diversity
of bird life and numbers that visit
the state each year. Seventy-one
species of shorebirds have
occurred in Alaska; 37 of them,
including several unique Beringian
species and Old World subspecies,
regularly breed in the region. Most
of these species migrate south of
the U.S.- Mexico border, and one-third
migrate to South America or
the islands in the Central Pacific.
Concentrations of shorebirds
at several coastal staging and
migratory stopover sites exceed one
million birds; on the Copper River
Delta alone, five to eight million
shorebirds stop to forage and rest
each spring.
Culture and
Shorebirds
of Alaska
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 39
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Shorebird Species of
High Concern* in Alaska
Pacific Golden-plover
Wandering Tattler
Whimbrel
Black Oystercatcher
Bristle-thighed Curlew
Hudsonian Godwit
Marbled Godwit
Black Turnstone
Surfbird
Rock Sandpiper Dunlin
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Bar-tailed Godwit
* High concern means that
biologists have indications these
species may be declining, so they
are high priority for research.
Threats to Shorebirds in Alaska
The previous century witnessed
unprecedented changes to natural
landscapes throughout much of the
United States. Alaska, however,
remains largely unchanged with
less than 1 percent of the state
having been permanently altered
by human settlement and activity.
This is not to imply that ecosystems
in Alaska are not being affected
by human activities. On the
contrary, the nation’s demand for
natural resources drives Alaska’s
economy, particularly development
and production of oil and gas,
timber and commercial fisheries.
The threats posed to shorebirds
by these and other activities
are both real and potential.
Shorebird-specific conservation
issues identified in the Alaska
Shorebird Conservation Plan
include oil and gas development
and infrastructure, marine-based
recreation, mining development,
subsistence harvest, and increased
populations of native and
introduced predators.
Shorebird Conservation
in Alaska Today
To ensure the conservation
of shorebirds in Alaska, a
group of scientists, educators,
and naturalists from various
governmental agencies and non-governmental
organizations formed
the Alaska Shorebird Group (ASG)
in 1997. The ASG was created to
raise the visibility of shorebirds
in Alaska, achieve consensus on
needed conservation actions, and
exchange information on issues,
research findings, and education.
The ASG provides information and
conservation recommendations for
Alaska to the National Shorebird
Council for consideration in the U.S.
Shorebird Conservation Plan.
Written By Maureen DeZeeuw
and Tamara Mills
Shorebird Sister Schools Alaska
Program Coordinator
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1011 East Tudor Road
Anchorage, AK 99503
Tamara_mills@fws.gov
Web: http://alaska.fws.gov/mbm/
index.html
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 41
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Daily Life in Nunavut
Nunavut became the largest native
land claim settlement in Canadian
history on April 1, 1999. Because
it is newly established you may
not see it designated on maps.
Nunavut covers a vast expanse
of land-over 2-million square
kilometers one-fifth of Canada. Yet,
only 27,000 people scattered over
13 communities live there! Half
of Nunavut lies on the northern
part of Canada’s mainland, and
the rest is distributed throughout
a large archipelago of hundreds of
islands, including Canada’s largest,
Baffin Island. Eighty percent of the
people in Nunavut are Inuit (Native
Americans).
The Inuit and their predecessors
have occupied this land for the past
5,000 years. (One individual is an
Inuk, two are Inuuk, and three or
more are Inuit). The language of
the Inuit is Inuktitut, and there are
almost as many dialects as there are
communities in Nunavut. Still, the
Inuit dialects are similar enough
so that people from Siberia to
Greenland are able to communicate.
The main way to get to Nunavut is
by air. Supplies such as fuel oil for
heating, construction materials,
and bulk food shipments are
transported to Nunavut on large
ships during the summer season
when the sea routes are open. The
only “highways” in Nunavut are
the snowmobile routes that hunters
follow during the winter, across
frozen land and ocean to favoured
hunting spots.
Changes in technology over the
past few decades have brought
Nunavut into the modern world.
Several weekly flights link most
communities to larger centers in
southern Canada, such as Ottawa,
Winnipeg and Edmonton. Satellite
television and the Internet connect
Nunavut communities to the rest of
the world.
Most Inuit have experienced
tremendous changes in their
lifetimes. Most people over the age
of forty were born in camps on the
mainland. Back then, families lived
in seasonal camps, camping close
to where sea mammals and caribou
were plentiful enough to provide
them with food, clothing and shelter.
Today, Inuit live in modern houses,
purchase food and supplies at the
local Northern Store and visit the
nurses at the local Health Center
when they are ill. Young people
attend modern, well-equipped
schools, wear brand-name clothing,
play computer games and drink vast
amounts of soda pop.
Despite the rapid leap into the
modern world, Inuit are still
firmly rooted in their culture and
land. The forces of the natural
environment are ever present,
and the connections to wildlife are
still strong. Store-bought food is
prohibitively expensive for many, at
least double or more than the cost of
food in southern Canada. Hunting is
necessary to keep families healthy.
Hunting and camping are also a big
part of family life. Many families,
from infants to elders, head out
“on the land” for weeks at a time,
beginning in the glorious month
of June when the sun does not set
north of the Arctic Circle.
Birds in Inuit Culture
In a culture where wildlife has been
the key to survival for thousands of
years, there is a strong connection
to birds in general. Birds appear
frequently in Inuit art, in distinctive
and colorful prints and in sculpture.
People believe that birds must be
respected. Making fun of birds
invites the risk that the birds will
get back at those who mock them.
When a child caught his first bird,
he would give it to the midwife
who assisted at his birth. Children,
especially boys, learn to hunt at a
very young age in Nunavut. Killing
small animals (such as birds and
ground squirrels) with rocks is a
way young boys learn to practice
their hunting skills before they
move on to larger animals. Many
adults take pleasure (and pride) in
watching their young people develop
these skills, so the practice is not
discouraged.
To have thrived in the arctic
environment for as long as they
have, Inuit had to be innovative and
self-sufficient. The inflated skins of
duck feet became children’s toys.
Containers were built of dried-out,
inflated bird feet, sewn together,
claws and all. The skins of Gulls or
Ptarmigan were made into hand
towels used after butchering and
eating. Bird wings became brooms,
used to sweep out debris from sod
houses, and they are still in use
today in tents, homes and boats. In
the Belcher Islands in southernmost
Nunavut, Inuit used bird skins to
make parkas when there were not
enough caribou skins available.
Migrating birds signal the
approach of spring, which is eagerly
anticipated by everyone. People will
often call their local radio station
with great excitement to announce
the first sighting of a snow bunting
in their community.
Shorebirds and Their Habitat
Most of Canada’s nearly 40
species of shorebirds breed almost
exclusively in or near the Arctic.
Arviat and Coral Harbor are
two locations in Nunavut where
shorebirds may be seen. Many of
these species, particularly the long
distance migrants, are in decline.
The Buff-breasted Sandpiper
is perhaps the only “species of
concern” at this time.
Shorebirds are important in the
tundra food web. They feed on small
invertebrates and in turn are prey
for foxes and weasels, owls and
hawks.
Culture and Shorebirds of One
Canadian Arctic Province—
Nunavut
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 42
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Shorebird Conservation in Nunavut
Today, the Nunavut government
struggles to fill job vacancies for
several reasons. Many Inuit have
received very little education.
There is also a lack of housing
in the territory. This is causing
all government programs,
including biological programs, to
suffer. While time, patience and
perseverance are needed, there are
still many reasons to be optimistic.
Efforts are underway to
incorporate the worldview and
experience of Inuit into the school
programs and educator’s guide
imported from southern Canada.
There is currently no specific “bird”
education in Nunavut schools, but
this will change in the coming
years, especially in communities
with large concentrations of
migrating or nesting birds. The
talented and dedicated personnel
at the Nunavut Department of
Education, located in Arviat, are
progressive and open to new ideas.
The Canadian Wildlife Service
(CWS) is actively working to
conserve wildlife, including
shorebirds in the Nunavut region.
More information is needed about
artic-breeding shorebirds to
determine how best to conserve
them. Preliminary data suggest
that 80 percent of Artic-nesting
shorebirds are declining. CWS has
developed a Northern Shorebird
Conservation Strategy to help
conserve these birds. As part of the
strategy, CWS is doing shorebird
research to learn more about
the shorebirds and their habitat.
Researching these birds in the vast
area of Nunavut is a challenge.
Biologists only have the short
summer breeding season to study
the birds each year. Also, because
of the very large size of Nunavut
and the few people who can do this
work, CWS biologists are only able
to study small portions of the region
each year.
Shorebirds of Nunavut
Black-bellied Plover
Semi-palmated Plover
Common-ringed Golden-Plover
Lesser Golden-Plover
Ruddy Turnstone
Dunlin
Pectoral Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Baird’s Sandpiper
Purple Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Semi-palmated Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Red Phalarope
Northern Red-necked Phalarope
Written by:
Lynn Peplinski
Heritage Manager
Inuit Heritage Trust
Iqaluit, NU
E-mail: lynnp@nunanet.com
Web: http://www.newparksnorth.
org/inuit.htm
More Info on Nunavut:
http://www.gov.nu.ca/Nunavut/
View Map:
http://www.gov.nu.ca/Nunavut/
English/about/
Explore the World with Shorebirds! 43
SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Culture and Shorebirds of Hawai`i
I. Daily Life in Hawai`i
The residents of the islands of Hawai`i are literally worlds apart from the rest of the
nation, isolated in the huge Pacific Ocean. With a cultural diversity to rival New York
City, the islands are truly a thriving melting pot. So different are the lifestyles, you can
see the hustle and bustle of the Asian and Mainland cultures and still be laidback with
true islander style. Island life reflects many different races living together and mixing
their foods, cultures and views of the natural world. The “plate lunch,” a popular local
dish, is a good example of the blending of cultural cuisines with rice, macaroni salad,
and a meat dish such as teriyaki chicken. Another example of this cultural mix is the
local “Pidgin” English which combines Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Tahitian
and other Pacific Island languages with English.
In a climate so moderate, it is easy to see why most people here tend to be healthy and
active. Sports like soccer, baseball, football, volleyball and surfing are enjoyed year-round.
The toughest part is going to school on a beautiful day in paradise! Schools add
Hawai‘i flavor to the classroom with cultural activities and marine science field trips.
When one goes about their day in a living laboratory it is easy to see all aspects of this
amazing ecosystem and watch the changes that occur with each season. Only here
can you be drenched by rain in the rainforest mountain tops or baked by the hot and
arid sun on the lava fields all in the same field trip.
Most kids have seen the movie Lilo & Stitch and while there is disagreement with the
portrayal of locals in the movie, the essence of `OHANA, family in Hawaiian, really
stands clear. The family unit is a very strong bond in Hawai`i. With the high cost of
land and basic necessities, extended families must pool their resources to afford to live
in their island home. Families stay close by and help each other out. Calabash
families, which include good friends and extended family, are the norm in Hawai`i.
Everyone is “Uncle” and “Auntie” and you always kiss your family on both cheeks when
you see them! Here, ALOHA is more than a word, it is a way of Life.
II. Shorebirds in Hawaiian Culture
Shorebirds have been coming to Hawai`i for thousands of years, long before humans
had discovered the beauty and richness of these islands. In fact, some people think
that the Kölea (the Pacific Golden-Plover) led the first people to Hawai`i. Shorebirds
have rich traditions in Hawaiian culture, songs, chants, and legends. Native Hawaiians
were familiar with these yearly visitors, and found them both mysterious and beautiful.
Come share the songs, sayings and legends of these beloved shorebirds of Hawai`i!
“Kölea Kau ähau, a uliuli ka umauma ho`i i Kahiki” means the “plover that perches on
the mound, waits till his chest darkens, then departs to foreign places.” Kölea are one
of the most common shorebird on the islands, “vacationing” here during the fall, winter,
and spring, then departing for the short Arctic summer to nest.
Kölea, ‘Ülili (Wandering Tattler) and ‘Akekeke (Ruddy Turnstone) are considered
messengers of the gods according to Hawaiian legends.
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Kähuli aku was an old chant about Kölea and the singing tree snails of legend (the
Kähuli or shell). That chant is now a classic children’s song, much like “Ring Around the
Rosy”. The snails chirp in the evening and ask the birds (Kölea) to bring them a drink of
water. Here is their song:
Kähuli aku
Kähuli aku Turn little shell
Kähuli mai Turn this way little shell
Kähuli lei `ula The tree shell is a red ornament in
Lei `äkölea The lei of the `äkölea fern
Kölea, Kölea Little bird, little bird
Ki`i ka wai Go down to the stream
Wai `äkölea Sip the sweet nectar
Wai `äkölea From the `äkölea fern
III. Hawaiian Shorebirds and their Habitat
The migratory shorebirds that visit Hawai`i nest in the Arctic regions of Alaska. Canada,
and Siberia. In the fall they migrate to warmer areas. Birds may stop and winter in the
Hawaiian Islands or they may continue flying south. Some shorebirds travel as far as
the South Pacific, South America, New Zealand and Australia.
We know the shorebirds that are commonly found in Hawai`i by slightly different names.
Try to pronounce them, if you dare!
Hawaiian
Name
Phonetic Spelling Meaning Common Name
Kölea ko-lay-ah “one who takes and
leaves”
Pacific Golden-
Plover
`Ülili oo-lee-lee sound of it’s call Wandering Tattler
`Akekeke ah-k-k-k sound of it’s call Ruddy Turnstone
Huna-kai hoo-na-kie “sea foam” Sanderling
Kioea key-oh-ay-a Also the name of a
Hawaiian forest bird with a
very long decurved bill;
they are now extinct
Bristle-thighed
Curlew
Ae`o ay-oh “one standing tall” Hawaiian Stilt
While in the Hawaiian Islands, shorebirds are found from the Big Island of Hawai`i to
Kure Atoll Wildlife Sanctuary. Most of Hawai`i’s wetland habitats have been drained for
housing, agriculture and other land uses. Did you know that Waikiki, on the island of
O`ahu, used to be a huge coastal marsh? National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) such as
Kealia Pond NWR and James Campbell NWR provide a safe haven for multitudes of
shorebirds to enjoy. For a map and description of the little known, remote islands of
Hawai`i go to http://pacificislands.fws.gov/wnwr/nwrindex.html#hawaii.
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SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Shorebirds like the Kölea and `Ülili are common visitors each year, seen in large
numbers around the islands. However species like the Kioea (the Bristle-thighed
Curlew) are anxiously anticipated in small numbers each year. They usually spend time
in the northwestern Hawaiian islands, all of which are protected as NWRs or State
Wildlife Sanctuary. Once young Kioea find an island home, they will live there for three
years, without migrating! Unusual for shorebirds, the Kioea molt most of the their flight
feathers simultaneously. Some birds are even flightless for up to two weeks as they
await new flight feathers.
The Hawaiian Stilt, Ae`o, is one of the rare and endangered waterbirds found elegantly
wading in Hawaiian ponds, mudflats and marshes. It is considered endangered
because of low population numbers. The Ae`o is closely related to the Black-necked
Stilt on the mainland but is found only in the Hawaiian Islands. They are permanent
residents throughout the main Hawaiian Islands, except Läna`i and Kaho`olawe. In
1985, all of the main islands were searched for Ae`o, resulting in a total population of
1,200. Now the numbers have increased slightly to approximately 2,000. Historically,
this bird has suffered from hunting, predation by non-native animals like mongoose and
rats, and habitat loss.
IV. Shorebird Education in Hawai‘i
In addition to managing the Shorebird Sister Schools list serve, curriculum and lending
box, the USFWS has created an educational packet with information focusing on the
shorebirds found in Hawai`i including the more common Pacific Golden-Plover, Bristle-thighed
Curlew, Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, and Wandering Tattler. It gives
educators and students an overall idea of the types of birds that spend all or some of
their lives in the islands. We have chosen to highlight the Pacific Golden Plover
because they are so easy to observe, often occurring in our neighborhood school
grounds!
Kölea Watch, a very active research project, focuses on the amazing migration of Kölea
to Alaska and gives our young students an opportunity to engage in “real” research.
This project was founded by the University of Hawai`i, Mänoa to connect current
scientific researchers and kids throughout Hawai`i. Since 1978, scientists have been
banding Kölea in Hawai`i and Alaska. During that time, they discovered that Kölea
leave O`ahu every year around April 25, give or take a couple of days. Now we are
trying to determine if the birds leave on the same day from other islands? To find out
more about this project, check out the web site at www.hawaii.edu/bird/ or stay tuned to
the SSSP list serve, we post regular updates on the Kölea project there.
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Daily Life in Paraguay
Paraguay has two official
languages, Spanish and Guarani.
The inhabitants of the eastern
region prefer to speak Guarani
(the native language) and those
living in the western region, or the
Chaco, speak various other native
languages that differ from Guarani.
Even though there are many other
native languages spoken here, it is
possible to communicate throughout
the country in Spanish.
Because of the diversity of social
conditions in Paraguay, it is difficult
to describe a typical day. Yet it is
fair to say that children living in
the interior of the country are more
connected with nature than those
living in the cities. In order to get to
school, many children have to cross
streams, countryside, and small
forests, giving them opportunities
to become familiar with many
wildlife species. After about five to
seven hours in school, students play
or do small chores outside where
they again have a chance to learn a
great deal about their local wildlife.
In contrast, children who live in the
capital spend more time watching
television, going on the Internet,
and playing computer games after
school. The birds living around the
city often pass by unnoticed by
people who live there.
Shorebirds in the
Paraguayan Culture
The majority of native birds can be
identified by a specific name in the
native language. Shorebirds found
only during one part of the year
in our country have the Guarani
name mbatui and almost always
appear gray in color due to their
nonbreeding plumage.
The Paraguayan culture has a lot
of myths and legends that surround
birds in general. The presence of
some birds is said to predict rain,
pregnancy, hidden love, or death.
Many birds are said to be mythic
characters that were transformed
into birds. For example, one bird
has the Guarani name el kuarahy
membv, meaning “child of the sun.”
Although there are not any known
rituals, festivals, or customs
specifically associated with
shorebirds, migratory birds in
general get special recognition.
Each year in October, the Guyra
Paraguay Association organizes an
international festival of birds.
Shorebirds and Their
Habitats in Paraguay
Migratory shorebirds are found in
the greatest numbers at the Bay of
Assention and the lagoons of Chaco
Central.
The Bay of Assention is known
globally as a conservation site for
birds. Here you can find 26 species
of migratory birds that breed in the
Northern Hemisphere. The largest
congregation of the rare Buff-breasted
Sandpiper is found here.
Culture and
Shorebirds
of Paraguay
Shorebirds of Paraguay
Scientific Name Spanish Name English Name
Common Shorebirds
Pluvialis dominica Mbatuirusu American Golden-Plover
Trioga flavipes Pitotio chico Lesser Yellowlegs
Trioga solitaria Mbatuitui Solitary Sandpiper
Actitis macuralia Playero manchado Upland Sandpiper
Bartramia longicauda Mbatui flu White-rumped Sandpiper
Calidris fuscicollis Playerito rabadilla blanca Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris himantopus Playerito pectoral Stilt Sandpiper
Phalaropus tricolor Falaropa comu’n Wilson’s Phalarope
Calidris aplina (need Spanish name here) Dunlin
Endangered Shorebirds
Numenius borealis Playero esquimal Eskimo Curlew
Tryngites subruficollis Playerito canela Buff-breasted Sandpiper
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SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
At the Lagoons of Chaco Central,
64 migratory species have been
sighted. The latest census counted
47,500 birds and 21 species,
including a group of 25,000 Wilson’s
Phalaropes and 2000 flamingos.
Lagoona of Chaco Central is also
home to the largest number of
Dunlin in the interior of South
America. As many as 4000 White-rumped
Sandpipers, 1 percent of
the entire global population, have
been counted here.
Shorebird Conservation in Paraguay
Unfortunately, shorebirds,
and wildlife in general, are
not nationally recognized as
important. The principle threats
facing shorebirds in Paraguay
today are the same threats facing
shorebirds all over the world--loss
of biodiversity and loss of habitat.
The expansion of agriculture, the
clearing or forests for production
of coal, expansion of transportation
systems, air pollution, and
channelization of lakes all present
severe and immediate threats
for migratory birds of Paraguay.
In general, there is little social
support for the conservation of
biological diversity and even less for
conservation of migrant species. At
this time the government supports
socio-economic development at the
expense of nature.
However, there are organizations
like Guyra Paraguay that are
working for the protection of
migratory birds in Paraguay.
Since1999 a database tracks
numbers and species that use
sites designated as conservation
areas for shorebirds. Today,
Guyra Paraguay is working on
management plans for these
conservation sites and educational
activities that build awareness and
support for conservation.
Suggestions for Pen-Pal Programs
A student exchange would be
an excellent way to motivate
individuals to understand and
conserve shorebirds and share
knowledge. Try initiating activities
that promote interest in the
observation of migratory birds
or that create bird observation
programs for children during school
and afterwards. Contact Guyra
Paraguay at the address below to
facilitate a pen-pal program.
Written by: Elizabeth Cabrera and
Jennifer Gray
GUYRA Paraguay
C.C. 1132
Cnel.Rafael Franco 381
Asunscion, Paraguay
E-mail: guyra@highway.compy
Web: www.guyra.org.py
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Daily Life in Argentina
Most people living in the capital
city of Argentina have little contact
with nature. City kids spend most
of their time watching TV. Their
favorite TV programs are cartoons,
science fiction movies, and series.
However, the situation is different
throughout the rest of the country.
In the small cities, children spend
most of the day in contact with
nature. This helps them to become
more involved with and caring
toward the environment.
Today, Argentina is going through
hard economic times. Few people
are able to invest their time
and their money to promote
“ecotourism.”
Shorebirds in Argentinean Culture
Bird-watching is not developed
in Argentina, although there are
some small bird-watching groups
like the Foundation for Wildlife
and the Shorebird Sister Schools
Program. These organizations
promote special celebrations such as
International Migratory Bird Day
(first Saturday of October), which
often coincides with the arrival of
migrating birds to each region, and
Beach Cleaning Days.
These celebrations have taken
place in Rio Grande (Tierra del
Fuego) and San Antonio Oeste (Rio
Negro) for four years. They include
a beach-cleaning campaign, bird-watching
trips, and activities to
teach about birds. It is common for
the entire community to participate
in the special activities. Parents,
kids, and teachers join wildlife
biologists and conservation officers
on the beaches to welcome the birds
back from their long migratory
trips.
Argentina’s Most Important
Shorebird Sites
Litoral Marítimo Bonaerense,
Bahía de Samborombón
More than 100,000 shorebirds
live here each winter. It is a
resting and feeding place for
large concentrations of Hudsonian
Godwits.
■ Reserva Costa Atlántica de
Tierra del Fuego
More than 500,000 shorebirds
live here each winter. This
is an important site for large
concentrations of Neartic
non-reproductive shorebirds,
especially Red Knot, White-rumped
Sandpiper, Sanderling
and Hudsonian Godwit.
■ Bahía de Dan Antonio Oeste
More than 100,000 shorebirds
feed and rest here for the winter.
This area is a rich fish-spawning
ground, abundant in clams and
mussels. Here you will commonly
find Red Knot, White-rumped
Sandpiper, Hudsonian Godwit,
American Golden-Plover,
Greater Yellowlegs and Lesser
Yellowlegs.
Shorebird Conservation in Argentina
Many institutions work toward
Culture and
Shorebirds
of Argentina
Shorebirds Common to Argentina
English Name Scientific Name Spanish Name
Red Knot Calidris canutus Playero rojizo
Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica Becasa de mar
White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis Playero de rabadilla blanca
Sanderling Calidris alba Playerito blanco
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Vuelvepiedaras
Baird’s Sandpiper Calisris bairdii Playero de rabadilla parda
Two-banded Plover Charadrius falklandicus Chorlo de doble collar
Collared Plover Charadrius collaris Chorlito de collar
Black Oystercatcher Haematopus ater Ostero negro
Rufous-chested Dotterel Zonibyx modestus Chorlito pecho canela
Magellanic Oystercatcher Haematopus leucopodus Ostero austral
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SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
the conservation of the natural
environments migratory birds
depend upon. Government and
non-government organizations,
museums, universities, and
national and provincial parks bring
people together to watch, record
information, band, and monitor
bird populations. These groups also
train environmental educators so
that they can teach environmental
conservation to the people in their
own community.
There are also worldwide-known
institutions that affect the health
of the natural resources of
Argentina. Law also influences
the conservation of the natural
environment.
Threats to Migratory Shorebirds
Along the Atlantic Coast
Pollution is one of the main threats
shorebirds face in Argentina today.
Other threats to include tourism,
degradation and loss of habitat,
wild dogs, agriculture, and climate
change.
Written By: Adriana Cafferata
Fundacion de Vida Silvestre de
Argentina
South American Shorebird Sister
Schools Program Coordinator
Adriana Cafferata
Defensa 251 Piso 6to. “K”
CP: C 1065 AAC Buenos Aires,
Argentina
E:mail socios@vidasilvestre.org.ar
www.vidasilvestre.org.ar
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SHOREBIRDSISTERSCHOOLSPROGRAM
Daily Life in Japan
As in the United States, a lot of
children’s time is spent on TV,
computers, and computer games
like Pokemon, replacing time spent
outside connecting with nature.