2020 Organizer's Guide : simplebooklet.com

Table of ContentsWORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY (WMBD) ................................. 3 2020 WMBD THEME Birds Connect Our World ................................. 5SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS Sharing the 2020 Theme ............................. 6ABOUT TRACKING BIRD MIGRATION Tracking Methods ................ 7ACTIVITY 1 The Life Cycle of A Bird ............................................. 8ACTIVITY 2 Tracking Bird Migration ............................................ 10ACTIVITY 3 Exploring Tracking Devices ........................................ 11ACTIVITY 4 Make a Bird Mask ................................................. 13ACTIVITY 5 Be a Bander ....................................................... 14ACTIVITY 6 Mapping the Canada Warbler’s Migration ......................... 17ACTIVITY 7 Helping at Home .................................................. 20ACTIVITY 8 Plastic Cleanup .................................................... 21ACTIVITY 9 WMBD 2020 Matching Game .......................................23 Organizer’s Guide 2020Birds Connect Our WorldFriends Program Sponsors®

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3.Environment for the Americas and World Migratory Bird DayWhat is a World Migratory Bird Day Program or Event? We invite your organization to join us in celebrating migratory birds and promoting their conservation. We understand that organizations come in all sizes, large and small, with different capacities to host programs and events. Your efforts to share key messages about the spectacular long-distance journeys of migratory birds, the threats they face along the way, and the meaningful actions that individuals, communities, and other groups can take to protect birds can be scaled in a way that works for you. We ask that your World Migratory Bird Day program or event:• Engages participants in learning about migratory birds• Shares information about some of the potential dangers that can impact migratory bird populations• Highlights the annual conservation theme, Birds Connect Our World, using the slogan and hands-on activities• Promotes World Migratory Bird Day through social media, print, radio, and television• Is registered on our global map at www.migratorybirdday.org/eventsWhen is World Migratory Bird Day?WMBD Can Be Celebrated Twice Each Year: 1. On the second Saturday in May, as birds return to their nesting sites.2. On the second Saturday in October, as they travel to non-breeding grounds. But because birds don’t all travel on the same day, we encourage you to celebrate when the birds are present and the timing works best for your organization. Because of this, WMBD is now celebrated almost every month of the year!Environment for the Americas (EFTA) is a non-proﬁt organization that strives to connect people across the Western Hemisphere to bird conservation through education, outreach, and research. Each year EFTA works with hundreds of participating organizations and agencies to coordinate World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD). The following Organizer’s Guide is designed to help you develop your program, event, or festival for the 2020 celebration and share the theme of Birds Connect Our World with youth, adults, families, and other groups.

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World Migratory Bird Day WMBD MaterialsThrough this guide, we provide you with tips and tools to organize your WMBD event from start to ﬁnish, focusing on the 2020 conservation theme. A general outline of your plan should include the following steps: 1. Identify a WMBD coordinator or team2. Learn more about the 2020 WMBD conservation theme highlighting the different methods and technologies used to track bird migration3. Identify your WMBD target audience(s)4. Determine what you need to make your WMBD event successful, including logistical and ﬁnancial support5. Identify partners willing to participate in or support your event6. Develop fun, educational WMBD activities using this guide and other resourcesHere’s Where to Find Your WMBD Materials Please don’t hesitate to contact EFTA with any questions.Education materials, yers, presentations, and more: migratorybirdday.org/resourcesEvent materials to purchase for your event: migratorybirdday.org/shopTo register your event on the global map: migratorybirdday.org/events/For questions: EMAIL: info@environmentamericas.org CALL: 303.499.1950Additional Materials: EFTA provides many other materials you’ll need to host a successful WMBD event. On our website, we provide a directory of educational resources, which includes materials that highlight the annual conservation theme, promotional materials, and much more. e History of WMBDIn 1993 visionaries at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center in Washington, D.C. became concerned about declines in migratory bird popu-lations across the Western Hemisphere and envisioned a program that would spark an interest in and enjoyment of birds that would translate into a desire to help protect them. They created International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) to accomplish this goal. In 2007, Environment for the Americas (EFTA), a non-proﬁt conservation organization based in Boulder, Colorado, assumed leadership of the program and more than doubled the level of participation.After noting the success of IMBD, the United Nation’s Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) began a similar program in 2005. In 2018, EFTA and CMS joined forces and signed an agreement to promote migratory bird conservation across the globe through the biannual educational campaign and celebration called World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD).WMBD is a celebration of the spectacular journeys that migratory birds take as they travel between nesting and non-breeding sites around the world. It highlights the changes in seasons when longer days prompt millions of birds to embark on their ar-duous journeys to the north in spring and to the south each fall. WMBD is also about raising awareness of these long-distance travelers and the threats they face along the way through festivals, events, and programs offered at natural areas, schools, zoos, libraries, museums, and many additional locations. Through these activities, organizers create connections between birdwatchers, businesses, conservation groups, the news media, and national, state, and local ofﬁcials. WMBD is an annual opportunity to be part of the solution to bird conservation issues and to share your passion for birds in a resounding way. is Organizer’s Guide is designed to provide you with the information you need to get started.4.

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2020 World Migratory Bird Day Conservation Theme:Birds Connect Our World!5.In 2009, scientists captured a shorebird called a Whimbrel on the coast of Virginia—a vital migration stopover for this species. The scientists ﬁtted the bird, nicknamed Hope, with a satellite transmitter so that they could follow her travels. Shuttling between breeding grounds in northwestern Canada and a wintering site in the Virgin Islands, Hope demonstrated both the spectacular journeys that migratory birds make each year and the threats they frequently face. In 2020, the annual World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) conservation campaign features the slogan “Birds Connect Our World.” Throughout the year, this campaign will focus on the tracking technologies researchers use to learn about migratory routes, examine the hazards birds face along these journeys, and implement conservation actions that will help migratory birds along the way. “Birds Connect Our World” will be celebrated around the globe at schools, parks, zoos, wildlife refuges, museums, libraries, and many other locations. Bird banding, satellite tracking, feather analysis, and weather radar are some of the tools that provide us with new details about bird migration. For example, we knew that the Arctic Tern, one of the twelve focal species for WMBD 2020, has one of the longest migration, traveling as many as 25,800 miles (40,000km) annually. A recent analysis using geolocators, however, has revealed that this species may cover twice this distance each year. “Birds Connect Our World” invites you to explore technology and migration and to learn how you can help migratory birds along the way. Tracking brings us back to the Whimbrel named Hope. After being tracked for more than 50,000 miles, the hardy Whimbrel disappeared in 2017, when Hurricane Maria struck St. Croix. Intense storms like Maria, as well as pane-glass windows, plastic pollution, and loss of habitat, are some of the factors that WMBD will touch on in 2020. Join us for a spectacular year of learning and conservation!Each year we work with biologists across the world to select a conservation theme that describes a threat to migratory birds and emphasizes the simple, but effective, ways that people of all ages can help to reduce that threat.We know that birds face many complex threats along their incredible migration journeys every year. In 2020, the theme Birds Connect Our World will highlight the many ways we track and study bird migrations and how this information may be used to inform conservation actions.

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TAGS: @EnvironmentfortheAmericas @ EFTA _BirdDay @ EFTA _BirdDayFind more social media tools and icons at migratorybirdday.org/resourcesMeet the 2020 World Migratory Bird Day Artist6.Sherrie YorkFollowing a rigorous selection process, artist Sherrie York was selected to create the art that reﬂects the 2020 conservation theme. A self-taught printmaker and compulsive wanderer of landscapes, Sherrie York lives and works in Bristol, Maine. Observation is the core of Sherrie’s work, whether she is sketching leaves collected on a hike or carving a complex linocut block of waterbirds in their element. Her linocuts have been presented in national and international exhibitions, including the Woodson Art Museum’s prestigious Birds in Art, and the Society of Animal Artists’ Art & the Animal, and are represented in corporate and museum collections.Contact Sherry about her work at: sy@sherrieyork.comJoin in sharing the 2020 theme using Social Media Tools!Post photos and share your creativity through social media—and remember to tag us! Through WMBD, everyone can learn about how we followbirds using different tracking methods and analysis of migration.TAG US AND OUR FRIENDS:@efta_birdday @bonnconvention @worldmigratorybirdday @eeafp @unep @usfwsHASH TAGS:#BirdDay # EFTA _BirdDay #WMBD #WMBD2020 #BirdsConnectOurWorld #JourneysOfTheFlyways #TrackingBirds #BirdsKnowNoBorders

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About Tracking Bird MigrationBy exploring the ways we track bird mi-gration, from geolocators and banding to feather analysis and surveys, we can also examine the threats birds face in their migratory journeys and highlight the com-munities on the ground that are working to support them. Through WMBD, we can all take action to protect our shared birds and their habitats!For centuries, birdwatchers contemplated why so many birds disappeared from their homes but are seen in other geographical areas. Be-cause birds acquired very different plumages and gained a lot of weight, the ﬁrst naturalists thought that the birds had not disappeared but were transformed into other species. The Greeks thought birds turned into ﬁsh over the winter because they saw all birds ﬂying towards the open ocean. We tackle the 2020 WMBD theme, sharing what is we know about the history of bird migration, the tools and methods involved to inform us of their journeys and des-tinations, theoretical and evolutionary hypothe-ses, and the major contributors in this exciting ﬁeld of ornithology.Today, scientists use a variety of technologies to explore the migration routes of many birds as they move across different spatial and temporal scales, either as part of their daily lives or as part of seasonal migration. Along the way, birds seek resources in different environments. At the same time, they face natural disasters and human-related risks on the ground and in the skies. We know a lot more today than we did long ago; however, a complete understanding of how these precise navigational journeys work is still a big challenge!Example tracking methods that researchers use to learn about bird migration.BIRD BANDING: Bird researchers use metal bands, each with a unique code, to identify individual birds. Each time a banded bird is captured, we learn more about its age, health, and habitat use. Support and visit a local banding station with ethical and scientiﬁc approaches to capturing and banding wild birds.RADIO TELEMETRY: Radio telemetry uses electromagnetic radio waves to determine a bird’s location. A transmitter is attached to a bird’s back, and an antenna captures a radio signal. The receiver then transforms that signal into a beeping sound that gets louder the closer it is to the transmitter. The signal indi-cates that the bird is near. Automated radio telemetry systems have increased the scale of detection without having to rely on individuals being recaptured. WEATHER RADAR: We use weather radar every day to detect the movement of drops of rain. It can also indicate the location of moving birds. Watch a tutorial video for viewing nocturnal bird migration using radar on The National Center for Atmospheric Research website: vimeo.com/2020985 LIGHT-LEVEL GEOLOCATORS: These tracking devices use daylight to estimate location. From sunrise/sunset data, the relative time of noon and midnight is determined to assess the geographic coordinates of migrant birds. However, in the shade of a tree canopy, it can be difﬁcult to determine what the sunrise and sunset times are. Because they are lightweight and have a long battery life, light-level geolocators are an excellent option for studying long distance movements. Explore the sunrise and sunset times where you live and around the world: esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/grad/solcalcSATELLITE TAGS: Satellite tags attached to birds send signals to the satellites that orbit the Earth and provide the accurate location of the bird. Researchers only need to capture the bird once to afﬁx the tag. There are 31 GPS satellites in orbit that provide highly accurate location data. You use this data daily on your smartphone to navigate to a restaurant and check trafﬁc at rush hour.CITIZEN SCIENCE: by sharing their observations, everyone can be part of our efforts to learn about bird migration. Here are a few you can join:• iNaturalist inaturalist.org Share your observations with other naturalists and discuss your ﬁndings.• Journey North journeynorth.org Track Hummingbirds are too small to carry tags, so your observations are an important part of our understanding of their migration.• Hummingbird Highway westernhummingbird.org/hummingbird-highway Share your research, pollinator garden, and hummingbird-focused education activities on a map, so that we can make connections to hummingbird conservation.• eBird ebird.org Your bird sightings contribute to our awareness of migration across the globe, plus you can keep a list of every bird you see and where you’ve seen it!e incredible phenomenon of bird migration has always been an enticing topic among the world’s ornithologists, as well as the general public. Birds fascinate and impress people of all ages because of their extraordinary journeys. Although bird migration is a worldwide phenomenon, many people do not know how scientists learn about birds’ routes and destinations, or how they use this knowledge to inform conservation. 7.

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ACTIVITY 1 The Life Cycle of A BirdOverviewThe annual life cycle of birds is linked to the seasonal changes in their food resources. Many birds migrate north as insects hatch, and hummingbirds follow the opening of ﬂowers, which provide the nectar they need to survive. Setup Copy the blank life cycle wheels (next page) to use with participants and the completed wheel to share as an example. Have scissors (if you want participants to cut out their wheels), crayons, colored pencils, and other supplies to illustrate the wheels, as well as the World Migratory Bird Day poster and/or the Focal Species Fact Sheets (migratorybirdday.org/resources), if you want to feature *one of* the 12 focal species. Get StartedAllow visitors to make observations at your site. Invite them to notice the vegetation, including leaf types, ﬂowers, and seeds. Are they present? What season is it? Participants may choose to complete the wheel during the month of your event, illustrating the plants and birds that they see, or illustrate other months. Help them by explaining that a migratory bird has two homes, one where it nests, and another where it spends the rest of the year. During the journey between these two places, it may also have areas where it stops to rest and refuel. Questions and DiscussionLearning about life cycles helps people understand phenology or the timing of events, such as migration, insect hatches, and ﬂowering. The synchrony of these events can be critical to a bird’s survival. 1. What would happen if a bird migrated to a location when its food wasn’t available?2. What birds do you observe during these months?3. If you picked a speciﬁc bird, what does this bird do each month of the year (when does it nest, migrate, winter)?OBJECTIVES• To learn about the life cycles of birds.• To understand how the phenology or timing of events can aect a migratory bird’s success. MaterialsTime30+ minutes15+ minutesAgesKindergarten to Adult LIFE CYCLES OF MIGRATORY BIRDS Used with permission by Environment for the Americas, www.environmentamericas.org CICLOS DE VIDA DE LAS AVES MIGRATORIAS ©2008 PARTNERS IN PLACE, LLC DEC/DIC JAN/ENERO FEB/FEB MAR/MARZO APR/ABR MAY/MAYO JUNE/JUNIO JULY/JULIO AUG/AGOSTO SEPT/SEPT OCT/OCT NOV/NOV 8.*Find Example Life Cycle Wheels here: migratorybirdday.org/resources partnersinplace.com/wheels-of-time-and-place• Blank Life Cycle Wheel • Example Life Cycle Wheels* • Scissors • Crayons • Colored Pencils • WMBD 2020 poster and focal species

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ACTIVITY 2 Tracking Bird MigrationOverviewThis activity describes how researchers learn about birds and their migration using tracking devices, similar to devices that help people ﬁnd their keys, wallets, and other items. These “ﬁnders” use Bluetooth or Radio Frequency to track objects, simulating the technologies that scientists use to learn about bird migration, such as radio telemetry. Setup Select a site in or outdoors where stuffed birds or images of birds can be hidden. Before the time of activity, purchase as many tracking devices as you would like, such as ones found at clickndig.com, eskynow.com, thetrackr.com, or others. Download any required applications to a smartphone or tablet that participants may use to track the birds. Hide the birds with the tracking devices attached to them! Most tracking devices have a 100 ft (30.48 m) range, so keep that in mind when hiding the birds. Also, introduce images (pictures) of conservation threats, such as; a cat, a glass window, a storm, around the area where the birds are hidden. Place the birds in locations around the area and get their latitude/longitude by using a GPS unit or app, if you have one. You can also use the following free sites: gps-coordinates.org, maps.ie/coordinates.html or Google EarthThis activity may be offered at a festival, school, or other programs or used with small groups or individuals. It is only limited by the number of “ﬁnder” devices, smartphones, and available tablets. At a festival, parents may be willing to download the necessary app onto their phones. Provide clear instructions about the goals of the activity. Teach them how to use the app to ﬁnd the birds. You may allow participants to ﬁnd just one bird or more. Participants will search for the birds with their phone/tablet in hand until there is a beeping sound. The closer the individual is to the bird, the louder the sound will become. Walk around the area (within the set boundaries) with the phone in hand, until you hear a beeping noise. The tracker will beep as you get closer to the bird, like a radio-telemetry bird tag!Questions and Discussion1. What birds have migrated to your area? Will they stop there for just a short time before continuing on their journeys or will they stay for a longer time?2. What does your area offer to a migratory bird? Food? Water? Nesting sites?3. What potential threats to migratory birds do you notice in your area?4. Were some birds easier to ﬁnd? Why?5. What challenges do you think researchers face when tracking birds?OBJECTIVES• To experience tracking birds using simple technology that simulates current research techniques.• To learn about bird migration and the challenges birds face along the way. Materials• Stuffed birds or bird images• Images of threats to birds• Smartphone or Tablet• Tracker devices: • clickndig.com • eskynow.com • thetrackr.com• Optional items: Map of the area and/or GPS unitTime15+ minutesAgesKindergarten to Adult 10.Adapted with permission from Follow That Bird: A Science and Technology Unit on Tracking Birds by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and Friends of the National Zoo. Learn more at: nationalzoo.si.edu/migratory-birds/follow-bird

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11.ACTIVITY 3 Exploring Tracking DevicesOverviewWith every technological advance, tracking migratory birds becomes easier, and the data more accurate. Use the photos of birds and the images ofthe tracking devices to learn how scientists study migration. Enhance the education station by inviting a researcher to share actual devices. Setup This activity may take place at a table. To add more information, bring a scale that measures in grams and some small items to weigh so that participants under-stand the weight of the devices and the weight of birds. Get StartedThis activity helps participants understand the technologies used to track bird migration, how they work, and the information they gather. Some gather more information than others, but sometimes researchers seek different information. Have the Focal Species Fact Sheet available. Distribute the tracking device cards and read the facts about any of the species. Have participants think about which tracking device would be most appropriate to track that species and why (weight/size or the bird, how high they ﬂy, distance traveled, etc.).Questions and DiscussionScientists must make decisions about how to conduct their research based on a variety of factors. Participants can explore the tracking devices by thinking like scientists. 1. Which tracking devices are the best for gathering information about long-distance migration?2. Which would be better to use on a bird that does not migrate long distances, such as the Barn Owl?OBJECTIVES• To learn about tracking technologies.• To explore dierent tracking devices and the information they gather. Materials• Tracking device cards• Focal Species Fact Sheets, visit migratorybirdday.org/resources• Scale (optional)• Actual examples of tracking devicesTime15+ minutesAges3rd Grade to Adult Adapted with permission from Follow That Bird: A Science and Technology Unit on Tracking Birds by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and Friends of the National Zoo. Learn more at: nationalzoo.si.edu/migratory-birds/follow-bird

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ACTIVITY 3 Exploring Tracking Devices (continued)BANDINGMetal bands, each with a different number, or colored bands are placed on a bird’s leg. WHAT WE LEARN Location of the bird, health, and sizeLOCATION ACCURACY Exact location because the bird must be captured.MINIMUM WEIGHT OF BIRD Bands are made in sizes to ﬁt most species, even hummingbirdsHOW LONG THE DEVICE LASTS Metal bands last for years, but color bands fade and breakWEATHER RADARThe same radar that gives us our weather can detect birds, especially when large numbers take ﬂight. WHAT WE LEARN Location of the birds, preferred weather for migration, number of individuals, direction and speed of ﬂight, and habitat use.LOCATION ACCURACY Detection of birds varies, but it indicates a general location area.MINIMUM WEIGHT OF BIRD No device is necessary HOW LONG THE DEVICE LASTS As long as the weather station uses it!GEOLOCATORA device ﬁtted on a bird gathers information about its movements over large areas. PHOTOS ©SMITHSONIANWHAT WE LEARN By recording light, we can locate the bird as it moves across large distances.LOCATION ACCURACY 62 - 93 miles (100 - 150 km)MINIMUM WEIGHT OF BIRD 8 gramsHOW LONG THE DEVICE LASTS The device usually lasts for at least one year and longer.SATELLITE TAGA transmitter attached to a bird’s back sends its signal to an orbiting satellite. WHAT WE LEARN A bird’s location across a broad area as it migrates.LOCATION ACCURACY 820 - 5000 feet (250 - 1500 meters)MINIMUM WEIGHT OF BIRD 117 grams HOW LONG THE DEVICE LASTS The device may last for just months to more than one year.Cut on dashed lines12.PHOTO CREDIT: © SHERRI AND BROCK FENTON LONG POINT BIRD OBSERVATORYRADIO TELEMETRYA radio transmitter ﬁtted on a bird sends a signal about its location. A receiver picks up these signals as “beeping” sounds. PHOTO BY AUDUBON AND THE SMITHSONIAN WHAT WE LEARN Location of the bird and habitat use.LOCATION ACCURACY A bird may be detected within 33 feet (10 meters), even if you can’t see it.MINIMUM WEIGHT OF BIRD 6.6 grams or a little heavier than a nickel HOW LONG THE DEVICE LASTS A few weeks to several monthsCITIZEN SCIENCEPeople can help to track birds by recording their observations. WHAT WE LEARN A bird’s location, its behavior, habitat, and more!LOCATION ACCURACY Exact locationMINIMUM WEIGHT OF BIRD Not required HOW LONG THE DEVICE LASTS The lifetime of the citizen scientist.Adapted with permission from Follow That Bird: A Science and Technology Unit on Tracking Birds by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and Friends of the National Zoo. Learn more at: nationalzoo.si.edu/migratory-birds/follow-bird

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13.Post photos and share your creativity through social media—and tag us!ACTIVITY 4 Make a Bird MaskOverviewLearn about the WMBD 2020 focal bird species and create a mask inspired by one of them. Discuss the threats they face and what actions we can take to help protect them. Use a bird identiﬁcation guide to help inspire your mask.Setup If you plan to work with multiple ages, be sure you have a table that is appropriate for shorter participants. This activity can be messy, especially if you have lots of fun items that can be used to decorate the masks. Consider covering your tables with butcher paper to prevent stray marks from crayons, glue, and especially permanent markers. Get StartedMask making is an interactive and creative way to connect young people to birds. Using the 12 bird species on the 2020 World Migratory Bird Day poster, you can share the incredible diversity of feathers, beaks, and eyes as participants create their own masks. From the long-billed Bar-tailed Godwit to the tiny Calliope Hummingbird, the species illustrate the many ways birds ﬁnd food, ﬁnd mates, and more. To incorporate the conservation theme and the different ways we track bird migration, integrate a conversation about how we can learn about threats these birds face along their journeys and what actions we can take to help protect them. Questions and DiscussionCreating bird art requires focus and brings attention to details. While your participants are at work or after the activity, you can ask them: 1. Did you notice aspects of the bird’s face that you did not see before?2. Why did you choose this bird? What attracted you to this particular species?OBJECTIVES• To examine birds in the 2020 World Migratory Bird Day artwork or in your area.• To learn about bird characteristics.Materials*Time30+ minutesAgesKindergarten to Adult • Mask • Scissors • Glue • Crayons• Markers • Paint • Other decorative items • Popsicle sticks *BIRD MASK TEMPLATES Don’t want to make your own bird masks? Purchase pre-cut masks for a group or class at migratorybirdday.org/shop• String • Bird identiﬁcation guide • WMBD 2020 poster • Table@EnvironmentForTheAmericas@EFTA_BirdDay#BirdDay#WorldMigratoryBirdDay#WMBD2020#BirdsConnectOurWorld DON’T FORGET

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ACTIVITY 5 Be a BanderOverviewThis activity illustrates how scientists band birds so they can track how far they travel and how long they live. You will do this without live birds, a formal bird-banding station, the need to wake up early in the morning, or a ﬁeld site! Setup You are a bird scientist and have already ethically and properly captured a bird (your friends with their bird masks from the previous activity). You are ready to take and record their measurements. Have your materials available, including your metal rings and the Collector Data Sheet to be ﬁlled out. 14.1. NAME/INITIALS: Write the name or initials of the “bird” (friend) you are measuring. Before banding a bird, it must be identiﬁed.2. BAND NUMBER: Write the number of your metal ring. This code is unique, and we don’t want to make mistakes and confuse individuals when analyzing the data.3. DATE: Write the exact date. Birds can quickly move far away at any time of the year.4. TIME: Write the exact time of your observation. Birds partake in different activities during the day or night.5. AGE: Write the age (or estimated age) of the “bird” you are banding.6. WEIGHT: Use a weight scale to calculate this value, or estimate the weight of the “bird” you are banding.7. WINGSPAN: Using a measuring tape, take the measurement from your friend’s left middle ﬁngertip to their right middle ﬁnger, with both their arms stretching out horizontally. This is the same way a bander measures a bird’s wingspan in the ﬁeld. (see photo, right)How to Measure WingspanMeasure wing length from the shoulder to the wing tip.Get StartedAs you band your friend, tying the metal ring with a string around his/her wrist, complete the form using these instructions:Refer to Collector Data Sheet on page 16.Metal Bands

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ACTIVITY 5 Be a Bander (continued)15.OBJECTIVES• To understand the steps scientists take when banding birds.• To learn about advantages and disadvantages of bird banding as a tracking method.Materials• Measuring Tape • Bird Bands • String • Scale • Collector Data Sheet • Pen or Pencil TimeVaries depending on how the activity is conducted.AgesAll ages Questions and Discussion1. Why do you think it is important to record all this information when banding a bird?2. What are some beneﬁts and problems with this method of tracking birds?BIRD OBSERVATORIES EXIST ALL OVER THE WORLD, and they provide visitors with a variety of activities, including guided day-trips, education about the operation of bird banding stations, local bird species, and best practices in bird research. Combine these activities with the possibility of visiting a real bird banding station. Don’t know how to nd a bird observatory? Visit birdobservatories.com and nd out where to nd one anywhere in the world!READ ABOUT BANDING BIRDS BEFORE YOUR ACTIVITIES; YOUNG PEOPLE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS TOPIC! You can check all available recommendations from North American Banding Council on NABANDING.NET and nd dierent methods that ornithologists use to track dierent groups of birds, including Hummingbirds, Passerines, Raptors, and Waterfowls.

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ACTIVITY 6 Mapping the Canada Warbler’s Migration17.OverviewThis activity introduces participants to latitude and longitude and the use of maps to track bird migration. Each geographic coordinate represents a place where a speciﬁc Canada Warbler stopped during its migration journey. By plotting the coordinates on a map, you can visualize the warbler’s migration route!Setup 1. Refer to the range map of the winter and breeding ranges of the Canada Warbler. Canada Warblers are generally found in their winter range from November to February and summer range from June to July. 2. Explain the deﬁnitions of latitude and longitude: Questions and DiscussionFor each warbler, describe the migration pattern:1. Where did the bird’s migration start? 2. What path did it follow to Central America?3. Over what countries did the warbler ﬂy? 4. What were the northern- and southernmost points of its migration?5. Was there a common transition point shared by the birds?OBJECTIVES• To learn about latitudes and longitudes and how to use them to track bird migration. Materials• Map of the Western Hemisphere with latitudes and longitudes• Colored pens/pencilsTime30+ minutesAges9 years – AdultGet Started1. Refer to the data on page 18 for the two migrating warblers. Plot the coordinates in each of the warbler’s migration routes on the map by drawing a dot at that location and writing the date next to it. 2. After the coordinates have been plotted, draw a line on the map connecting all the dots in chronological order. Use different colored pens/pencils to transfer the data for each warbler to the map. Participants will need to know that they should use different colors before they start adding points to the map.LATITUDE: geographical coordinate that speciﬁes the north-south position on the Earth’s surface.LONGITUDE: geographical coordinate which speciﬁes the east-west position on the Earth’s surface.Map: Cooper, J. M., Enns, K. A., & Shepard, M. G. (1997)Canada Warbler Range Map

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ACTIVITY 6 Mapping the Canada Warbler’s Migration (continued)Geographic Coordinates for Tracking the Canada Warbler18.BIRD “A” CANADA WARBLER #36260 DATE LAT LONG LOCATION BY:B 06/30/18 53.8760° N 94.6265° W Garden Hill, Manitoba, Canada 07/07/18 51.6298° N 85.9452° W Ogoki, Ontario, Canada 08/01/18 41.4203° N 78.7286° W Ridgway, Pennsylvania, USA F 09/30/18 29.9240° N 90.1126° W New Orleans, Louisiana, USA 10/06/18 19.4326° N 99.1332° W Mexico City, Mexico 10/30/18 14.0391° N 83.3950° W Puerto Cabezas, NicaraguaW 11/30/18 8.7122° N 71.4365° W La Azulita, Merida, Venezuela 01/28/19 10.9360° S 73.6008° W Sierra de Santa Marta, Colombia 03/01/19 3.4063° S 78.5718° W Gualaquiza, Morona Santiago, Ecuador S 04/30/19 8.5503° N 80.3547° W Penonomé, Coclé, Panama 05/05/19 13.4326° N 87.4554° W San Lorenzo, Valle, Honduras 05/13/19 19.8301° N 90.5349° W Campeche, Campeche, MexicoBIRD “B” CANADA WARBLER #47371DATE LAT LONG LOCATION BY:B 06/25/19 48.8053° N 79.2029° W La Sarre, Quebec, Canada 07/17/19 43.4392° N 70.7743° W Sanford, Maine, USA 08/07/19 41.7248° N 73.4770° W Kent, Connecticut, USAF 09/13/19 36.1627° N 86.7816° W Nashville, Tennessee, USA 10/26/19 29.7604° N 95.3698° W Houston, Texas, USA 10/04/19 17.0732° N 96.7266° W Oaxaca, MexicoW 11/12/19 7.7283° N 80.8226° W Chepo, Herrera, Panama 01/28/19 3.4516° N 76.5320° W Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia 03/07/19 7.1617° S 78.5128° W Cajamarca Quechua, PeruS 04/21/19 10.6346° N 85.4407° W Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica 05/15/19 14.5573° N 90.7332° W Antigua, Guatemala 05/19/19 19.0414° N 98.2063° W Puebla, Mexico B = Breeding F = Fall Migration W = Wintering S = Spring Migration

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ACTIVITY 7 Helping at Home OverviewIt is important to offer participants ways that they can help birds at home. This activity explores some of the hazards birds face and also actions we can take to reduce these hazards. Using the suggestions below, display a variety of items that are harmful to birds and describe their negative impacts. Then, provide visitors with solutions to reduce these impacts.PLATE-GLASS SHOW: A piece of plate-glass Demonstrate that plate-glass windows are easy to see through but can reﬂect the surrounding trees. Birds see the reﬂected trees instead of the glass and can ﬂy into the glass. IMPACTS: One out of every two window strikes may result in the death of the bird. WAYS TO HELP: Place streamers made of ribbon, string, or yarn on your windows using cup hooks. Or make bird silhouettes or other decorations that will break up the reﬂective expanse of glass. OBJECTIVES• To demonstrate the many human-related hazards birds face.• To motivate participants to reduce the impact of these hazards on birds.Materials• Piece of plate-glass• Household chemicals/pesticides• Pictures of pets• Dirty bird feeder• Noxious weed/non-native plantsTime30+ minutesAgesAll Ages CHEMICALS SHOW: Lawn chemicals, household chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides. Be sure the containers are well-sealed! IMPACTS: Researchers estimate that almost 70 million birds die from exposure to pesticides each year. Chemicals may also impact bird reproduction and behavior. WAYS TO HELP: Use natural products in your house and on your lawn that you can make or purchase. Properly dispose of chemicals, though, check with your local authorities if you aren’t sure of how to do this. CATS AND DOGS SHOW: Pictures of pets. They may be your own. IMPACTS: Domestic cats kill hundreds of millions of birds each year. Dogs chase wildlife, though no estimates are available on the extent of damage free-roaming dogs cause. WAYS TO HELP: Keep pets indoors, mainly when birds are nesting and/or if you have a bird-feeder. DIRTY BIRD-FEEDERS SHOW: Dirty seed and/or nectar feeder(s) as well as clean feeders. IMPACTS: Dirty feeders may help to spread diseases. Because birds congregate at feeders, diseases may spread easily and quickly. WAYS TO HELP: Clean feeders regularly. Mix one part liquid chlorine household bleach into nine parts lukewarm water. Immerse your feeders in the solution entirely for two to three minutes, then air dry.NON-NATIVE PLANTS SHOW: Noxious weeds and other non-native plants common in your area. IMPACTS: Noxious weeds spread rapidly, often out-competing native plants. Though wildlife may like some, others offer no beneﬁts. WAYS TO HELP: Plant native ﬂowers, trees, and shrubs in your yard. They are beautiful and are appreciated by many kinds of wildlife. 20.NOXIOUS WEEDS: Please use examples of noxious weeds from your area.

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21.ACTIVITY 8 Plastic CleanupOverviewHosting a plastic cleanup is an effective way of sharing the enormity of plastic pollution, one of the many threats birds face in their migration journeys. Your WMBD cleanup can be fun and help to protect birds! Planning Your Cleanup Pick a location. Choose a location that has easy access, sufﬁcient parking, and requires a cleanup.Identify the property owner and obtain permission. Landowners may be a private, city, or a national park or wildlife refuge. It is essential to have the proper permissions before you begin to plan your event.Choose a date and a time. Check with cooperating partners to determine an appropriate time to schedule your event.Determine how garbage will be picked up and disposed of properly. Talk with your city’s waste disposal company or learn where the city dump is located, when it is open, and how much it costs to dispose of garbage.Limit the number of participants, especially if this is your ﬁrst clean up and you have limited assistance. We recommend a ﬁrst-time event that has no more than 30-50 participantsVisit your site before hosting the activity to be sure that no hazards are present.Address Safety Issues SAFETY COMES FIRST! Keeping your staff, volunteers, and participants safe is absolutely crucial. Require volunteers to sign a waiver of liability for your own protection and to emphasize the importance of safety.Examine your cleanup location. Is it close to a road or dangerous machinery? You may need to mark restricted areas where your volunteers should not collect plastic. If the site is near vehicles and/or roads, provide bright or reﬂective clothing, or safety vests, and/or set boundaries. Familiarize yourself with plants and animals at the site that could pose potential safety hazards. For example, is poison ivy or oak present? Could venomous snakes be present? Most sites will have items that could be hazardous if not handled correctly, such as injured or dead wildlife, sharp items including broken glass, toxic materials such as cleaning products and batteries, and other items such as hypodermic needles. Only participants with the required safety equipment and who are trained and experienced should remove these items. Require participants to wear appropriate clothing during the cleanup, including closed-toed shoes and the recommended gloves.Note any boundaries that volunteers should be aware of. Be sure participants don’t wander onto private property, into areas where they could become lost, or areas where they could become separated from the group.Never burn plastic or other trash, which can result in toxic smoke and potentially spread a ﬁre. Work with your city or other partners to ensure that you can properly dispose of the garbage.RECRUIT PARTICIPANTS Identify your target audience and the number of people you want to participate in. e more people you invite, the more help you will need to organize and managing your cleanup. e age of your participants will also aect the organization. For exam-ple, you may want more supervision if you are working with youth. RECRUITING TIPS TO GET YOU STARTED • Work with a group you already know. is may include scouts, a senior group, an environmental or bird club, or a neighborhood. • Ask participants to RSVP so that you can be sure your numbers don’t exceed your capacity to safely manage the activity.• Recruit local conservation organizations and clubs.• Make and distribute event iers around your community and/or neighborhood to increase participation if your event is open to the public.• Incorporate your activity into other WMBD events.• Unless you are working with a youth group, determine the minimum age at which children may participate without an adult supervisor.

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22.ACTIVITY 8 Plastic Cleanup (continued)Plan Day-of-Event Timing Develop a detailed schedule of the cleanup to organize the day and ensure you complete all of your activities.The schedule should include the following times:1. Setup before participants arrive.2. Instructing participants and distributing materials, equipment, and data forms. 3. Cleanup start and ﬁnish.4. Gathering equipment from participants.5. Pickup of garbage by the city, natural area, or other partner. Have Fun! There are several ways to make your event more fun, but they will require planning ahead.Give rewards. You can acknowledge the team that has the heaviest bag, the team that collects the most garbage, and the team that ﬁnds the most interesting or unusual item. Take plenty of photos and post them on social media.Have a dinner or other wrap-up after the cleanup to celebrate your accomplishments.Day of Event Event Setup1. Arrive before the participants.2. Set up sign-in, water, snack, and shade stations.3. Place signage to identify stations, such as First Aid and Registration.4. Organize the supplies (gloves, garbage bags, and data forms) so that they are easy to distribute. Place gloves into one container, garbage bags into another, and data forms on clipboards with a pencil into a third.5. Put up any boundaries required for hazards or restricted areas.6. If your community recycles, plan to have participants separate their items into bags for recycling and bags for trash. End of Day 1. Properly dispose of all garbage and recyclables. 2. Inspect the site to ensure that all of your supplies and equipment have been removed. Aer the Event 1. Thank the cleanup volunteers and sponsors.2. Compile Data. If you have an event coordinator, have him/her gather volunteer data forms, compile the data, and submit online.3. Enter your cleanup data at www.migratorybirdday.org/events and select the Submit Cleanup Data.4. When naming your cleanup event, please precede the name with WMBD-, such as WMBD-Clear Creek.5. As with the cleanup data, if there is a coordinator, the bird observations should be compiled. Submit your bird observations to eBird, using the account: EFTA_Birdday The password is: WMBD2019DMAM OBJECTIVES• To engage your community, hands-on, in an action that helps to protect birds.• To demonstrate plastic pollution in our environment.• To motivate participants to reduce their plastic use.Materials• Protective gloves• Garbage bags• Data Form, visit migratorybirdday.org/resourcesTime3 - 6 hoursAges8 years – Adult NEED CLEANUP SUPPLIES?Visit migratorybirdday.org/shopto purchase a Family or Group Cleanup Kit

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ACTIVITY 9 World Migratory Bird Day 2020 Matching GameAMERICAN KESTREL (Falco sparverius)• This small falcon often perches on utility lines. • Researchers use feather analysis, color bands, and geolocators to track kestrels. • Its weight equals about 34 pennies.PURPLE MARTIN (Progne subis)• It forages on insects in the air. Declines in insect populations impact the decreasing numbers of this large swallow. • Weather radar has helped researchers locate this species, especially when birds gathers in large ﬂocks on migration. FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Tyrannus savana)• Males have long tails, shaped like scissors.• This ﬂycatcher feeds on insects and is often seen in grasslands from Mexico to Argentina.• Geolocators are now helping us to understand ﬂycatcher migration in South America.WESTERN SANDPIPER (Calidris mauri)• Hundreds of thousands gather during migration. • This bird forages by walking slowly through mudﬂats and pecking or probing for small prey.• Threatened by tundra fragmentation, coastal development, loss of habitat and wetlands acidiﬁcation.• Scientists use colored bands and citizen science data to learn about this shorebird’s migration between Alaska and South America. ARCTIC TERN (Sterna paradisaea)• This tern is the world’s migration champion. It ﬂies around the planet twice in a single year—over 37,000 miles (59,500 km).• Miniature geolocators weighing 1.4 grams—about the same as a paperclip—are used to track terns. CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD (Selasphorus calliope)• This hummingbird is the smallest bird on its nesting sites in the United States and Canada—only 3 inches long!• Understanding this bird’s migration between its nesting sites in Canada and the United States and its overwintering sites in Mexico depends on observations made by citizen scientist. • Calliope means “beautiful voice.” BAIRD’S SPARROW (Centronyx bairdii)• This small brown bird uses overgrown ﬁelds and grasslands to ﬁnd seeds and insects and to nest.• Banding analysis are helping us learn about this species, whose numbers are declining.• Ranchers provide important protection for this sparrow by conserving its habitat. BARN OWL (Tyto alba)• Radio tags and geolocators share information about where this owl hunts.• Its dish-shaped face helps it to locate rodents at night.• Habitat loss, prey poisoned with pesticides, and collisions with cars are threats. BAR-TAILED GODWIT (Limosa lapponica)• Satellite transmitters revealed that this godwit holds the world record for non-stop ﬂight, 11,000 km in 8 days. • Godwits are waders that use their long bills to probe for food, including snails, worms, and clam in mudﬂats.CA NADA WA RBLE R (Cardellina canadensis)• Numbers of this yellow warbler are declining; it is threatened with extinction in Canada.• Scientists in Canada and Colombia use small tags attached to warblers’ backs to track them from nest sites in Canada to northern South America. NORTHERN PINTAIL (Anas acuta)• Ducks carrying satellite transmitters help us understand their migratory routes around the world.• Pintails are threatened by human competition for water and agricultural activities that affect nesting and habitat.YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT (Icteria virens)• Banding and genetic analysis help us learn about migration from the U.S. and Canada to Mexico and Central America. • At 7.5 in (19 cm), this is the largest warbler!IMPORTANT NOTE: Before starting Activity 7, you must make copies of this page. Provide one copy for each participant in the Matching Game.Cut on dashed lines23.

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24.ACTIVITY 9 World Migratory Bird Day 2020 Matching Game (continued)OverviewExplore the characteristics of the birds on the 2020 WMBD poster by playing this simple matching game. Setup Preparing this activity couldn’t be simpler. Print the bird images and descriptions. Printing on card stock creates durable game pieces that can be used many times. Then, cut out each bird image and description.Get StartedPlace the bird images and descriptions on a table. Participants match the descriptions to the images of the birds. This activity does not require any bird identiﬁcation knowledge. Use the descriptions to lead discussions about migration, the threats bird face on their journeys, and how we can help the birds. Materials• Copies of bird characteristics cutouts (page 23) • Bird image cutouts • TableTIMEAs long as participants want to play!AGESKindergarten - AdultCut on dashed linesOBJECTIVES• Learn facts about each of the birds on the 2020 WMBD poster. • Compare characteristics of dierent bird species.