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Children's activities
We have additional resources available for schools, learning hubs and social groups. Learn about our birds with our Feathered Fun activities for all ages. Activities not to miss include making bird masks and our stunning colouring-in pages! For teachers or activity leaders, we have tips on how to run the NZ Garden Bird Survey with your class or group.
Bird colouring-in sheets
Selection of 16 native and introduced bird outlines for you to style in your own style
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Brilliant bird masks
We have some brilliant bird masks - cut yours out, put it on and get social! These are available ready-to-cut, or ripe for custom colouring.
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Understanding bird sizes - the Chocolate Fish Index
It is easier to identify a bird when you know how big it is. We have invented ‘the chocolate fish index’ to help you - it compares the weights of 16 common garden birds with our 20g chocolate fish.
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Where do birds feed? Gardens are like layer cakes
What do cakes and gardens have in common? Layers! Explore some garden layers to find out where different birds feed.
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Tips for running the NZ Garden Bird Survey in your classroom
The garden bird survey is a simple bird-watching activity that connects children with the outside environment. It can be done as a class activity and/or at home.
Why take part?
Why take part?
- Because it’s a fun activity!
- It can easily be built into the curriculum (e.g. animal classification, population studies, hypothesis testing, data gathering, data analysis, report writing)
- It introduces the concept and practice of carrying out simple surveys, which are important for scientific enquiry and a basic tool of conservation (you can’t look after wildlife properly unless you know what’s there and how much of it there is)
- It conveys positive messages about caring for the environment, knowing and protecting what’s there
- It can be a simple one-off activity or a catalyst for many environmental activities and projects
- It can contribute to badge work (e.g. Science Badge, Duke of Edinburgh award, Science Fair) and there is also a DOC Kiwi Guardian medal available for completing the survey
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Younger children can be grouped into teams, with each team making observations for a limited amount of time.
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Older students should follow standard survey instructions.
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Materials and equipment
- Tally sheet
- Pen or pencil
- A clock, watch, or timer
- A bird identification guide
- Binoculars are helpful but not essential
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Online bird identification guide
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Preparation
Before the survey, encourage children to learn to identify the different birds they see. Children could also make their own identification guides.
How long will it take?
The survey lasts one hour. If one hour is too long for your class period, it can be split into two half-hour spells, or three 20-minute spells, or four quarter-hour spells.
Children can work together in small groups. Different roles within the group can include a bird spotter, bird counter, bird identifier and results recorder.
One group can watch for 10 minutes while others in the class do other activities, then a second group take over, and so on. Do whatever works for your class. But remember to send in only one form for each one-hour survey (see FAQ).
Where to do the survey
Children can count birds from inside or outside the classroom. Inside is like being in a bird hide; the birds can’t see you and continue to behave naturally. The children can stand or sit at a desk near a window, perhaps with drink bottles and something to eat, and watch birds through the window.
If outside, they need to be careful not to frighten birds away from where they are watching. They could sit on a bench or chairs. If the school has a bird feeder or water bath, children may like to watch the area of school ground that includes that feature because it is likely to have more birds than elsewhere in the school. The children don’t have to be able to see the whole school ground, just part of it.
Children can do the survey at home, either individually, or with family or friends.
What to record
The highest number of each species seen at one time during a one hour observation period is recorded. For example, they might see blackbirds four times during the hour; first they might see 3 birds, then 2, then 3 again, and finally just 1. In this case, they report 3 blackbirds because that was the greatest number seen at any one time. They shouldn’t add the numbers up.
Where to send results
The online results form is accessed here: form-gardenbirdsurvey.landcareresearch.co.nz
Please note: If children participate as a group (e.g. as part of a school class) they enter only one set of data for the whole group (i.e. one set of data for each one‑hour survey). We don’t want separate entries from 30 children all seeing the same blackbird! However, children may do surveys at more than one location (e.g. at school and at home), in which case they enter results separately for each location.
Thank you for helping make our birds count!
We would be grateful for teacher feedback and any experiences you’d like to share, including photos. Join the conversation on social media and see what others are up to, check out our community page, or contact us directly