DAY 3: Taking Flight
Activity 1: Bird of the Year! [4 points]
Aotearoa New Zealand is home to many different kinds (species) of native birds. Sadly, about a third of our native bird species are at risk of disappearing forever (becoming extinct).
Each year, Forest and Bird New Zealand hold a ‘Bird of the Year’ competition where people can vote for their favourite native bird. This year, the winner was the kererū (or woodpigeon).
Go onto the Bird of the Year website, look through the native birds on the site, and choose one that interests you.
On your blog, write a short description of your bird. Where does your bird normally live? What does your bird normally eat? Post a picture of the bird underneath your description. Be sure to attribute your picture properly.
Tui:
The Tui is found all over New Zealand. There is a large subspecies(It is below species) to the Chatthan island. The Tui's eat nectar and they also eat tiny insects.
Image © Neil Fitzgerald by Neil Fitzgerald www.neilfitzgeraldphoto.co.nz
I could not find the licence.
Activity 2: Flying Foxes [4 points]
Not only is New Zealand home to many native birds but we also have a number of native bats. Some of these bats are really small while others are much larger. None, however, are as large as the largest bat in Australia. It is called the flying fox (pictured below) and it has a wingspan of up to 6 feet or 2 metres. Wow! That is taller than most of us!
Flying foxes usually sleep during the day and hunt for food at night, using their ears to guide them through the darkness. Like other bats, they have the best hearing of any mammal. It is their ‘superpower.’
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? If I could choose, I would like to be able to fly. It would make it possible for me to fly back to Canada and visit my family whenever I wanted. How amazing would that be?!
On your blog, tell us what superpower you would like to have and why you’d like to have it.
I would like teleport.
I think teleportation would be cool because you could go visit family and then if you forget something you could go back and get it. People would not need cars. It would be fun because you would never be late.
Activity 3: Wind Beneath My Wings [10 points]
Birds and bats are just two species of animal that are able to fly. Did you know that some fish, squirrels and snakes are also able to fly? Check out the ‘Top 10 Flying Animals of the World’ website to learn more about these incredible animals.
Once you have explored the site, choose one animal and create a digital learning object (DLO, eg. a poster) that tells us all about the animal. Be sure to include at least three interesting facts and a picture or two of your animal! Please follow these instructions for attributing your pictures properly.
On your blog, post a final copy of your DLO..
Hi AJ,
ReplyDeleteTui's (I think so far) are one of the most common birds in the forest by my house. We hear their chirping all the time as they are very territorial of their spaces.
Your reasons for your superpower are awesome! I can see why you would want teleportation. You could go where ever you desire and whenever you desire. I would definitely take Astin and Imogen (her sister) to Greece and Rome.
Flying squirrels look like a very fascinating creatures. Would you like to see a flying squirrels one day?
Great job AJ!
Taleisha.
ReplyDeleteKia Ora AJ,
Well done on completing another three activities and for attributing your photos. I think you have picked one of the more beautiful native birds that we have. That’s just my opinion but I think they are majestic creatures and here in Auckland I don’t ever any so it is special when I do see them. Over Christmas when I was up at my mum’s house, we would always see a Tui sitting on the flax bush drinking nectar from the flax flowers, the Tui was very stunning and I think my mum is very lucky that, that is normal for her. Do you see many Tuis flying around at your house?
Teleportation sounds like an awesome superpower to have! Imagine being able to sleep in longer every morning because you didn’t have to worry about driving to school on time. If you could teleport to any place in the world, where would you teleport? I think I would teleport to the United Kingdom so I could see my friends who are over in London and Edinburgh working.
Tino pai for creating such an interesting DLO about Flying Squirrels! I had no idea that there were about 40 different species of flying Squirrels. Do different species live in different parts of North America? Did you know that the Flying Squirrels only live for six years in the wild or up to fifteen years in a zoo. Do you think some of the New Zealand zoos should see if they can have some of the Flying Squirrels here in New Zealand?
Keep up the good work, we are now 10 days away from the end of the programme!
Blog ya later,
Dani