MATCH BIRD PAIRS printable memory game Thank you for your order!
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Can you find the male mallard duck and bring him together with the female mallard? What about the snowy owls?
When it comes to birds, many males and females of the same species look as different as if they were two completely different birds! Matching them is challenging and tricky, but prepares the players of all ages for the fun task of bird watching and identification. After playing this game, they will not only be able to spot American goldfinch, but also identify its gender!
Why Do Male and Female Birds Look Different? In most bird species, males are more colourful and vibrant than females. Evolutionary, there are several main reasons for it:
• female birds prefer bright colours in males • female birds often spend more time than males incubating eggs, and having duller appearance helps them to hide from predators • on the other hand, bright conspicuous colours help territorial males to signal that an area is already occupied
Do All Species Look Different? Even though most birds exhibit a certain difference between males and females, it’s not very pronounced in many species. For some , the difference is only in size. Male Canada geese are slightly bigger than females, and it’s the same for Atlantic puffins. In other species the visual determination of gender can be very unreliable. Male Greater flamingos are also typically bigger than female ones, but it can also be the other way around. Finally, there are species Black-capped chickadees are visually identical.
It is also important to remember that some species of birds that have a pronounced difference between males and females change colour over the course of one year. As a result, they have two different plumages: breeding and non-breeding. Breeding plumage of many males is bright, while their non-breeding look is dull and in many cases non-distinguishable from females. Male American goldfinches look very similar to females in cold months, and so do fairywrens.
In the game, the birds are shown at the time when their difference is most pronounced. Game Rules
The species included in this game are American goldfinch, American robin, Atlantic puffin, black- capped chickadee, Canada goose, common grackle, emperor penguin, Eurasian bullfinch, golden pheasant, greater flamingo, house sparrow, magnificent frigatebird, mallard duck, mandarin duck, northern cardinal, Indian peafowl, Raggiana bird-of-paradise, ruby-throated hummingbird, snowy owl, splendid fairywren, and wild turkey. Each species has a male card and a female card marked by the symbols in the corner.
Each species also has a card with basic information and a fun fact. The information cards can be printed on the back of the bird pictures, making every card double-sided, with the bird picture on the front and the bird facts on the back. Double-siding is suitable if you plan to play a sorting game with the cards. If you will be playing a matching memory game, print the information cards separately, so that the back of the bird cards remain plain.
Sorting Game
Mix all the cards thoroughly face up, then look through them, finding the matching pairs.
Matching Memory Game
Depending on the number of players and their ages, you can either use a few pairs at a time (4-5) or create a big memory game with all of them.
1. Place the cards in a rectangular grid on a table. 2. Players take turns temporarily revealing two cards from the grid. If both of the cards revealed are the same species, the player who revealed them gets to keep them. 3. If a player keeps a pair of cards, they can reveal two more cards. If the cards they reveal do not match, it is the next player’s turn. 4. Whoever has the most cards at the end of the game wins.
American goldfinch American goldfinch Spinus tristis Spinus tristis
American robin American robin Turdus migratorius Turdus migratorius
Eurasian bullfinch Eurasian bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Pyrrhula pyrrhula
American goldfinch American goldfinch Spinus tristis Spinus tristis
Native to: North America Native to: North America
These birds are so acrobatic that they These birds are so acrobatic that they can eat both upside down and upright. can eat both upside down and upright. This dexterity allows American goldfinches This dexterity allows American goldfinches to benefit from food sources which are to benefit from food sources which are not easily accessible to some other birds. not accessible to some other birds.
American robin American robin Turdus migratorius Turdus migratorius
Native to: North America Native to: North America
Robins have a sweet tooth! Fruits, Robins have a sweet tooth! Fruits, berries, and even pastry dough are berries, and even pastry dough are their favorites. Sometimes they would their favorites. Sometimes they would eat fermented berries and then can eat fermented berries and then can be seen falling over while walking. be seen falling over while walking.
Eurasian bullfinch Eurasian bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Native to: Eurasia Native to: Eurasia
Bullfinches are enthusiastic eaters of Bullfinches are enthusiastic eaters of the buds of certain fruit trees like the buds of certain fruit trees like pears and cherries. Their short and pears and cherries. Their short and stubby beaks are specially adapted stubby beaks are specially adapted for feeding on buds. for feeding on buds.
Magnificent frigatebird Magnificent frigatebird Fregata magnificens Fregata magnificens
Golden pheasant Golden pheasant Chrysolophus pictus Chrysolophus pictus
Common grackle Common grackle Quiscalus quiscula Quiscalus quiscula
Magnificent frigatebird Magnificent frigatebird Fregata magnificens Fregata magnificens
Native to: tropical and subtropical Native to: tropical and subtropical waters off Americas & Galapagos waters off Americas & Galapagos
Frigatebirds are the pirates of the Frigatebirds are the pirates of the sky, stealing food from other birds in sky, stealing food from other birds in midair. They are also known to harass midair. They are also known to harass other birds until they regurgitate other birds until they regurgitate recently captured food for the recently captured food for the frigatebird to devour. frigatebird to devour.
Golden pheasant Golden pheasant Chrysolophus pictus Chrysolophus pictus
Native to: Asia Native to: Asia
Although very colourful, these birds Although very colourful, these birds are difficult to spot in the wild are difficult to spot in the wild because of their timid nature. because of their timid nature. Golden pheasants hide in dark, Golden pheasants hide in dark, dense forests and woodlands during dense forests and woodlands during the day and roost in very high trees the day and roost in very high trees during the night. during the night.
Common grackle Common grackle Quiscalus quiscula Quiscalus quiscula
Native to: North America Native to: North America
Unlike many birds, grackles thrive Unlike many birds, grackles thrive while living next to humans, because while living next to humans, because of their resourceful and opportunistic of their resourceful and opportunistic nature. They are omnivores and nature. They are omnivores and often feed on scraps and leftovers. often feed on scraps and leftovers.
Mallard Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Anas platyrhynchos
Mandarin duck Mandarin duck Aix galericulata Aix galericulata
Northern cardinal Northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Cardinalis cardinalis
Mallard Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Anas platyrhynchos
Native to: North America, Eurasia Native to: North America, Eurasia and Africa and Africa
Mallards are “dabbling ducks,” Mallards are “dabbling ducks,” which means they feed by floating which means they feed by floating on the water and tipping themselves on the water and tipping themselves forward, tails in the air, to graze on forward, tails in the air, to graze on underwater plants or insects. underwater plants or insects.
Mandarin duck Mandarin duck Aix galericulata Aix galericulata
Native to: Asia Native to: Asia
The female lays eggs in a nest high in The female lays eggs in a nest high in a hollow tree trunk, 9 m (30') above a hollow tree trunk, 9 m (30') above the ground. Soon after hatching, the the ground. Soon after hatching, the chicks jump to the ground, following chicks jump to the ground, following their mother’s call. They’re light and their mother’s call. They’re light and fluffy, so injuries are uncommon. fluffy, so injuries are uncommon.
Northern cardinal Northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Cardinalis cardinalis
Native to: North America Native to: North America
Pairs often mate for life and stay Pairs often mate for life and stay together year-round. During together year-round. During courtship, a male cardinal collects courtship, a male cardinal collects food and brings it to his female food and brings it to his female partner, feeding her beak-to-beak. partner, feeding her beak-to-beak.
Indian peafowl Indian peafowl Pavo cristatus Pavo cristatus
Raggiana bird of paradise Raggiana bird of paradise Paradisaea raggiana Paradisaea raggiana
Ruby-throated hummingbird Ruby-throated hummingbird Archilochus colubris Archilochus colubris
Indian peafowl Indian peafowl Pavo cristatus Pavo cristatus
Native to: Asia Native to: Asia
Peafowl are fast runners, although Peafowl are fast runners, although they can fly when required. They they can fly when required. They have small territories, which makes have small territories, which makes them easy to domesticate, as they them easy to domesticate, as they won’t leave an area once they feel won’t leave an area once they feel at home and have enough food. at home and have enough food.
Raggiana bird of paradise Raggiana bird of paradise Paradisaea raggiana Paradisaea raggiana
Native to: New Guinea Native to: New Guinea
The birds-of-paradise are considered The birds-of-paradise are considered by many to be the most beautiful by many to be the most beautiful birds on Earth. They are famous for birds on Earth. They are famous for the males’ courtship dance and the males’ courtship dance and spectacular tail feathers. Some of spectacular tail feathers. Some of New Guinea tribes use their feathers New Guinea tribes use their feathers as currency. as currency.
Ruby-throated hummingbird Ruby-throated hummingbird Archilochus colubris Archilochus colubris
Native to: North America Native to: North America
One of the smallest birds, it is only 3 One of the smallest birds, it is only 3 to 3-1/2” (7,5-9 cm) long and can to 3-1/2” (7,5-9 cm) long and can sometimes be mistaken for a big sometimes be mistaken for a big insect. A ruby-throated hummingbird insect. A ruby-throated hummingbird has about 940 feathers, which makes has about 940 feathers, which makes it the bird with fewest number of it the bird with fewest number of feathers. feathers.
Snowy owl Snowy owl Bubo scandiacus Bubo scandiacus
House sparrow House sparrow Passer domesticus Passer domesticus
Splendid fairywren Splendid fairywren Malurus splendens Malurus splendens
Snowy owl Snowy owl Bubo scandiacus Bubo scandiacus
Native to: Arctic regions of North Native to: Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia America and Eurasia
Snowy owls, especially males, get Snowy owls, especially males, get whiter as they get older. Females, whiter as they get older. Females, who are darker with dusky spotting, who are darker with dusky spotting, never become completely white, but never become completely white, but some elderly males do. some elderly males do.
House sparrow House sparrow Passer domesticus Passer domesticus
Native to: Eurasia Native to: Eurasia
While native to Eurasia, house While native to Eurasia, house sparrows have spread everywhere sparrows have spread everywhere and become the world’s most and become the world’s most distributed wild bird. They are found distributed wild bird. They are found in various climates, but are missing in various climates, but are missing from uninhabited forests, because from uninhabited forests, because they depend on coexistence with they depend on coexistence with humans. humans.
Splendid fairywren Splendid fairywren Malurus splendens Malurus splendens
Native to: Australia Native to: Australia
When trying to attract a female’s When trying to attract a female’s attention, male fairywrens often attention, male fairywrens often display pink or purple flower petals display pink or purple flower petals against their feathers. They are also against their feathers. They are also known for singing their courtship known for singing their courtship song with predators nearby, when song with predators nearby, when the females are most attentive. the females are most attentive.
Wild turkey Wild turkey Meleagris gallopavo Meleagris gallopavo
Canada goose Canada goose Branta canadensis Branta canadensis
Black-capped chickadee Black-capped chickadee Poecile atricapillus Poecile atricapillus
Wild turkey Wild turkey Meleagris gallopavo Meleagris gallopavo
Native to: North America Native to: North America
The wild turkey’s bald head can The wild turkey’s bald head can change color to red, pink, white or change color to red, pink, white or blue according to their levels of blue according to their levels of anxiety or excitement. Unlike anxiety or excitement. Unlike domesticated turkeys, wild ones can domesticated turkeys, wild ones can run and fly very fast. They usually run and fly very fast. They usually only fly short distances (~400 m). only fly short distances (~400 m).
Canada goose Canada goose Branta canadensis Branta canadensis
Native to: North America Native to: North America
The male goose is a fearless The male goose is a fearless defender of his mate and their nest, defender of his mate and their nest, and will fight any suspected enemy, and will fight any suspected enemy, even as large as an elk. Mated pairs even as large as an elk. Mated pairs can be together as long as 20 years. can be together as long as 20 years.
Black-capped chickadee Black-capped chickadee Poecile atricapillus Poecile atricapillus
Native to: North America Native to: North America
Chickadees are known for hiding Chickadees are known for hiding seeds and other food to eat later. seeds and other food to eat later. They hide each food item in a They hide each food item in a different spot and can remember different spot and can remember thousands of hiding places. thousands of hiding places.
Emperor penguin Emperor penguin Aptenodytes forsteri Aptenodytes forsteri
Greater flamingo Greater flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus Phoenicopterus roseus
Atlantic puffin Atlantic puffin Fratercula arctica Fratercula arctica
Emperor penguin Emperor penguin Aptenodytes forsteri Aptenodytes forsteri
Native to: Antarctica Native to: Antarctica
Emperor penguins are the only Emperor penguins are the only animals to inhabit the open ice of animals to inhabit the open ice of Antarctica during the winter. Antarctica during the winter. Insulating body fat and several layers Insulating body fat and several layers of scale-like feathers protect them of scale-like feathers protect them from icy wind. Penguins don’t fly, but from icy wind. Penguins don’t fly, but they swim extremely well. they swim extremely well.
Greater flamingo Greater flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus Phoenicopterus roseus
Native to: Africa and Middle East Native to: Africa and Middle East
The strength of the flamingo The strength of the flamingo colouration comes from its diet colouration comes from its diet (shrimp, plankton algae and (shrimp, plankton algae and crustaceans). If those foods don’t crustaceans). If those foods don’t provide enough pigment, a flamingo provide enough pigment, a flamingo can look white or gray, while still can look white or gray, while still staying healthy. staying healthy.
Atlantic puffin Atlantic puffin Fratercula arctica Fratercula arctica
Native to: Northern Atlantic Ocean Native to: Northern Atlantic Ocean
Puffins spend most of their time at Puffins spend most of their time at sea. On land, they create burrows in sea. On land, they create burrows in rocky cliffs. At the back of the rocky cliffs. At the back of the burrow, they build a nest lined with burrow, they build a nest lined with grasses, seaweed, and feathers. A grasses, seaweed, and feathers. A couple often returns to the same couple often returns to the same burrow year after year. burrow year after year.