Can’t We Share?

Adapted with permission from Objectives grounds and roost on rooftops. “Bridges to the Natural World” After this activity, students will be Buff-breasted Sandpipers now from the New Jersey Audubon able to: use agricultural fields instead of Society ■ List the four components of an grasslands. Shorebirds rely on a animal’s habitat. variety of habitats for breeding, Grade Level: lower elementary ■ Explain how animal populations nonbreeding, and migration Duration: 30-minute class period respond to habitat loss. stopover sites where they rest and Skills: communication, observation, ■ Give at least one example of feed. interpretation of data, formulation environmental stewardship. of hypotheses, discussion, and Important Shorebird Habitats vocabulary Materials Subject: science ■ 1 chair per student Tundra: A vast, flat, treeless ■ Tape recorder/cd player wetland of the Arctic regions of Concepts ■ Tape or cd northern and western Alaska ■ Habitat is the place where an ■ Index cards and Canada. (Shorebird species organism lives because it is ■ Felt marker found here are Red Knot, Ruddy adapted to find food, water, ■ Sticking tape Turnstone, Sanderling, Hudsonian shelter, and space there. ■ 2 copies of the Environmental Godwit, Black-bellied Plover.) Numerous habitats are located Events sheet (included here) within an ecosystem. Stream and River Corridors: Low ■ Shorebirds are one part of a Introduction wetland areas along the banks of healthy functioning ecosystem. A healthy functioning ecosystem rivers and streams. These areas ■ Both shorebirds and humans has adequate habitat (food, water, flood in the spring as snow and ice depend on clean, healthy space, and shelter) for individual melt in the mountains and then ecosystems. species, as well as population dry up in late summer and fall. ■ Shorebirds face numerous controls such as herbivores (Shorebird species found here threats. to maintain plant growth and are Killdeer, American Avocet, ■ The most serious threat to carnivores to maintain animal Spotted Sandpiper, Buff-breasted shorebirds is loss of habitat. population. Sandpiper.)

Vocabulary Often human actions, such Marshes: An open wetland of ■ ecosystem as development pollution, grassy areas that get freshwater ■ habitat fragmentation of habitats, and/or from creeks, streams, rain, and ■ species management for a single species snow or saltwater from coastal ■ breeding habitat upset a healthy functioning tides. (Shorebird species found here ■ nonbreeding habitat ecosystem. Environmental are Hudsonian Godwit, Killdeer, ■ migration stopover site stewardship can help ensure that American Avocet, Black-necked ■ environmental stewardship people and wildlife can coexist. Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Wilson’s Phalarope) Overview Natural conditions such as erosion, Students learn how natural and climate change, disease, flooding, Rocky Intertidal Habitat: A wetland man-made events affect shorebird and fire affect the functioning of an area of the ocean shoreline made up survival by playing a game of ecosystem. As a result of natural of boulders, cliffs, gravel, shale, or musical chairs in which the students and human-related conditions, rocks that are covered by saltwater are shorebirds and the chairs are many animals will die, relocate, during high tide and exposed to air different habitats. or increase their populations by during low tide. (Shorebird species adapting to the new circumstances. found here are Black Oystercatcher For example, species like the and Ruddy Turnstone) Pacific-Golden Plover now feed on

lawns in their nonbreeding

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S M 186 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Mudflats and Sandy Beaches: Open Activity Preparation 3. Tell the students to stand in sandy or muddy wetland habitats 1. Select the music and arrange the front of a chair representing found in the area of the ocean chairs in two rows back to back, their habitat and face the same shoreline, exposed to air during as in musical chairs. direction, as if they were going low tide, and covered by saltwater to play musical chairs. during high tide. (Shorebird species 2. Photocopy and cut the Habitat found here are Sanderling, Ruddy Cards included in this activity. Note: Students may question Turnstone, Dowitcher, Black- If possible, select from the cards why some shorebird species are bellied Plover, Snowy Plover, Long- representing the habitats most represented in more than one billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, and common to your area. habitat type. Explain that most Spotted Sandpiper.) shorebirds breed in one habitat 3. Attach a habitat name to each type (often Arctic tundra) but Grasslands: The prairie habitats chair, alternating the cards for use another during migration of the central United States and equal distribution. and the nonbreeding season. Canada are comprised of three For example, the Red Knot grass types. Some shorebirds will 4. Photocopy and cut the Shorebird breeds in the Arctic tundra but use human-made habirtats that Species Cards, also included in uses coastal wetlands during are similar to grasslands such as this activity, so that each student migration and the nonbreeding cemeteries, golf courses, school has one. Be sure your selections season. yards, and agricultural fields. match the number and types of (Shorebird species found here are habitat samples marked on the 4. Start the music and tell the Pacific Golden-Plovers, Killdeer, chairs. students to walk around the Mountain Plover, Upland Plover, chairs slowly. When the music and Buff-breasted Sandpiper). 5. Photocopy and cut two copies of stops, each student should the Environmental Stewardship sit down in one of the chairs Prairie Potholes and Playa Lakes: Cards. Add your own local events representing his or her habitat. Interspersed within grasslands to the blank cards provided. of the United States are shallow, Place them in a box for random 5. The teacher or a student chooses temporary wetlands called prairie selection. an “event” from the box, reads it potholes or playa lakes. (Shorebird aloud, and removes a chair that species found here are Black-bellied Procedure represents the affected habitat. Plover, Killdeer, American Avocet, 1. Explain that each chair Long-billed Curlew, and Marbled represents a specific shorebird 6. Continue the game, removing Godwit.) habitat, such as marsh, mudflat, one or more chairs at each stop grassland, or stream corridor. in the music and as “events” are For more information on shorebird Give a description of each selected and read. As students habitats, refer to Shorebirds habitat. Explain that each are eliminated from the game, Depend on a Healthy Chain of habitat supplies the shorebirds they keep the environmental Habitats in the Shorebird Primer that live there with their basic events that affected their and the Habitat Readings. life needs. habitats.

2. Hand out the species cards. Have 7. Play until there is one student the students read the cards and left. tell what kind of shorebirds they

are and which habitat they live in.

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S M 187 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P 8. Now discuss the following 10. Using the Environmental Cultural Connection questions with the class: Stewardship Cards, play the In the ‘mock town activity backwards. meeting’ under Additional ■ Ask students to tell how events Activities at the end affected them in their habitats. 11. Discuss how students can be of this activity, have What basic needs were shorebirds good stewards of the land in students represent deprived of in these situations? their community--for example, different cultures along What will they do now? putting trash in its proper the shorebirds flyway place, recycling, helping with expressing their view on ■ When more than one person was conservation projects, etc. the environmental issue. trying to take the same chair, what happened? How is the same Additional Activities behavior reflected in nature? Research Your Shorebird Use the Shorebird Profiles located ■ Which events were natural in the Appendix of this education phenomena and which were guide, the Web site, and the local the result of human behaviors? library to learn more about the Which of these events can people shorebirds in the activity. Ask do something about and which student to research what the birds cannot be controlled? eat, where they live, and what unique adaptations and behaviors ■ What can people do to correct they have. natural disasters? What alternatives exist for the human Hold a Mock Town Hearing. “events” that hurt shorebirds and Choose one of the environmental their habitat? events named in the game as the issue to be discussed. The mayor 9. Now tell students that they are and council (four or five students) going to do the activity again, listen to personal interest groups but in reverse. Explain that regarding a solution to the problem. humans have an important Personal interest groups should responsibility to be good land represent many different points of stewards. Explain that land view. This can also be expanded stewardship is taking care of to include representatives from the land so it is available for all the different cultures along the species and future generations of shorebird’s migration flyway.

people.

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S M 188 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Can’t We Share? Habitat Cards

(Copy one card per chair. If possible, use only habitats found in your area.)

Habitat Type Habitat Type

Tundra Tundra

Habitat Type Habitat Type

Tundra Tundra

Habitat Type Habitat Type

Marsh Marsh

Habitat Type Habitat Type

Marsh Marsh

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S M 189 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Can’t We Share? Habitat Cards

(Copy one card per chair. If possible, use only habitats found in your area.)

Habitat Type Habitat Type

Stream and Stream and River Corridor River Corridor

Habitat Type Habitat Type

Stream and Stream and River Corridor River Corridor

Habitat Type Habitat Type

Rocky-Intertidal Rocky-Intertidal

Habitat Type Habitat Type

Rocky-Intertidal Rocky-Intertidal

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S M 190 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Can’t We Share? Habitat Cards

(Copy one card per chair. If possible, use only habitats found in your area.)

Habitat Type Habitat Type

Mudflats and Mudflats and Sandy Beaches Sandy Beaches

Habitat Type Habitat Type

Mudflats and Mudflats and Sandy Beaches Sandy Beaches

Habitat Type Habitat Type

Prairie Potholes Prairie Potholes or Playa Lakes or Playa Lakes

Habitat Type Habitat Type

Prairie Potholes Prairie Potholes

or Playa Lakes or Playa Lakes

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S M 191 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Can’t We Share? Shorebird Species Cards

(Photocopy so each child has one card.)

Tundra Tundra

Red Knot Ruddy Turnstone

Tundra Tundra

Sanderling Hudsonian Godwit

Tundra Tundra

Black-bellied Plover Western Sandpiper

Marsh Marsh

Killdeer American Avocet

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S M 192 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Can’t We Share? Shorebird Species Cards

(Photocopy so each child has one card.)

Marsh Marsh

Black-necked Stilt Spotted Sandpiper

Marsh Marsh

Greater Yellowlegs* * No Shorebird Profile in Educator’s Guide. Wilson’s Phalarope

Stream and River Corridor Stream and River Corridor

American Avocet Spotted Sandpiper

Stream and River Corridor Stream and River Corridor

Lesser Yellowlegs*

* No Shorebird Profile in Educator’s Guide. Killdeer

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S M 193 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Can’t We Share? Shorebird Species Cards

(Photocopy so each child has one card.)

Rocky-Intertidal Rocky-Intertidal

Black Oystercatcher Ruddy Turnstone

Rocky-Intertidal Mudflats and Sandy Beaches

American Oystercatcher Snowy Plover

Mudflats and Sandy Beaches Mudflats and Sandy Beaches

Ruddy Turnstone Sanderling

Mudflats and Sandy Beaches Mudflats and Sandy Beaches

Marbled Godwit Long-billed Curlew

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S M 194 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Can’t We Share? Shorebird Species Cards

(Photocopy so each child has one card.)

Mudflats and Sandy Beaches Mudflats and Sandy Beaches

Black-bellied Plover Dowitcher

Grasslands Grasslands

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Upland Sandpiper

Grasslands Grasslands

Mountain Plover* Pacific Golden-Plover * No Shorebird Profile in Educator’s Guide.

Grasslands Grasslands

Long-billed Curlew Marbled Godwit

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S M 195 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Can’t We Share? Shorebird Species Cards

(Photocopy so each child has one card.)

Playa Lakes Playa Lakes

American Avocet Long-billed Curlew

Playa Lakes Playa Lakes

Mountain Plover* * No Shorebird Profile in Educator’s Guide. Snowy Plover

Prairie Potholes Prairie Potholes

Dowitcher Spotted Sandpiper

Prairie Potholes Prairie Potholes

Marbled Godwit Long-billed Curlew

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S M 196 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Can’t We Share? Environmental Events Cards

(Make 2 copies)

Environmental Event Environmental Event

A town has 300 acres of undeveloped Tanks of toxic chemicals buried in a field grassland. It is replaced by a shopping mall eventually leak into the soil of a nearby and office complex. wetland.

Environmental Event Environmental Event

A coastal community sells 50 miles of beachfront property to a local developer Silt barrier fences are not installed at a new who builds homes, a strip mall, and a hotel construction project. Rain carries loose soil complex. into a nearby wetland.

Environmental Event Environmental Event

An oil spill off the Atlantic Coast near Delaware Bay threatens migrating A drought threatens to dry out local shorebirds that feed there. freshwater wetlands.

Environmental Event Environmental Event

An unusually heavy rainy season causes A hurricane blows away sand dunes where

streams to flood lowland fields. Snowy Plovers are nesting.

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S M 197 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Can’t We Share? Environmental Events Cards

(Make 2 copies)

Environmental Event Environmental Event

A once restricted area of beach is opened up to public recreation. Personal watercraft A farmer cuts hay in a field where shorebirds vehicles (For example Jet Skis.) now scare are nesting. away nesting and feeding shorebirds.

Environmental Event Environmental Event

Because of habitat loss from disturbance, Agricultural chemicals are carried by runoff pollution, and development, migrating into a nearby wetland. shorebirds have not been able to stop at their traditional stopover sites. They do not have enough energy to continue their migration to the Arctic to breed.

Environmental Event Environmental Event (Write your own local event here.) (Write your own local event here.)

Environmental Event Environmental Event

(Write your own local event here.) (Write your own local event here.)

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S M 198 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Can’t We Share? Environmental Events Cards

(Make 2 copies)

Environmental Stewardship Environmental Stewardship

A town has 300 acres of undeveloped Tanks of toxic chemicals buried in a field are grassland. Of that, 200 acres will be used removed by the Environmental Protection for a mall. The remaining 100 acres will be Agency. The company that buried the set aside as a preserve for local wildlife that chemicals is paying to restore the land and includes an outdoor learning and research the wetland. area.

Environmental Stewardship Environmental Event

A coastal community sells 50 miles of Silt barrier fences are installed at a new beachfront property to a local developer construction project. The silt barrier stops for building homes, a mall, and a hotel. The rain from carrying loose soil into a nearby developer also plans to work with biologists wetland. to protect important beach habitat by landscaping with native plants.

Environmental Stewardship Environmental Stewardship

Through water management projects, A federal law is passed that requires all oil the local National Wildlife Refuge is able tankers to be double-hulled to help prevent to provide water for the wetland so that hull punctures that result in oil spills. shorebirds can use the habitat.

Environmental Stewardship Environmental Event

Biologists plant native grasses to stabilize An unusually heavy rainy season causes beach dunes, preventing them from blowing streams to flood lowland fields. Shorebirds away. Though some natural damage still are able to find other nearby habitat to feed occurs from a hurricane, Snowy Plovers and and rest.

the dunes survive.

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S M 199 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Can’t We Share? Environmental Events Cards

(Make 2 copies)

Environmental Stewardship Environmental Stewardship

A once restricted area of beach is opened up to public recreation. However, boats and A farmer cuts hay in a field after the skiers stay 200 feet away from the beach and shorebirds finish nesting in mid-July. use provided ramps for access.

Environmental Stewardship Environmental Event

When applying agricultural chemicals, a landowner follows the directions on the Important stopover habitat is protected by label to keep chemicals 100 feet away from national and state wildlife refuges and parks. wetlands. He also applies only during Shorebirds have enough energy to complete the recommended weather conditions. As their journey to the Arctic and breed a result, there are not pollutants in the successfully. wetland.

Environmental Stewardship Environmental Stewardship (Write your own local action here.) (Write your own local action here.)

Environmental Stewardship Environmental Event

(Write your own local action here.) (Write your own local action here.)

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S M 200 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P