Science Project Ideas for Educators...Home Instructors...Students

Ergonica Home
Log in / Register



 

Science Project Books

The purpose of this experiment was to determine how birdfeeder color affected the amount of seed eaten by birds.

I became interested in this idea because every winter when it got cold I put birdseed out for the birds and I wanted to find out how to make more birds come to my feeders. I thought the color of the feeder might matter.

The information gained from this experiment could affect anyone who wanted birds in their yard, or wanted to feed birds in the winter. People who work for the Department of Fish and Wildlife might also be interested.

Colored Bird Feeder Science Project

Science fairs can be competitive, and it is important to have a measurable experiment with a clear hypothesis. The bird feeder preference science project fulfills both of these requirements, can be accomplished in a short period of time, is easily performed by the child without too much help from parents, and is a fun way to learn about nature. Allow yourself at least two days to work on the project from beginning to end because the paint needs to dry before you leave it out for the birds. You don't want the paint fumes to skew your results.

Seed Preferences of Local Birds

This project aims to help you understand which seeds birds prefer eat. This experiment's results will vary depending on the birds in your immediate area. First, you have to construct a wooden bird feeder equipped with multiple separate seed compartments. Fill each compartment with a different type of seed. Each compartment should contain the same amount of seed at the beginning. At the end of each day, measure the remaining seed in each compartment, and note the results. Then replenish the seed and repeat over the course of a few days.

Sugar Preference of Hummingbirds

This experiment investigates whether hummingbirds prefer substances with higher or lower sugar concentrations. As in the color preference experiment, start by attracting hummingbirds using a hummingbird feeder. Then, take several white Styrofoam cups and fill them with sugar water, using different ratios of sugar to water for each cup. Be sure you remember which cup is which; you can mark the sugar ratio on the side of each cup. Replace the feeder with the cups, and observe how frequently the hummingbirds frequent each cup. Conduct this experiment over the course of several days and take note of your observations.

What Seeds Do Birds Prefer to Eat?

Are you curious about the birds that live in your neighborhood? Would you like to find out more about them: what they look like close up, what they eat, how they sing? In this project you'll build a bird feeding platform with four separate feeding areas. You'll be able to observe birds at close range, find out what birds inhabit your area, and learn about their seed-eating preferences. So get out your woodworking tools and binoculars, and get ready to see some birds.

With a Little Bread as Bait, Can You Make a Bird Migrate?

You might like to play in the autumn leaves and winter snow, but have you noticed that many birds don't like to stick around for the cold weather? And instead of the birds you're used to seeing in the warm months, your new feathered friends might be Canada geese. Why is that? Various types of birds and other animals travel from one place to another either in search of food, warmer temperatures, or other things they need to survive. This type of traveling is called migration. Try starting your own miniature bird migration in this science fair project!.

Can You Predict a Bird's Lifestyle Based on Its Feet?

Animals survive in all sorts of extreme environments, whether it's a polar bear out and about when its -40°F, a desert iguana trying to find food as the temperature rises to 110°F, or a deep sea anglerfish living 3281 feet down into the sea. How do they do it? The answer is adaptations! Their bodies have special features that allow them to live in those environments. You might not be able to dive down 3281 feet to observe the deep sea anglerfish, but in this science fair project you can discover what the adaptations of birds in your own backyard tell you about their lifestyles.

The Effect of Bird Formation on Flight Efficiency

This project studied the amount of energy birds saved by flying in a V formation compared to solo flight. My hypothesis was that flying in formation reduces wind drag and leads to greater flight efficiency. I focued on Pink-Footed Geese because published information on this bird species was readily available. My work was unique because it used a wind tunnel rather than mathematical models.

Humwhere over the Rainbow: Do Hummingbirds Prefer Colored
Nectar from the Warm End of the Color Spectrum?

The objective of our project was to determine if hummingbirds preferred colored nectar from the warm end of the color spectrum (red, yellow) versus the cool end (blue, violet). Knowing that hummingbirds are attracted to red and orange flowers, we predicted that they would prefer colored nectar that resembled those flowers. Further studies showed that other variables must be considered, including color order, height, position, location, and color of feeder.

Bird Feeders come in different shapes, sizes and colors, cost very little and can also be made or customized by yourself.  See examples in videos below made by Ergonica producers.

Squirrels have raided our bird feeders recently and have forced us to place a lot of plastic barriers on the trees and water tray in these videos.  You can see several videos we made earlier this year of the squirrel attacks in the playlist My Eden of Furry and Feathered Friends Urban Wild Life ....  You may have fun doing a science project on effective ways to deter squirrels from raiding bird feeders.

Interesting experiments may be conducted to test bird preference for different feeder shapes and sizes or the distance between feeders.  You may possibly invent a new feeder shape and show how it performs better than others.  In designing new feeder shapes, you should explore existing products on the market as well as patents of bird feeders to determine if your shape is truly unique.  You may find that many interesting designs have been patented and never successfully sold on the market. Be sure to protect any new invention by a patent.  See available types of bird feeders at Amazon.com.