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October 2005
Get M.A.D. (Migrate, Adapt or Die)

"I realized that if I had to choose, I would rather have birds than airplanes."
Charles Lindbergh

Here, in Wisconsin, we are in the "Mississippi Flyway"?  That's the route (generally speaking, along the Mississippi River) many migratory birds take each fall to reach a warmer, more bountiful wintertime climate. 

What to do this month:
Keep and eye out for some of Nature Net's favorite migratory birds like the common yellowthroat, laughing gull, gray catbird or the sandhill crane.

Check out family events at area Nature Net sites!

Tricks of the Trail for Parents:
Moonlight Meander
Many fall migrants, though normally active at day, make their long migratory flight during the night.  What a perfect chance to create a special adventure with your burgeoning, young bird-watcher.  Around the time of the full moon - October 17th - pick a clear night to count migrants who cross in front of the moon's light.  Pack warm blankets, binoculars, a thermos of cocoa, a compass and a star map.  Birds to watch for at night include, vireos, various waterfowl, sparrows, cuckoos, warblers, thrushes, and flycatchers.  If you don't spot any feathered friends, use your binoculars to explore moon craters, count the stars and planets bright enough to be seen despite the moonlight and simply enjoy the crisp autumn evening. 

Instant Outdoor Expert:
M.A.D.-Migrate, Adapt or Die
As winter approaches and we look forward to donning a cozy turtleneck sweater, plopping some marshmallows into a mug of cocoa and curling up by the fireplace, animals are subject to much harsher conditions - and choices: migrate, adapt or die.  The  Smithsonian National Zoological Park describes some of these options, but let's look closer at migration. A mysterious phenomena, scientists have studied migration for many years. Why would birds (and other animals) travel such great distances (the Arctic Tern flies 21,750 miles!)?  The most obvious answer is more food and friendlier weather.  But, what signals their departure? If they were to wait until food ran out and temperatures dropped, they'd be too hungry and cold to fly hundreds of miles! Scientist believe birds' internal systems (i.e. the brain and endocrine system (hormones)) use external clues (i.e. a change in daylight length and temperature) to signal hunger, overeating and fat storage. This fat store, which in long-distance migrants makes up 30-50% of their body weight, fuels the birds' flight muscles, permitting long flights with minimal fatigue. Depending on the size and build of a bird, they can travel at a rate of 100 to 500 miles per 10-hour day of sustained flight. However, scientists have found spring migrants heading to breeding grounds tend to cover more ground in a shorter amount of time than fall migrants who tend to make leisurely stops along the way.  This provides a perfect autumn opportunity for you to visit area Nature Net sites and witness these amazing creatures while on a migratory stop over. For more information on migration, visit the Zoological Society of Milwaukee website.

Eco-Exercise:
Follow "V" Leader
You’ll need some friends for this one.  
Have you noticed the geese flying south in a V-formation?  A single leader leads the group, followed by a line of 2, followed by a line of 3, etc.  It looks simple up in the sky, but can you do it on the ground?  
Find a large grassy spot with enough room to run, and organize your friends into an on-the-ground V-formation.  Choose someone as the leader in the front, followed by two friends holding hands behind the leader; then a row of three holding hands behind them.  At the count of 3, have the leader begin to move the group forward, walking slowly at first.  Have the rest of the formation follow.  The leader should gradually pick up the speed to a fast walk and then run.  Can everyone follow while keeping the V-formation?  Can you follow the leader to the left and right?  What’s the most important thing to staying together as a V-formation?

Featured Nature Net Site

Nature Craft

International Crane Foundation
The International Crane Foundation (ICF) commits to a future where all crane species are secure - a future where people cooperate to protect and restore wild populations and their ecosystems. These efforts sustain the places where cranes live, to the benefit of countless other species.
ICF offers free self-guided tours with tape recorders (available at the Gift Shop) to guide you around the crane exhibit area. The paved trail system through the crane exhibit area, including the Schroeder Exhibit Hall is approximately half a mile long. The tape recorded walking tour is designed for a slow pace and there are benches throughout the site. About half-way through the walking tour, visitors are encouraged to visit the Amoco Whooping Crane Exhibit, a covered amphitheatre with benches and a water fountain.
Each season at ICF offers something different but autumn is a favorite for its spectacular colors!  
ICF is open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April 15 to October 31.  Admission fees are $8.50/adults, $7.00/seniors, $4.00/children (ages 5-11) and free to children 4 and under and ICF members.

Learn about other Nature Net sites

Nature Craft Archives

Suggested Reading:
"It's a Hummingbird's Life" by Irene Kelly (ages 5-9)

"Birds: Natures' Magnificent Flying Machines" by Caroline Arnold (ages 7-11)

Find Family events on the Nature Net Calendar of Events

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