Students enjoy installing a new nest box protected by a predator shield (photo courtesy of NestWatch).

A valuable science project created for students of all ages has been developed for educators and students alike, aptly named “Thinking Outside the Nest Box.” This curriculum will introduce students to the world of nesting birds and engage them in STEM learning and citizen science through the construction, installation, and monitoring of nest boxes. As an educational resource created by NestWatch, a citizen-science program of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, nest box science can benefit anyone from grammar school to college students to develop or expand their interest in birds, and wildlife and nature in general.

Keep in mind that there is a shortage of nesting cavities, with serious competition for existing cavity sites, so every new nest box can make a big difference this spring and in future years. Thinking Outside the Nest Box activities introduce students to the life cycles of nesting birds, including egg laying, incubation, the nestling stage when adults are feeding fast-growing nestlings, and the fledgling stage when young birds leave the nest box, learn to fly, and learn to find and catch food while still under the care of an adult.

Student activities also include instructions for building and installing nest boxes, and participants will learn about how different species require and use different habitats. Students will be informed about how to monitor and observe nesting birds, and collect information to report their observations to the NestWatch program, thereby becoming true citizen scientists in the process.

Teachers, scout leaders, nature center naturalists, and other interested adults can help young people build one birdhouse as a class, or one per student. These kinds of student activities are valuable for the students, and even more valuable for the variety of cavity nesting birds that benefit from additional nesting sites. The lessons provided in this exciting program align with Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core Standards, especially for grades 5 to 8.

To help inspire teachers and other youth leaders, along with students of any age, the “Thinking Outside the Nest Box” program provides a wealth of information and activities supported by excellent videos and other materials. For all the information provided to underscore the importance and enjoyment of nest box birding, refer to https://www.birds.cornell.edu/k12/nestwatch/

What better way to celebrate spring than by sharing the excitement of birds!

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