Birds: Episode Content
If you are looking for specific topics, we hope the information on this page will be helpful. The videos can be watched as part of any science learning opportunities! But if you are interested in direct ties to Saskatchewan Curriculum, here are a few:
- OM1.1 Investigate observable characteristics and uses of natural and constructed objects and materials in their environment.
- DS1.2 Inquire into the ways in which plants, animals, and humans adapt to daily and seasonal changes by changing their appearance, behaviour, and/or location.
- SE1.2 Explore how humans and animals use their senses to interact with their environment.
- AN2.1 Analyze the growth and development of familiar animals, including birds, fish, insects, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals, during their life cycles.
- HC4.2 Analyze the structures and behaviours of plants and animals that enable them to exist in various habitats.
EP01: The Bird Collection
| Overview of our bird collection | 0:10 |
| How do we preserve bird specimens? | 1:00 |
| Protecting the collection from bugs | 1:48 |
| Who uses the collection? | 2:33 |
| Our passenger pigeon: a unique specimen | 4:12 |
| Dr. Karen's favourite bird | 4:54 |
EP02: Avian Housing
| Different nest designs | 0:10 |
| Where do birds build their nests? | 2:05 |
EP03: Bird Eggs
| The egg collection | 0:10 |
| How do we preserve the eggs? | 1:21 |
| Why are eggs speckled and coloured? | 1:37 |
| How do the eggs get speckled and coloured? | 3:20 |
| Big eggs and small eggs | 4:16 |
EP04: Feathers and Wings
| Why do birds have feathers? | 0:10 |
| The structure of feathers | 1:03 |
| Four different kinds of wings | 1:32 |
| Birds vs. mammals | 4:41 |
| Plummage and colours | 5:25 |
EP05: Parental Care and Migration
| How do birds care for their children? | 0:10 |
| Migration: Should we stay or should we go? | 1:48 |
| Where do birds that stay sleep in the winter? | 3:40 |
EP06: Flickers
| Dr. Karen's research on flickers | 0:10 |
| How do we track birds for research? | 1:45 |
| Some flicker females have two families! | 3:26 |
| The reproductive lifespan of flickers | 4:36 |
| Flicker colouring | 5:17 |
| Dr. Karen's strange claim to fame | 7:18 |
| How to band a flicker for tracking | 7:48 |
| Flickers are key players in their ecosystems | 8:52 |
EP07: Snowy Owls
| Why are snowy owls fun to study? | 0:10 |
| Males and females and territories | 0:50 |
| Snowy owl migration from the arctic | 1:50 |
| Reproduction and food supply | 2:37 |
| Adaptations for cold weather | 4:26 |
| Are snowy owls in danger? | 5:39 |
| Hatching and survival | 6:43 |
EP08: Meet Dr Karen Wiebe
| What not to do with a bear! | 0:10 |
| Why did I become a scientist? | 0:56 |
| My identity as a scientist | 1:54 |
| My place in the natural world | 2:43 |
| What is the next big question? | 3:35 |