Youth Birder
Events throughout Freeport and surrounding areas!
Beginning Birder Club
Third Saturday of the Month – September 2023 through April 2024
10:30 to 12:00 p.m.
Led by Juliet Moderow
Registration required – Contact us at nwilaudubon@gmail.com to register or get on the waitlist for the program.
Freeport Public Library, Youth Services Program Room
100 E Douglas St, Freeport, IL 61032
This will be a fun, educational program for youths to learn about different topics about birds. Lessons will be tailored for ages 6-10, but younger/older children are welcome. An adult must be present during the entire program. All sessions are independent from each other, so you are welcome to attend any that you are able.
Each program will be held at 10:30 am to approximately 12:00 pm on the third Saturday of the month. Sessions will be held at the Freeport Public Library in the Youth Services Program Room, but we will try to end the session outside to look for birds. Please dress appropriately for the weather as well.
Topics:
September 16, 2023
What makes a bird a bird?
We will learn about the unique characteristics of a bird.
October 21, 2023
Finding and naming birds
We will learn about habitats where birds can be found and how to identify local birds that can be found in the area.
November 18, 2023
Bird tools
We will learn about the natural tools that birds use (beaks and feet), especially when it comes to feeding.
December 16, 2023
Bird movement
We will learn more about feathers, how birds fly, why some birds migrate and others do not.
January 20, 2024
Birds of prey
We will learn about birds of prey and do an owl pellet dissection.
February 17, 2024
Bird reproduction
We will learn about bird reproduction, egg laying, nest building, etc.
March 16, 2024
Bird banter
We will learn about how birds sing and learn songs/calls of common birds in the area.
April 20, 2024
Bird conservation & Being a birder
We will learn about how to protect birds and how to be a birder!
December Family Activities
Winter Activities From Early Childhood News Fill an empty grapefruit half with birdseed and suspend with rope or wire from branch. Next time it's snowing, chill a sheet of black construction paper in the freezer for 30 minutes; catch snowflakes on it. Look at each...
November Family Activities
Family Activity Learn about leaves! You will likely be surrounded by leaves at this time, so why not learn about leaves while doing some art. First, go on a hike where there are different tree species and collect as many different leaves as you can. What colors leaves...
October Family Activities
Fall is an excellent time to learn about deciduous trees, such as oak trees and maple trees. A good activity for the family is to learn about the life cycle of an oak tree. Find an oak forest and start exploring and observing. During autumn, deciduous trees start to...
September Family Activities
What do birds eat and how do they eat it? Look at some bird pictures and point out the beaks, explaining that every bird has a beak that is shaped to help it hunt and eat its own food. Then you can try out these techniques: Eat like a robin: Embed gummy worms in a...
August Family Activities
Family Activity What do birds eat and how do they eat it? Look at some bird pictures and point out the beaks, explaining that every bird has a beak that is shaped to help it find and eat its own food. Then you can try out these techniques: Eat like a robin: Embed...
July Family Activities
Family Activity Go insect hunting! Insects are the most successful animals on the planet. They are amazing! They are the first organisms to fly! They can buzz! They can jump! They can sting! They have beautiful colors! Some even light up! Learn about these creatures...
June Family Activities
Family Activity Although it may be summer vacation, it is always a good time to learn new things. This summer, make a nature journal with members of your family and/or friends. Get a small notebook for everyone that can easily be carried with you on your nature...
May Family Activities
Spring Nature Activities It's spring! It's time to enjoy the outdoors, and it can be done in the simplest ways. Take leisurely walks around the block, in the garden, in a park, or, if you live near Freeport, at Oakdale. Take along a “treasure bag” and encourage...
April Family Activities
Family Activity Celebrate the theme of World Migratory Bird Day 2023 Celebrate the theme of World Migratory Bird Day 2023 about water by exploring aquatic ecosystems. All living organisms, including YOU, require water. Put on some boots, bring some nets and...
March Family Activities
Want to attract the bluebird? Build it and they will come! Building bluebird nest boxes is a great way to help conserve birds at the local level. Boxes are readily available at most home improvement stores or you can check out lots of nest plans at...
February Family Activities
February can seem dreary, but conifers cheer us, giving us the gift of green against gray skies. Take a walk noticing the different conifers in your yard and neighborhood. Collect some of the cones and needle clusters. Are the tops of the trees rounded or pointed? How...
January Family Activities
Make a pinecone feeder; just spread peanut butter and cornmeal on a pinecone and roll it in a pan of birdseed. Tie a sturdy string or twice, cut into a two-foot length, to the top part of pinecone and tie the other end of the string to a nail or hook where the birds...
Mourning Dove
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Mourning Doves are a common bird in North America, related to Rock Pigeons. They can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including backyards. They are primarily seed eaters and will feed on the ground. They may visit bird feeders for any fallen seed, especially millet. They are often seen perching on telephone wires in pairs, easily recognized by their silhouette.
Mourning Doves have a small head with thin, black bills and a plump body. They have pale peach-colored feathers, with gray on top. There are scattered black spots on the wings with pink iridescence and sometimes a small black mark on the neck can be seen.
They are recognizable for their sad, mournful “coo coo” song that gives them their name. When in flight, they make loud whistling sounds and may clap their wings, which could help to scare a predator or give warnings to other birds.
After a Mourning Dove forms a pair bond for the breeding season, they will build a flimsy nest. Nests can be found typically in trees and grounds, but can also be formed in gutters and eaves of houses. They will lay two eggs, but multiple times during a breeding season.
To help protect Mourning Doves and any other bird, please leave your cats indoors. Ground-dwelling birds are easily caught and killed by cats. We can help birds by keeping our cats inside.
* Thanks to allaboutbirds.org.
Many of these books can be found on PrairieCat; many are available for as little as 1 cent or 99 cents from booksellers on Amazon (with $3.99 for postage and handling).
Resources to help you give the children you influence the awe and wonder that only the natural world can inspire
Information on all the Freeport parks
More than books on a shelf…visit the Freeport Public Library
Events located in Freeport and Stephenson County
(The Cornell Lab of Ornithology) Includes bird information, tips, and more for kids and families
Ride or Hike the beautiful Jane Addams Trail
Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots
A program of the Jane Goodall Institute offering a variety of programs and resources
to tell the story of our changing planet through the eyes of NASA missions studying Earth and provides games, activities, and articles that make climate science accessible and engaging for children
provides resources for classroom curriculum, DIY activities, and bird activities for children at home
Many family-friendly articles; Ranger Rick family magazine
Resource Guide Supplement to Last Child in the Woods
Designed for parents, teachers, and community leaders to help them encourage children’s enjoyment of the great outdoors.
Located near Rockford, IL.
The program’s goal is to give every child in America an outdoor experience.
Learn about the importance of migratory birds and how to celebrate birds any day of the year!
