Bird Life

Food, Water and Shelter
Camouflage and Vision
Suggested Birding Activities Birding Checklist
Glossary

Plant Life

 

 

 

 

 

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Science: Bird Life - Food, Water and Shelter

Many bird species are attracted to the Concord River Greenway for the abundant sources of food, including: 

• Fish
• Small mammals
• Mollusks
• Invertebrates
• Reptiles
• Seeds and fruit

 

Water is essential to the plants and animals of any ecosystem, including the birds living on and around the Concord River.  The Greenway is a riparian zone, meaning that many of the plants and animals living here are associated with rivers and other wetlands.  These plants favor rivers.

 

Despite the clamor of the city, birds have found ways to find shelter and refuge among us.  They are generally wary of human activity and prefer to keep out of our voice and sight range.  An experienced birder knows to be quiet and always keep a pair of binoculars handy.

Birding Tip: If you don’t have binoculars handy, don’t fret.  If you curl your hands and put them to your eyes, as if your hands were binoculars, you will successfully block out distracting light and movement of random objects.  This will help you to key in on the bird you are looking at with its color, shape, size, and more.  Try it!

Thick vegetation provides excellent shelter from larger predators, such as red-tail hawks flying overhead.

 

Generally speaking, a nest is a shelter specifically designed for protecting eggs and raising young.  Many different types of animals, including birds build nests.  Tree cavities, hollows, burrows, tree branches, bare ground, and crevices in rocks can provide nesting habitats, too.  Birds sometimes use these same natural features during other times of the year when seeking shelter.

 

 

 

Birds are very resourceful animals.  They make nests from a variety of materials, such as sticks, grasses, leaves, mud, saliva, feces, feathers, mammal hair and even litter.

Tree cavities (holes in trees) can provide excellent shelter for birds and other animals.  Woodpeckers, insects, and rot are responsible to making many of these tree cavities.