So They Build - Bowerbirds

It was NSS, Aura Parker's Bowerbird Blues and thus bowerbirds that started me off on this animals as builders idea, so here are some ideas and books I will use for a bowerbird display.

Bowerbirds are native to New Guinea and Australia. To attract their mates, the males (who have plain plumage), build elaborate, colour-sorted nests from sticks and interesting found objects (often garbage).

Bowerbird Blues  is a great book for a whole school focus. There is so much to explore. Start with this article where Aura talks about her book. See Teaching Ideas. There is also an abundance of worksheet units available to buy for this book. Many of them include busywork such as wordfinds and colouring sheets. I don't think you need to resort to most of them, unless they involve doing something such as building a bower or finding out more about bowerbirds. Melbourne Zoo has bower building instructions too. I plan to share some of these companion reads and ensure that the children do lots of talking.

• The Bowerbird  by Julia Donaldson and Catherine Rayner

See Teaching Ideas

• You and the Bowerbird  by Maria Gianferrari and Maris Wicks

This book is expensive in Australia, but you may find a library that has it.

• Binky the Bowerbird by Barb Cromie and Nandina Vines

• Birds of a Feather Bowerbirds and Me  by Susan L Roth

You can see the book here.

• Bowerbird Loves Blue  by Catherine Prentice

• Bower Bird's Blue Book by Angela & Patrick Bier

• The Owlet Nightjar and the Bowerbird 

Sharing Stories Foundation

This amazing resource has the story in English and in an Aboriginal language. In 2022, Sharing Stories Foundation partnered with Purnululu Aboriginal Independent Community School in the remote community of Woorreranginy (Frog Hollow), in Western Australia on the creative interpretation of an important Ngarranggarnim (Dreaming) story.

• Bowerbirds! by Donna L. Huntriss

You can read this book on Trove .

 

3rd August Beaks

My friend at Momotimetoread just wrote about Robin Page's new book The Beak Book and while she was doing this I was planning a lesson for Kindergarten on Busy Beaks, a book on the Early Childhood shortlist for Book of the Year. I  find it curious that one aspect of birds can provide so much interest from a reading and illustrating point of view. Two of my favourite picture books are The Best Beak of Boonaroo Bay by Narelle Oliver and King of the Birds by Helen Ward. In these two books the birds are having a competition and what they do with their beaks is considered.

Books about birds are abundant and it is often hard to know which ones to buy. In the library we also have these books with great illustrations

• Bring on the Birds and Bird Show by Susan Stockdale         

• Parrots Over Porto Rico by Susan L. Roth

• Birds of a Feather: Bowerbirds and Me  by Susan L. Roth

• Beaks! by Sneed B. Collard

• The Beaks of the Birds by Richard Konicek-Moran 

and then I have noticed two new ones are just about to come

• A Peek at Beaks by Sara Levine

• Beaks by Curt Hart