Kindergarten is for the birds the American Goldfinch that is! 4. 26. Then, get ready to plant this April! The American Goldfinch! Your class bird is the American Goldfinch which is a primarily bright yellow colored bird that is about the same size as a sparrow (4.5 inches). Both males and females have a black cap on the top front of their head. The American Goldfinch is the only member of the finch family that sheds off all of its feathers twice in a single year. These Goldfinches are acrobatic because they can eat upside down and right side up! The female Goldfinches are the ones that make the nests for their young, while the males watch over nearby. Some good places to learn more about the American Goldfinch with your teacher and parents are Native Plants that Attract American Goldfinch want to plant in our Refueling Station. Remember, every vote counts, so don t forget to turn in yours 26 th! Smooth Blue Aster Golden Aster Stiff Leaf Aster Used many times in wildlife gardens because of its high nutritional value. Many pollinators like Smooth Blue Aster because it provides them with food and shelter. Hairs on the plant discourage animals and insects from grazing. Golden Asters are yellow daisylike flowers that are often used as food for many larvae. A small flower with blue-purple petals that is a great drought tolerant plant. Height ranges between 1-3 feet, and is often found in dry soils along the edge of woods.
1st Grade is for the birds the American Robin that is! 4. 26. Then, get ready to plant this April! The American Robin! Your class bird is the American Robin which is a migratory songbird of the thrush family. It is nick named Robin Redbreast after the males, which have a red breast. It is the state bird of Connecticut, Michigan, and Wisconsin. There are 7 subspecies, but only 1 with pale gray-brown underneath. It is one of the first bird species to lay eggs. Many times Robins are preyed upon by hawks, cats, and snakes, which is why they often feed in flocks for protection. Some good places to learn more about the American Robin with your teacher and parents are Native Plants that Attract American Robin want to plant in our Refueling Station. Remember, every vote counts, so don t forget to turn in yours 26 th! Green Hawthorn Chokeberries Eastern Red Cedar Have green fruits that grow in clusters that eventually turn red in August. A large shrub that grows in moist soils and often forms tickets, which can grow up to 30 feet tall. The name comes from the strong flavor of the fruits, which are inedible to humans when raw. The berries can be used to make wine, jam, syrup, juice, soft spreads, and tea. An important winter food for birds because they disperse wingless seeds. Considered a pioneer invader because it is one of the first trees to repopulate cleared, eroded, or damaged land.
2nd Grade is for the birds the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird that is! 4. 26. Then, get ready to plant this April! The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird! Your class bird is the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, which is usually only 7-9 cm long full grown, roughly weighing 3 grams! The males are smaller then the females, and also have a shorter beak. These hummingbirds are migratory, and spend most of the winter in Mexico, Central, and South America. Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds are solitary birds. Good places to learn more about the Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds with your teacher and parents are Native Plants that Attract Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds want to plant in our Refueling Station. Remember, every vote counts, so don t forget to turn in yours 26 th! Oswego Tea Bee Balm Wild Bergamot Beard Tongue Also known as Bergamot or bee balm, and is a hardy native American plant. Its name is derived from its odor which is similar to the bergamot orange. It has been used for mouthwashes and antiseptics. A member of the Mint Family, and commonly used for its nectar by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Long slim spikes that are bushy with hairy throats, which is where the name came from. Historically the roots were used by Native Americans to relieve toothaches.
3rd Grade is for the birds the Carolina Wren that is! 4. 26. Then, get ready to plant this April! The Carolina Wren! Your class bird is the Carolina Wren, which is the second largest Wren in the United States, after the Cactus Wren. It is especially noted for its loud song. Wrens are not migrating birds, and are particularly sensitive to cold weather, so in severe winters, the populations drop. The songs of the Carolina Wren vary regionally, with birds in the north singing slower than the ones in the south. They eat insects found in leaf litter or on tree trunks; they may also eat small lizards or tree frogs. Some good places to learn more about the Carolina Wren with your teacher and parents are Native Plants that Attract Carolina Wren want to plant in our Refueling Station. Remember, every vote counts, so don t forget to turn in yours 26 th! Trumpet Vine American Beautyberry Dogwood Also known as Cow Itch Vine or Hummingbird Vine. A rapid growing, clinging vine that produces orange trumpet shaped flowers in the summer which attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Also known as French Mulberry and the scientific name means beautiful seeded. The berries are an important survival food for birds and small animals because they last late into the winter months. Dogwood comes from dagwood, small pieces of hardwood used for making dags, like daggers or weapons. In recent years, flowering Dogwoods have been negatively impacted by a fungus disease.
4th Grade is for the birds the Eastern Bluebird that is! 4. 26. Then, get ready to plant this April! The Eastern Bluebird! Your class bird is the Eastern Bluebird. Their home range is North America and as far south as Nicaragua. Typically Eastern Bluebirds eat insects and fruit, however they ve also been seen eating shrews, salamanders, snakes, lizards and tree frogs. Bluebirds can sight their tiny prey items from 60 feet or more away. The oldest recorded Eastern Bluebird was 10 years, 5 months old. Some good places to learn more about the Eastern Bluebird with your teacher and parents are Native Plants that Attract Eastern Bluebirds want to plant in our Refueling Station. Remember, every vote counts, so don t forget to turn in yours 26 th! American Holly Common Hackberry Trumpet Honeysuckle The berries are poisonous to humans, but are important survival food for birds. The tree forms a thick canopy that offers protection for birds from predators and storms. Also known as sugarberry, nettletree, beaverwood, and northern hackberry. It is easily distinguishable by its cork-like bark and wart-like protuberances. They prefer moist soils, but can also be drought tolerant. Trumpet honeysuckles are part of the evergreen family; they give off red and black berries.
5th Grade is for the birds the Cardinal that is! 4. 26. Then, get ready to plant this April! The Cardinal! Your class bird is the Cardinal which is a seed-eating bird with strong bills, that typically are found in open woodlands. The males are the ones with bright red plumage, whereas the females have more subtle colors. Cardinals have distinctive crests atop their heads and a thick, pointed bill, which begins black and turns red with age. Cardinals are also known as red birds and Virginia nightingales. It is not a migratory bird, and it is the state bird of seven states within the United States, including Virginia! Some good places to learn more about the Cardinal with your teacher and parents are Native Plants that Attract Cardinals want to plant in our Refueling Station. Remember, every vote counts, so don t forget to turn in yours 26 th! Oxeye Sunflower Partridgeberry Blackeyed Susan Not actually a true sunflower, but great at attracting all types of pollinators. Originally native to prairies and savannas, but now dispersed to prairie remnants, open woods and along old roads. Resistant to rotting so they stay intact on the branches late into winter and are available to nourish wildlife when other foods are lacking. It is an evergreen vine. Very competitive flowers that can literally push out (outcompete) other plants. One of the most common of all American wildflowers.