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Activity

Practice Bird Calls and Explore Their Meaning

Mimic bird calls! Notice how birds use their calls to interact with each other and their environment. Think about what you’d like to say if you were a bird and base your calls off of the behaviors you observe.

Science Seed

Birds use calls to communicate with each other, whether to attract a mate, tell a parent they’re hungry, defend their territory, or warn of danger. Each bird species has its own unique call or song, and many birds, like mockingbirds and crows, can mimic the sounds of other animals or even human-made noises. Some birds, like cardinals, have simple, sharp whistles, while others, like mourning doves, make soft cooing sounds. Young Grackles follow their parents in the spring and summer begging for food, while the larger males sing a complicated whirring song to tell others which tree they own. Listening carefully to bird calls helps us understand what birds are doing, whether they’re claiming territory, calling to others in their flock, or signaling the time of day.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore Sanchez Elementary

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

Sánchez Elementary School is close to downtown on Austin’s east side. Built in 1976, the campus boasts murals by Raul Valdez depicting the school’s Hispanic history and heritage. Sánchez was one of the district’s first to introduce two-way dual language education- fitting because the school’s namesake, George Sánchez, was a pioneer in bilingual education. This project was made possible by HEB.