Bird Migration Game Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden School Days

Bird Migration Game Facilitated Activity

Description: Students, as migrating birds, move through a game-board riddled with challenges and different situations.

Location at the Zoo: Vine Street Village

Materials:

Large map of North & South America

Game board pieces

at least 3 sets of laminated migration cards

Two 6-sided die

Background: Most U.S. birds are Neotropical migrants, meaning they breed in Canada or the U.S during the summer and spend the winter in Mexico, Central America, South America or the Caribbean. There are about 200 species of Neotropical migratory birds, most are songbirds but there are also shorebirds, raptors and waterfowl. Birds migrate to gain access to resources, mainly food. Why don’t they just stay where the food is? Migration has improved breeding success for birds, meaning they are able to raise more young by migrating than if they remained in the tropics. Many birds migrate at night where the air is cooler, calmer and there are fewer predators. Ninety percent of migrating birds fly between 15 and 45 mph. Migrating one-way can take several weeks to 4 months. They make a series of flights lasting from several hours to several days! They will make pit stops for food and rest that last a day to a few weeks. Birds know where to go based on the earth’s magnetic fields, where the sun sets, landscapes and wind patterns. Major migration routes are called flyways (like highways!). Some are easy to trace, others are very complex. Many factors effect a bird’s migration such as distance traveled, starting time, flight speed and geographical position. No two species follow the same route from start to finish. There are four major North American flyways: Atlantic, Mississippi, Central and Pacific. They all merge into one near Panama.

Students play a game that demonstrates the adventures of bird migration.

Birds across the world migrate. This map shows North to South America migrations.

Bird Migration Game Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden School Days

Set Up: Draw the game board in Vine St. Village by connecting the large foam pieces together. It can go in any direction, but the “Start” and “End” should be at the ends with the “Cat” piece somewhere in the middle. Activity: 1. Introduce yourselves to the group. Ask the group if they know what migration is. If not, explain that it

is a behavioral adaptation that allows birds to survive when food and other resources are hard to find

during the winter. It is kind of like bird vacation. When the weather turns colder and food is harder to

find, birds fly (migrate) to warmer areas that have more food. After a few weeks or months, they head

back home where they nest and lay eggs (breed). Most birds in the U.S. travel hundreds to thousands

of miles to spend the winter in Mexico or other warm spots. Some birds travel up to 10,000 miles (one

way!) during their migration! (Shorebirds that nest in far north Canada and spend winter in the far

south of South America). During such a long flight, birds encounter many different adventures along

the way – from crazy weather to overly playful housecats. Let’s see what exciting things happen

during YOUR migration!

2. Explain the rules:

a. Each team rolls a die to move forward. Once on a square, someone from the group will choose

a card from the pile (held by station leaders).

b. The goal of the game is to migrate all the way to the end.

c. Watch out for the Cat square! If you land on it you must start over!

3. Divide the students into smaller groups (no more than 5 people per group) and line them up at the

start box. Have them roll a dice to determine their first card.

4. Continue shuffling and dispensing cards until every team has either not made it or crossed the finish

line. If time is limited and groups can not get through to the end, stop the game and award 1st place to

the team(s) farthest into the game.

Helpful Hints: If the team is not progressing very far, feel free to organize the cards in a way that

requires them to pick cards that help them progress. There is a second set of cards geared towards

younger kids (Pre-K, K) that isn’t as catastrophic.

Conclusion:

1. Congratulate them on their journey. Discuss what affected their migration. What things helped them

along the way? What made it challenging?

2. What can we do make migration a little easier or more comfortable for birds?

a. Set out a bird bath or some bird seed.

b. Keep housecats indoors, or put bells on their collars.

c. (For older students and adults) Avoid using pesticides, which cause birds to become very ill and

affect egg health.

Bird Migration Game Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden School Days

Migration Cards

You’ve found a great wind that pushes you along. Move ahead 2

spaces.

You run into a large patch of fog and get

turned around. Move backwards 1 space.

You follow a mountain chain and hit some rough

wind. Your wings get incredibly tired. Lose a turn to stop and rest.

Clear skies and warm temperatures make for perfect flying weather. Move ahead 2 spaces.

A huge coastal storm blows you out to sea. Your whole flock does

not make it to their migration spot.

Game Over.

Clear skies and warm

temperatures make for perfect flying weather. Move ahead 1 space.

You leave just ahead of a

high-pressure system and have a few great

days of travel weather. Move ahead 2 spaces.

You fly through a strong

storm and lose your way. Move backwards 2

spaces.

You find many bird

feeders and bird baths to stop and rest at along

the way. Move ahead 1 space.

Heavy rain makes flight

and visibility impossible. Move backwards 1

space.

Flying along a mountain

chain, you find some great updrafts that keep wings from getting tired.

Move ahead 1 space.

A strong wind is pushing

against you and you make very little progress.

Stay where you are.

A cat pounces on you during the night and

injures your wing. Move back 2 spaces.

A strong wind pushes

you hard into a cell phone tower. Move back

1 space.

You’ve had a good rest in

a sturdy tree. Move ahead 1 space.

Your favorite resting

forest has been replaced by a shopping center. Move back 2 spaces.

Bird Migration Game Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden School Days

A quick rest and snack at

a beautiful wetland leaves you feeling

refreshed. Move ahead 1 space.

The bugs you just ate

were covered in pesticides (bug killing

chemicals). Your tummy hurts. Stay where you

are.

A quick dip into the cool

waters of a wetland leaves you feeling

rejuvenated. Move ahead 1 space.

You find a birdfeeder filled with delicious

treats. Move ahead 2 spaces.

Academic Standards - OH: ESS K.2,4; 1.3, 2.4,5; 4.1,2,4; 7.8, 11.12; LS K.6, 1.1,4,5, 2.1,5, 3.2,6, 5.4,5, 6.8, 7.2,5, 8.3,5, 10.15,12.8 KY: SC-EP-2.3.2, SC-04-2.3.3; SC-EP-3.4.1, SC-04-3.4.1, SC-05-3.5.2; SC-EP-4.7.1, SC-04-4.7.1, SC-05-4.7.1, SC-H-BC-U-1, SC-H-BC-S-5, SC-H-BC-U-3 IN: 1.1.3, 2.3.4, 2.4.2,3, 3.3.5, 4.3.2, 5.4.4,5, 6.4.8, 9, 7.4.2, 7.4.9, 8.4.8, B.1.18, B.1.37, Env.1.19,