In this post, we’ll dive into the stages of the bird life cycle: egg, hatchling, nestling, fledgling, and adult. At the bottom of this post, you’ll find links to bird life cycle learning materials and more educational posts and activities related to birds. Get ready to take flight into the world of birds with your classroom!

Before we dive in: If you’re an educator planning to teach bird life cycles, great learning resources are key to deepening understanding! I think you and your students will love my bird life cycle mini study, which you can also find within my complete Bird Unit (plus you’ll support my blog with your purchase! ❤️)

Life Begins in an Egg

Baby birds hatch from eggs. Inside an egg, a chick develops while protected by a hard eggshell. The unborn chick is nourished by a yolk, which provides food as it grows.

Most birds lay their eggs in nests, which they build in trees, on the ground, on cliffs, or even on buildings. Nests come in several shapes and sizes. Some are tiny woven cups made of dried grass, while others are huge platforms constructed from sticks. Parent birds sit on the nest to keep the eggs warm, an act called incubation.

Hatching

When chicks hatch, they use a special bump on their bill called an egg tooth to crack open the eggshell.  Newly hatched chicks are small, weak, and cannot care for themselves. They are sometimes called hatchlings. Many are born with their eyes sealed closed. They have only a few soft feathers called down to help keep them warm.

Growing and Fledging

Parent birds play a critical role in caring for their young chicks in the nest, sometimes called nestlings. They bring food, protect the nest, and keep chicks warm. As the chicks grow, they develop flying feathers and stronger muscles. Eventually, they leave the nest for the first time. This stage is called fledging. Young birds at this stage are known as fledglings. Even after leaving the nest, fledglings may still rely on their parents until they learn to find food and fly longer distances. As adults, birds may migrate, build their own nests, and establish territories.

More Bird Posts & Classroom Activities:

Continue learning about birds in your classroom with these educational posts and activities for kids:

Study birds and their life cycles with Wild Earth Lab!

There’s no need to scramble to put together the perfect lesson on birds and their life cycles. I’ve already created it for you! This bird unit includes all the printable materials you need for studying bird life cycles, adaptations, anatomy, types of birds, and much more!

Explore more bird and animal lessons:

If you enjoyed this post, I know you will love trying my other printable bird and animal units in your classroom too!

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