This page includes links to resources to go along with my Sea & Shorebirds Unit! Find the Sea & Shorebirds unit and other nature-based learning materials in my Shop!
A note on respecting wildlife: As you complete this unit, I hope you are able to get outside and observe sea and shorebirds in their natural habitat. As you do so, please remember that feeding wildlife such as seagulls and ducks can make them ill, pollute their habitat, and alter natural behaviors. Please, do not feed sea and shorebirds.
1.) Feeding behaviors (external links to videos)
Plunge (aerial) dive
- Northern gannet – YouTube (Smithsonian channel)
- Tern – YouTube (Redwood Planet Media channel)
- Blue-footed boobies – Youtube (Galapagos Conservation Trust channel) – starts around 0:20 seconds (This is so cool!)
Pursuit dive
Notice how these birds appear to be “flying” underwater:
- Penguins – YouTube (BBC Earth channel) – skip to the 1 minute mark
- Puffins – YouTube (BBC Earth channel) – skip to the 2 minute mark
- 3:30: another interesting feeding behavior called kleptoparasitism is shown in this video as well (Arctic skua)
- Cormorant – YouTube (Santa Cruz II Galapagos Expedition Cruise channel)
Surface Feeding
There are multiple techniques to capture food from on or near the water’s surface:
- Tern – YouTube shorts (HAWIstudios channel)
- Storm petrel – YouTube (Robert Flood channel)
Skimming
A very unique surface feeding technique used by birds called skimmers only:
- Skimmer – YouTube (Texas Parks and Wildlife channel) – skip to ~3:15
Probing
- Sandpiper – YouTube (Birds Butterflies Nature channel)
- Oystercatcher – YouTube (New Forest National Park Authority channel)
Scything
A specialized technique used by avocets to capture prey from the water by making a sweeping motion with their bill:
- Avocet – YouTube (Planet Redwood Media channel)
Ground Foraging
Other Videos
- Various shorebird feeding methods – All About Birds
2.) Sea and Shorebird Research Project – suggested online resources (external links)
Bird Info Websites:
These are great places to start your research.
- The Audubon website’s search bar can help you find info on many different birds: https://www.audubon.org/
- Cornell’s All About Birds is another great website for info on birds: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/
- USGS’s Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter has information to help identify North American birds: https://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/framlst.html
Regional Websites:
Websites for National Parks, State Parks, and other Natural Areas often have information on local species, including sea and shorebirds.
- DNR or Fish & Wildlife websites for each US State can be found here.
- Or, try the websites for coastal parks and recreation areas, such as:
- Cape Lookout National Seashore, NC
- Channel Islands National Park, CA
- All others: find webpages for even more coastal parks and recreation areas here (NPS website)
3.) References & Further Reading (external links)
These include reference websites and books I used to fact check the information within the Sea and Shorebirds unit and other helpful online resources for educators. Use the links below to enjoy the wealth of information these references have to offer!
General Bird Info Websites:
- The Audubon website’s search bar can help you find info on many different birds:
- The Cornell Lab’s All About Birds is another great website for info on birds
- USGS’s Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter has information to help identify North American birds
Sea and Shorebirds:
- All About Birds (n.d.). Common Tern. Available: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Tern/lifehistory
- All About Birds (n.d.). Killdeer. Available: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Killdeer/lifehistory#
- Audubon (n.d.). Common Tern. Available: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/common-tern
- Audubon (n.d.). Killdeer. Available: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/killdeer
- Dahle, L. (n.d.). 20 TYPES OF SHOREBIRDS IN THE UNITED STATES! (ID GUIDE). Bird Watching HQ. Available: https://birdwatchinghq.com/shorebirds-in-the-united-states/
- Forsberg, E. (n.d.). The Life of a Plover. Nebraskaland. Available: https://magazine.outdoornebraska.gov/2023/05/the-life-of-a-plover/
- Heisman, R. (2022). Seabirds: Nature’s Winged Mariners. American Bird Conservancy. Available: https://abcbirds.org/blog/seabirds/
- Jaramillo, A. (2017). Shorebirds 101: What to Look for When You Hit the Water. Audubon. Available: https://www.audubon.org/news/shorebirds-101-what-look-when-you-hit-water
- Kaufman, K. & Kaufman, K. (2023). Look for Plover Birds Both on (and off) the Shore. Birds and Blooms. Available: https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/bird-species/plover-birds/
Beaks, Wings, and Feet:
- BirdInformer.com’s September 2021 blog post about The Amazing Abilities Of Bird Beaks, with videos and examples!
- Learn about the Remarkable Adaptations of Birds to their Environment in this May 2018 blog post by S. Wynns for the National Park Service – Cabrillo
