Herons are wading birds found on coastlines, wetlands, and lake shores. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica. There are 64 recognized species of heron, ranging in size from the foot tall bittern, to the nearly 5 ft tall goliath heron. The herons include all the birds commonly called herons, egrets, and bitterns. Being shore birds, herons feed primarily on fish, but also eat small mammals, crustaceans, and insects. They typically nest in trees near the water and lay 2-6 eggs a season. How Big Is A Great Blue Heron? One of the most recognizable herons is the great blue heron. It is common near shores and wetlands in most of North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and the Galapagos Islands. The great blue heron is one of the largest herons, standing up to 5.5 ft tall and with a wingspan up to 6.6 ft. Despite it's height though, most great blue herons only weigh 5 to 6 pounds. Help your kids get a better grasp on just how big this impressive bird can ...

One of the best things about being a homeschool mom is getting to go on all sorts of educational adventures with my kids. Our most recent adventure was a trip to the Sacramento Wildlife Refuge to go bird watching and learn about the snow geese migration, and it was such a fun a trip. We can't wait to go again! The Sacramento Wildlife Refuge is 1 of 6 refuges located in the Sacramento Valley of northern California. It sits on nearly 11,000 acres of carefully managed wetlands, uplands, and riparian habitat, and it supports wintering populations of over 600,000 ducks and 200,000 geese. It is absolutely gorgeous! History: For thousands of years, the wetlands of the Sacramento valley have provided winter nesting grounds for a wide array of waterfowl that migrate there from northern Canada, Alaska, and Siberia. Over the last 100 years, 95% of California's wetlands have been lost to urban and agricultural development. Starting in 1937, the state of California began to set...

Flight gives birds the ability to travel vast distances and without it migration would not be possible. Below are activity ideas and resources for teaching your kids about bird flight and migration. For activities and resources about other bird related topics, check out:  Learning About Birds  or grab a printable bird unit study here:  All About Birds- Printable Unit Study Learn About Flight Birds are built for flight. Their lightweight structure, hollow bones, feathers, shape, and strength, all contribute to a bird's ability to take to the air. Here are a couple fun activities to try that demonstrate how birds fly: Thrust and Lift Balloon Birds: Just like airplanes, birds require two things to achieve flight: thrust and lift. Thrust is the force that propels a bird foward, and lift is the force that holds a bird in the air. Lift happens because of the difference in pressure over and underneath a wing. This activity is a simple and fun way to demonstrate how bo...

Most birds build shelters called nests to lay their eggs and raise their young in. Nests provide protection from predators and the elements and they can be made from a wide variety of materials, depending on the type of bird and the environment it lives in. Bird nests can be made from twigs, grass, plant fibers, mud, spider silk, moss, and almost any other material birds can get their beaks on. Some birds, like eagles, build their nests high in the trees to keep them safe from predators. Other birds build their nests on the ground or in low shrubs. Bird nests are as varied as birds themselves! Common Types of Nests Birds build many different types of nests, some fairly simple, and others much more complex. Here are some of the most common categories: Scrape Nests - Scrape nests are made by many shore birds, ostriches, pheasants, and quails. They are generally nothing more than a shallow depression dug in the dirt or sand. Sometimes stones, feathers, or shells may be added. Bir...