Children are born naturalists. As soon as they learn to speak, they start asking, “what’s that?” and only stop once we run out of answers.
But too often, we go about teaching kids about nature completely backwards. We start with the exotic – ostriches, penguins, and toucans, oh my! – and we forget to teach the beauty of their own backyard. If we want our kids to be excited about nature, rather than trying to get them excited about what’s rare, we need to teach them the beauty of what they will encounter every day.
See also: How to Take Your Kids on Bird Walks
To help satisfy their natural curiosity and encourage them to engage with nature, here are five backyard birds every kid should learn about by the time they are five.
Chickadees love to frequent bird feeders, making them easy for children to spot from windows. Kids can relate to their constant busyness, as well as their diminutive size and their undeniable cuteness. Plus, being able to distinguish between black-capped chickadee, with their solid black heads, and mountain chickadees, with their white eye stripes, will make kids feel like truly experienced birders.
See also: Attracting Black-Capped Chickadees
2. Blue Jay
Adults might find blue jays noisy and occasionally troublesome, but again—kids will relate. Their mischievous nature and unapologetically bold plumage makes them a favorite of kids who insist on wearing their superhero cape to the grocery store. Steller’s jays are another feeder visitor that will capture your child’s imagination. Their striking half blue, half black body might remind them of some of the more outlandish designs they’ve given the birds in their coloring books.
Children love the head-strong nature of woodpeckers, and of course, their common appreciation for bugs. Hairy, pileated and downy woodpeckers’ black, white and red plumage makes them a striking visitor to feeders. Northern flickers are another bird that could be straight out of a child’s imagination, with their combination of stripes, spots, red cheeks and red or yellow wings.
Tip: Woodpeckers are clinging birds, and are more likely to frequent suet feeders than seed feeders. Feeding them will also discourage them from waking you up early in the morning with their knocking (the same cannot be said for children).
4. Crow and Raven
These are, of course, two separate species. But for most of us, they are virtually indistinguishable until we take a closer look. Both species are cunning, intelligent, and have inspired endless folklore. With a little patience and practice, even young kids will start to notice a difference between the crow’s “caw” and and the raven’s throaty “croak.”
Robins are fairly independent birds. Although they frequent backyards, it’s rare you will find one at a bird feeder. Robins are easily recognizable and commonly featured in children’s books and stories, so even the youngest birdwatchers will soon have no trouble pointing them out. Their life cycle is an easy one to observe. In the spring, nests and eggs are also fairly easy for children to spot, and in the late summer and fall, keen kids may notice “funny-looking robins” (AKA immature robins).
See also: DIY Bird Tree Collage for Kids
As kids learn about and notice the birds in their own backyard, they will develop a deeper connection and understanding of their surroundings. Their imaginations will also come alive when they are better able to identify the characters in their storybooks. And, adults can learn something from watching children enjoy these birds that we too often overlook.