Sunday, October 7, 2012
Seabird in the Forest
You probably wouldn't expect a seabird to lay eggs in a tree. That was a surprise to scientists in California, who actually discovered a chick in a tree. This bird, the marbled murrelet, is the subject of Seabird in the Forest: the Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet by Joan Dunning.
Here is a sample:
"Most seabirds simply fly to the safety of offshore rocks and islands and lay their eggs on bare ground or in burrows. But not these birds."
The book takes the reader through the journey of a marabled murrelet chick from the mother laying an egg in a tree until the youngster is ready to leave the nest and return to the sea.
This book is enhanced by the illustrations done by the author and has a list of sources at the back. It is a good candidate for use in second and third grade science classes.