i love watching out for animals. all yearlong, i look out for squirrels, deer, foxes, and any other critters i can find. in the winter, animals can be a little bitharder to see. but there’s one animal you’ll probably be able to spot, even in your backyard:birds! and you know what? i think i see one now.hey dino! dino: hi jessi! jessi: we were just talking about how birdsspend the winter! some of them fly off to warmer places duringthe coldest part of the year, but many birds stay put.
and for those birds, winter can be a toughtime. they have to find food, even though the food they like best—like insects andberries—might be covered in snow. d: that’s right! but people can make wintera little bit better for birds. j: that’s a good point! there are all kindsof things people can do for birds to help them in the winter time. we can put out birdseed or peanuts in birdfeedersfor them to eat. and we can put fresh water in birdbaths so they have something to drink. d: that would be great! i love it when peopleleave me snacks! j: and there’s something else you can do,too. do you know what season comes after winter,
dino? d: spring! j: that’s right! and do you know what springbrings? d: i do! baby birds—chicks! j: yes! in the winter, birds have to get readyfor their chicks to hatch. and the first order of business is to make a place to lay theireggs. d: a nest! j: yeah! some birds start building their nestsin the winter, so they’re ready to lay their eggs in the spring.dino, how do birds maketheir nests?
d: welp, different birds can build their nestsusing different kinds of things that they find around them.around here, many birds use things like twigs, leaves and grass. and for a lot of the year,those things are pretty easy to find. but in the winter, the leaves have fallen,and twigs and grass can be covered with snow. j: but that’s where we can help! you can pull out leaves, sticks, pine needles,and other stuff from under the snow, to make them easier for birds to find and gather up! and if you happen to find something cool likea spider web, or even a snake skin — leave it where you found it! a nesting bird mightpick these things up and weave it into a nest.
d: snake skin and spider web? sounds likehome sweet home to me! j: we can put out other stuff for the birds,too. do you have things at home that are similar to twigs and grass? what about a piece of string, or a strip ofpaper? thread, yarn, even pet hair can make goodnest materials, so you can put those things outside for birds too! just lay out a few pieces of string on theground, or hanging across a tree branch, and then see how long before it disappears. if you’re quiet, and patient, you mightget to watch a bird pick it up!
if you do, pay close attention to where thebird takes it — it may be building a nest in your neighborhood! d: that would be great! you’d get to dosome serious bird watching—and in the spring, you might even get to see some baby birds!so cute! j: and your scraps could help make a homefor those baby birds. so this winter, think of the birds! they’re busy—they’ve got to find foodand water and build their nests. so if we put out out little food, water, andnest supplies for them, we not only give them a helping hand --
d: -- or wing! j: -- we also get the fun of watching them!and you know that watching animals is one of my favorite things. d: what can i say? we birds are pretty interestingto watch. and some of us are downright handsome! j: do you have any questions about birds,or the seasons or volcanoes or robots? let us know! just get the help of a grown up andleave a comment for us down below, or send us an email at kids@thescishow.com, and we’llsee you next time!