Outdoor Hour Challenge – Baltimore Oriole

Outdoor Hour Challenge

Baltimore Oriole Bird Study

Inside Preparation Work:

• Read pages 120-123 (Lesson #31) in the Handbook of Nature Study. Make sure to note the image of the oriole’s nest in the lesson!
• Watch these Youtube videos: Feeding Orioles, How to Attract Orioles and Baltimore Orioles Up Close.
• The Baltimore oriole is a beautiful songbird so I highly suggest that during your preparation time you listen to the song: Baltimore Oriole song.
• Most of the lesson is a suggestion to observe the nest in winter and early spring. Mark your nature calendar to look for the nest in the next winter season.
• West Coast families: Look for Bullock’s orioles instead of the Baltimore oriole.
• Advanced study: Use this page on All About Birds to learn about bird song and how to identify a bird by its distinctive call: Songs and Calls.

Outdoor Hour Time:

• During your outdoor time, take a walk in the woods and listen for the song of the oriole.
• Suggested bird observations for any bird you see during your outdoor time: size, shape, color, and song.
• Use the Bird Observation printable in the ebook to record your bird observations. You can take the page out on a clipboard along with a pencil to look carefully at any bird you see during your outdoor time.

Follow-Up Activity:

• Create a nature journal page that features the nest of the Baltimore oriole. Use the image in the Handbook of Nature Study or the image in the ebook as a basis for drawing the shape  of the nest. Make sure to include some facts about this interesting nest on your page.
• Advanced study: Draw three different nests in your nature journal, making sure to include a caption for each one. You can use this page for images: Examples of Nests and Eggs.
• Advanced study:  Read about the citizen science project: Nest Watch.
• Create a bird drawing for your nature journal using this video on YouTube: How to Draw a Bird Step by Step.

If you want to purchase the Summer Nature Study Continues ebook so you can follow along with all the notebooking pages, coloring pages, and subject images, you can join the Ultimate or Journey Membership Levels. See the Join Us page for complete information. Also, you can view the Summer Nature Study Continues – New Ebook announcement page for more details.