A Sparrow's Disappearing Home

What species of sparrow is the star of this science story?

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Answer explanation

There are 43 species of New World sparrows commonly found in the United States & Canada.

There are more than 50 different species in the world!

Sparrow is a term that covers a variety of small brown/grey birds.

​ (a)   sparrows ​ (b)   in coastal ​ (c)   along the ​ (d)   Ocean.

• Saltmarsh
• live
• marshes
• Atlantic

Answer explanation

This map shows the complexity of recording habitats of 4 different kinds of sparrows.

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Label each of Earth's oceans.

a

b

c

d

e

Southern

Atlantic

Indian

Pacific

Arctic

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Why is our sparrow looking for a new home?

Choose all the best reason.

• habitat

  destruction

• sail boats stirring up the marsh.

• invasive plants

• roads crisscrossing the marsh

Answer explanation

This 4 minute video is about saving the saltwater marshes.

Towards the end, our saltmarsh sparrows are highlighted!

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Why doesn't our saltmarsh sparrow like the new invasive grasses in her habitat?

• She can't eat it.

• She can't build her nest with it.

• It is too green.

Answer explanation

NEST DESCRIPTION

The female constructs the nest, which is a simple, bulky cup of marsh grasses and reeds, supported by stems of marsh plants at the sides and often by mats (thatch) of saltmeadow cordgrass below. Females sometimes build a partial dome over the top of the nest. Males don’t help raise young; females normally approach the nest from some distance on the ground, through tunnels beneath the thatch of cordgrass. Nests average 2.8 inches tall by 3.4 inches across, with the interior cup 2 inches across and 1.5 inches deep.

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As the sparrow flew to find a better marsh, what did she do?

• She ate berries that she had never tried.

• She joined a flock of other sparrows.

• She dropped scat that was full of seeds.

• She hurt her wing.

Answer explanation

Bird scat plays an important role in spreading seeds!

When eating plant seeds, the birds digest the seeds and pass them out in their droppings.

The fecal material gives seeds a dose of fertilizer high in nitrogen , which can help fuel growth of the new plants!

What saved our sparrow from crashing into the house windows?

• polka dots

• stickers

• the dashed line

Answer explanation

You can purchase stickers to save birds from crashing into your windows...

BUT it's so much more fun to make your own!

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Our saltmarsh sparrow almost finds the perfect home, until what chases her away?

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Answer explanation

Leashing your dog outdoors will prevent them from chasing or attacking wild animals as well as disrupting their natural habitats. Just as important, leashing your dog helps to eliminate being chased by potentially dangerous wildlife towards you.

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Our saltmarsh sparrow spotted some humans who were...

• pulling up invasive, harmful plants.

• building nests for the sparrows.

• picking up litter.

Answer explanation

It may look like an impossible job- pulling up invasive plants.

BUT...

Every handful helps.

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Choose all the reasons why the scientist captured our saltmarsh sparrow.

• take measurements of her

• attach a tag to her leg

• feed her medicine

Answer explanation

This is Jessica Szpila, a wildlife and conservation biologist. She and others are working hard to motivate people to make changes to prevent the loss of the saltmarsh swallow habitat.

Bird tagging or banding aids in scientific research to identify population, migration, behavior, social structure, life-span, survival rate, and nesting.

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