1. 1

    Take the feeder down and set it on the tray.

  2. 2

    Scoop the seed and pour it slowly through the funnel into the feeder.

  3. 3

    Put the lid back on the seed container. Hang the feeder up again with the guide.

  4. 4

    Wash hands with soap.

  5. 5

    Sit by the window quietly. Wait and watch.

  6. 6

    When a bird comes, find it on the picture cards and name it.

  7. 7

    Make a mark on the bird watching chart for each bird seen.

What catches the child’s eye

  • A bird landing on the feeder the child filled
  • The bright red head of a male house finch

Extensions, easiest to hardest

  1. Keep the chart for a month and see which bird came most often
  2. Add a shallow water dish and change the water daily
  3. Help the guide wash the feeder every two weeks
  4. Listen for each bird's call

Control of error

The picture cards check the bird's name; the feeder's level shows whether it needs filling.

Ready to move on when the child…

  • Fills the feeder without spilling much
  • Names two birds that visit
  • Washes hands after every feeding

Guide note

Use a nut-free seed mix with no peanut butter or peanut pieces. Check for seed allergies, including sunflower. Children never touch birds, droppings, or dead birds. Wash hands after every feeding. Follow local wildlife guidance about bird flu, and take the feeder down if sick birds are seen.

Try “pink tower”, “tummy”, “diaper”, “grace and courtesy”, or “October”.