Kai's+project

Do Birds prefer to feed on lower or higher bird feeders?
Do Birds prefer to feed on lower or higher bird feeders?

Materials:
1. A bird feeder stand that can hold a low bird feeder and a high bird feeder stand. 2. Thistle. ( the type that squirrel's wont eat) 3. Binoculars. 4. Pencils. 5. Graph Paper. 6. Computer. 7. Scale. 8. scoop for seed.

Methods: I will first take two feeders and set them down on a table [the feeders are finch feeders and the capacity is one and one forth Qt. I will open the top of the feeder and scoop thistle seed from a bag into the feeders until they are the same weight. Both bird feeders will have the same type of seed. Then, I will way both feeders. I will way both feeders full. Then, I will enter the data. I will then put the two bird feeders on a Bird feeder stand. One bird feeder high and one bird feeder low. The height difference between the top of both feeders is 55 and a half inches. From the bottom of feeder 2 to the ground is 38 inches. After school each day, I will check the bird feeders every day to see how much seed was eaten. I will take the feeders off the stand. And then I will way both feeders. I will weigh them one at a time. Then, I will enter the weight. I will then refill both feeders to do the next measurement. Then, I will enter weight. I will watch the bird feeders a little right before I refill the feeders again. I will watch to see which feeder the birds tend to go to more. I will start the project on Saturday 10/30/11. My experimenting will end on 11/6/11.





This is a chart of the feeders and the Days of the experiment.
 * Day 1 starts Sunday October 30, 2011 ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Date ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Feeder 1 || Day 1 || Day 2 || Day 3 || Day 4 || Day 5 || Day 6 ||
 * Start Wt (kg) || 1.190 || 1.172 || 1.186 || 1.172 || 1.180 || 1.180 ||
 * End Wt (kg) || 1.037 || 1.028 || 1.082 || 1.102 || 0.946 || 1.077 ||
 * Difference (kg) || 0.153 || 0.144 || 0.104 || 0.070 || 0.234 || 0.103 ||
 * Number of Birds || 2 || 4 || 0 || 4 || 2 || 2 ||
 * Comments || warm || cold || cold || cold || cold || Rain ||
 * Feeder 2 || Day 1 || Day 2 || Day 3 || Day 4 || Day 5 || Day 6 ||
 * Start Wt (kg) || 1.198 || 1.198 || 1.193 || 1.186 || 1.191 || 1.187 ||
 * End Wt (kg) || 1.150 || 1.143 || 1.165 || 1.169 || 1.011 || 1.134 ||
 * Difference (kg) || 0.048 || 0.055 || 0.028 || 0.017 || 0.180 || 0.053 ||
 * Number of Birds || 0 || 2 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 3 ||
 * Comments || warm || cold || cold || cold || cold || Rain ||
 * Food Consumed (kg) ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Day || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 ||
 * Feeder 1 || 0.153 || 0.144 || 0.104 || 0.070 || 0.234 || 0.103 ||
 * Feeder 2 || 0.048 || 0.055 || 0.028 || 0.017 || 0.180 || 0.053 ||
 * Feeder 1 || 0.153 || 0.144 || 0.104 || 0.070 || 0.234 || 0.103 ||
 * Feeder 2 || 0.048 || 0.055 || 0.028 || 0.017 || 0.180 || 0.053 ||



My result was that the birds ate from the top feeder more than the bottom feeder. It took some time for the birds to find the bird feeders, but they eventually came. Luckly, there were no squirrels. By the sixth day, lots of birds were visiting the feeders. There are patterns in my data suggesting that the birds prefer to eat at higher levels.
 * Results and Analysis**

Conclusion and Discussion My Hypothisis was correct. Birds prefer to eat at higher levels. My Conclusions for why the birds like to feed on higher ground is because the feeders I used were gold finch feeders. Gold finches an birds similar to gold finches seem to like to eat at higher levels. Also, another possible reason the birds prefer to eat at the higher levels is because they might be trying to avoid predators. There are no alternitive explanations for my results.

If I could have improved my study, it would be to start the project earlier than later because there would have been more time and possibly more birds.

My conclusion can raise another question. Was more seed eaten at the top feeder because there were more birds or did the birds stay there longer to eat? I also have a new question for a future project. Why can birds sit and stand on a electric wire?