Education

Incubator in a Classroom

The most popular program offered by the LRWC, Incubator in a Classroom offers students the opportunity to learn about incubation, hatching and the development of young birds within their own classroom.  The LRWC provides everything needed to successfully incubate and hatch eggs. This includes an incubator, chicken eggs, candling light, embryo development poster, chick brooder, feed, water dish and heat lamp.  Periodic visits from staff and volunteer ‘eggsperts’ help students set up the incubator, check the eggs for fertility, and insure that the recently hatched chicks are off to a good start.  Eggsperts explain the processes the students are observing and answer student questions.  The chicks are returned to LRWC at the end of the program, relieving teachers from having the find homes for the birds.  Tailored primarily for elementary and middle-school students, the incubator program can also be adapted for high school students.  Now in it’s fourth year, Incubator in a classroom has already reached eight schools in the Litchfield area, and exposed over 800 students to the unforgettable experience of watching incubation and hatching firsthand.

 

DuckBox Monitoring Participants in Duck Box Monitoring help erect and maintain duck boxes throughout the Litchfield area each winter or early spring.  Through the annual inspection of nest boxes, students learn about two species of native ducks that use the boxes, the wood duck and the hooded merganser.  Students might also encounter a variety of other wildlife known to use the boxes, including screech owls and flying squirrels.  Students learn to collect data on nest success by counting un-hatched eggs, examining shell remnants from successful hatches, and identifying signs of predation.  Data collected from the program over the past five years can be utilized in the classroom to analyze overall nest success and local population growth. Duck Box Monitoring is tailored for high school students capable of spending time in the outdoors utilizing ladders and organizing data.  Students should expect to be outdoors for several hours during cold weather.

 

LRWC Field Trips Field trips to LRWC are fun-filled educational outings for students of all ages.  LRWC maintains one of the most diverse collections of waterfowl in North America, where students can experience wildlife while learning about conservation and research programs that benefit wildlife.  With the help of a guide, students learn and ask questions as they enter different enclosures containing varied groups of waterfowl.  Enclosures include North American ducks, Threatened and Endangered species, and our Diversity of Waterfowl collection.  Students also visit our specialized rearing barn to witness incubation, hatching eggs, and ducklings at different stages of development. Bus parking, picnic areas and restrooms are available. Specialty groups, including photography and art classes, are welcome.  Waterfowl in prime (breeding) plumage are best viewed from February through mid-May.

 

Avian Education

What’s better than a live animal for capturing the attention of students and creating awareness?  Nothing but more than one live animal!  Avian Education teaches students about the special adaptations of birds through the use of tactile props and live birds. During the program students are introduced to a variety of avian adaptations, including pneumatic bones,  specialized bird beaks, eggs, and the functional variation among different types of feathers.

After learning about many of the remarkable adaptations of birds, live waterfowl are used to emphasize the  points previously discussed.  Our “avian ambassadors” also provide an opportunity for students to gain an appreciation for wildlife and foster a desire to conserve and protect wildlife habitat.  

 

Sea Duck Conservation

Sea ducks are the most poorly understood group of waterfowl, and face significant threats in both their freshwater and marine habitats.  Sea Duck Conservation introduces students to the variety of specialized sea ducks in North America, with a focus on the threats these species face in the wild.  Sea Duck Conservation includes a classroom presentation and a field trip to LRWC.  The classroom session emphasizes the special marine adaptations of sea ducks and the human-induced threats the birds face, including oil and gas development, marine pollutants including oil spills, and coastal degradation due to development.  At LRWC, students are introduced to the sea duck species firsthand, including the endangered spectacled eider (left).  Students also learn about efforts  to turn the tide on dwindling sea duck numbers through research and captive breeding programs.  For more info on sea ducks, check out our sea duck page.

 

For more information about LRWC education, please contact the Director of Aviculture and Education.

Weekly Avian Update