Our Favorite Books for Birds and Bird Watching - And a Simple Unit Study

Summary: Picture books and resources for birdwatching, preK through middle school.   This post may included affiliate links to products that we love and have used or would use in our homeschool, and click here for my disclosure policy.

Do you enjoy birdwatching with your kids?

We started doing that when our daughter was only a preschooler.  She loved watching the birds as they came to our feeder.  Later we even made a simple unit study centered on bird watching.  

So today I'd like to share about that, and also recommend to you our favorite books about bird watching, from preschool through the middle school years.

1.  Getting Started with Bird Watching 

One of the reasons that we loved homeschooling our 2e daughter was that we could build in nature study, and getting out in nature whenever we wanted...Well, if it was really raining, we just might not want to, lol. 

For my gifted 2e kiddo, being out in nature was really the best medicine for finding peace after a hard day.  And for me, too!

Stream Schooling was always a favorite.

That started when she was a little one.  Sometimes getting out in nature was a simple as exploring for insects in the backyard, or just taking a book outside, to read under a favorite tree.  We also liked having a bird feeder and a suet feeder hanging out our living room window, so that we could watch the birds come by.

Gradually, bird watching became a favorite past time for my daughter. When my daughter had an interest, like this, we often enjoyed extending our learning in any way that she wanted to.

A Flicker

We always have tried to build in nature in our homeschool, and get out, searching for herons.....especially when we needed a break from our studies.  

Great Blue Heron

My daughter's interest bird watching has blossomed through the years.  She still loves to take photos of birds, and, in fact, recently, she came home from college with a photo of two eagles.

Do your kids like to do a little birdwatching?  Take a break from your regular homeschooling routine, and enjoy some birdwatching together as a family!   You can even make a simple unit study for it if you like.

2.  Making a Simple Unit Study

Having a bird feeder nearby, and watching the comings and goings there, can be a great nature study and unit study activity.  Math can be done just  by just adding in some bird count activities.  You could even report your findings to the FeederWatch site.  That touches on science, reading, and even math, for recording and reporting your stats to the site.

Nature journaling can be the science and art component.  Sometimes we even joined in with  Cornell's Feeder Watch!  We enjoyed doing that each year, just by counting the number of different birds that came to our backyard feeder.  My daughter and I had so much fun trying to identify them!

Adding in some great books about birds can then easily complete your unit study.

Next, I'd like to share our favorite book about birds and birdwatching, starting with picture books, for your youngest nature lovers.  Here they are with links for more information....

3.  Our Favorite Books and Nature Journals 

  For Little Birders

Birds, Nests and Egg

How Do Birds Find Their Way

Bird Log 

For Elementary Birders

Birdhouses You Can Build in A Day

Backyard Birding for Kids

Beginning Birdwatcher's Book - with 48 Stickers

Peterson Field Guide for Backyard Birds  


How about some bird art?

Have you seen these video art lessons from Chalk Pastels?  

Your kids can learn more about bird identification by learning how to draw them.  Click here for more information and a sample lesson.  (On Sale through Feb 16th)

What would you add to this list?  I love reading your comments.  

Would you like to read about 24 Delightful and Enjoyable Outdoor Learning Ideas?

And have more fun with your kids outside this spring, with a World War 1 fun activity by Adventures in Mommydom, and...

For more ideas on bird watching for elementary kids, click here for my post on Birdwatching - Our Favorite Nature Study In our Homeschool .

For Older Birdwatchers - Middles/Teens


Birds of North America


Hi Diddle Diddle, Read a Bird Riddle 

This is our favorite book for older kids and teens, to get doing with a bird watching hobby.... 

This book, by Georgette Vikingstad Valle, illustrated by Debra Valpey, consists of 28 accurate and complex riddles that cleverly describe each of the birds that are featured in this book. 

This is a great way to introduce birding to older kids.  It can also a fun way to test birding knowledge, for those kids who have already started bird watching.

The illustrations are also beautiful and may inspire your kids to draw or paint what they see...

Illustrated by Debra Valpey

Click here to read more about this book.   

Do you have a high schooler in your house?  You can even make bird watching into an high school elective. 

And give them a camera, and let them loose.  That could become a photography elective.  

What are your favorite books about bird watching?  Please share in the comments.   

Thanks for stopping by BJ's Homeschool,

Betsy

Betsy is mom to her now college senior, whom she homeschooled from preK through high school.  She blogs at BJ's Homeschool, about the early years, high school & college.  

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