sea duck curriculum revised - center for · pdf filefront cover photo credits clockwise from...

Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies2003

1

Sea Ducks of Alaska Activity Guide

Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator:Marilyn Sigman, Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies

Written By:Elizabeth Trowbridge, Center for Alaskan CoastalStudies

Illustrations by:Bill Kitzmiller, Conrad Field and Fineline Graphics(Alaska Wildlife Curriculum Illustrations), ElizabethTrowbridge

Reviewers:Marilyn Sigman, Bree Murphy, Lisa Ellington, TimBowman, Tom Rothe

Funded By:U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska CoastalProgramandThe Alaska Department of Fish and Game, State DuckStamp Program

The Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies would like to thankthe following people for their time and commitment to seaduck education: Tim Bowman, U.S. Fish and WildlifeService, Sea Duck Joint Venture Project, for providingbackground technical information, photographs andsupport for this activity guide and the sea duck travelingdisplay; Tom Rothe and Dan Rosenberg of the AlaskaDepartment of Fish and Game for technical information,presentations and photographs for both the sea ducktraveling display and the activity guide species identifica-tion cards; John DeLapp, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, forhis help with the Alaska Coastal Grant program; andHomer resident Nancy Hillstrand for her enthusiasticsupport and the use of her hand carved sea duck decoys forour ongoing educational efforts.

Front cover photo credits clockwise from the top: MarilynSigman, ADF&G, Tina Moran, Doyle Ohnemus.

Contact Information:

Education:

Sea Duck Activity Guide, Teaching Kit and Display:Marilyn Sigman

Center for Alaskan Coastal StudiesP.O. Box 2225

Homer, AK 99603(907) 235-6667

[email protected]

Alaska Wildlife CurriculaRobin Dublin

Wildlife Education CoordinatorAlaska Dept. of Fish & Game

Division of Wildlife Conservation333 Raspberry Rd.

Anchorage, AK 99518-1599(907)267-2168

[email protected]

Scientific/technical Information:

Tim BowmanSea Duck Joint Venture Coordinator (Pacific)

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service1011 E. Tudor Rd.

Anchorage, AK 99503(907) 786-3569

[email protected]

Tom RotheWaterfowl Coordinator

Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game525 W. 67th Ave.

Anchorage, AK 99518(907) 267-2206

[email protected]


2


IntroductionWelcome teachers! We are pleased to present an activity guide, designed for grades 4-6, which you will findpacked with ideas for learning more about the amazing sea ducks that visit our waters each winter. Theactivities found within will help you explore the biological characteristics of sea ducks illustrating why theyare unique and what sets them apart from sea birds and other common waterfowl; help you understand themain characteristics and life histories of selected species of sea ducks common to Coastal Alaska, anddemonstrate the issues surrounding the conservation of these birds in Alaska.

Following the activities you will find species cards that you can color copy, cut out and laminate to use foreasy identification of sea ducks while out on field trips or to help your students with their mini-researchprojects. Also included are species information sheets with more detailed information about the particularspecies covered in this activity guide that can help students with their research or provide you with generalbackground information.

Please note that we have chosen to highlight eight of the fifteen sea duck species that occur in Alaskan watersfor the sea duck research activity and twelve of the fifteen species for the sea duck trading cards found in thesupplement. Sources for more information on the other three sea duck species can be found at the back ofthis activity guide on the Bibliography and Resources page. Feel free to substitute other species of sea ducksthat may be more relevant to your specific region in order to make these activities as real to your students aspossible.

Have fun and enjoy your journey into the wonderful lives of sea ducks!

Twelve species of sea ducks covered inthis activity guide:

Red-breasted MerganserWhite-winged ScoterCommon MerganserBarrow's Goldeneye

Spectacled EiderLong-tailed DuckHarlequin DuckCommon EiderSteller's EiderBlack ScoterSurf ScoterKing Eider

Three species of sea ducks NOTcovered in this activity guide:

Hooded MerganserCommon Goldeneye

Bufflehead


3


Sea ducks belong to the family Anatidae, subfamily Anatinae. This subfamily is divided into several tribes ofbirds, one of which is the tribe Mergini, sea ducks and mergansers. Sea ducks are distinguished from otherwaterfowl by their unique life history and habitat requirements:

� Sea ducks are often associated with coastal waters and typically winter in coastal waters andbreed on coastal wetlands of the arctic tundra or in boreal forests.

� Sea ducks prefer animal foods to plant matter and feed more on molluscs than do the otherwaterfowl. They typically eat large invertebrates, including clams, mussels, shrimp, snailsand small crabs, when on their wintering grounds and some eat shellfish, fish eggs or fishyear round.

� Sea ducks have great diving skills but are not generally considered true “diving ducks.”

� Sea ducks typically have small wings relative to their body weight. They fly fast butcannot land or take flight in restricted space. They run on the surface of the water to“take off” in flight. In contrast, Dabblers have large wings relative to their body weight sothey fly more slowly but can land more easily and take off in restricted areas.

� Sea ducks are tolerant of salt water while on their wintering grounds, but can live infresh water while breeding and nesting.

� Sea ducks are found primarily in northern temperate or subarctic areas. They typicallyhave dense plumage with a heavy undercoat of down suitable for cold climates.

� Unlike the Dabbling Ducks (for example, Mallards, Pintails, and Teals) that are surfacefeeders, and True Divers (for example, Canvasbacks and Scaups), sea ducks aredistinguished from other ducks by their special beaks adapted for either pulling shellfishfrom the rocks in the intertidal zone (Eiders and Scoters) or catching fish (Mergansers).

Background

The males and females of most sea ducks are characterized as “sexual dichromatic” meaning males andfemales differ in color and males have two distinct plumages in a year. During the breeding season many ofthe male sea ducks have a striking black and white plumage and some have a colorful head and bill, while thefemales are typically brown. Male Harlequin Ducks are a beautiful array of color while Scoters, with theexception of their bills, are almost entirely black. After breeding season the males molt and their plumageresembles that of the females, making identification difficult. During the molt when they lose their wingfeathers they become flightless and vulnerable to predators and environmental disturbances. The Long-tailed Duck has the most complicated molt pattern of any bird. It actually partially molts four times a year,as opposed to the typical molt pattern of twice yearly.


4


Fifteen of the world's nineteen sea duck species breed in North America. Sea ducks and geese both requiretwo to three years to reach breeding maturity and typically produce a smaller, single clutch of eggs in abreeding season. Sea ducks line their nests heavily with down plucked from their breast, providing excellentinsulation for their incubating eggs. Sea ducks have varied nesting habitats. Some, such as the Eiders, Long-tailed Duck and Scoters nest on the arctic wetlands. Others such as the Mergansers and Goldeneyes useforested areas along northern rivers and lakes. Harlequin Ducks find inland fast flowing streams for nestingand use the coastal rocky shorelines for wintering grounds. Chicks are born with a dense layer of downwhich provides excellent insulation by trapping air which also makes the chick buoyant. Downy color patternsare unique to these chicks and species can be identified at a young age.

Sea ducks have become the focus of concern for biologists and waterfowl managers recently because of theapparent, yet unexplained, decline in numbers in 10 of the 15 species of sea ducks. Baseline data on theseducks is lacking because they are difficult to survey and biologists have not been able to get accurate populationcounts for most species. Information that does exist has led to two species, the Spectacled Eider and theAlaska breeding population of the Steller's Eider, to be listed as threatened under the federal EndangeredSpecies Act. Sea duck populations are susceptible to danger because of their propensity to gather in largenumbers in their wintering grounds, making them vulnerable to impacts from oil spills and predators; theirlate breeding and small clutch size, their dependence on shrinking wetland habitat for nesting, and potentialpoisoning from lead shot and heavy metal contaminants on their breeding and wintering grounds.

Background continued...

Ph

oto

by D

oyle

Oh

nem

us

King Eider Pair


5


Table of ContentsActivity 1: Sea Duck Survival............................................................................6-17

Fabulous Feathers.............................................................................................8 Why Don't Sea Ducks Freeze...........................................................................9Best Beaks.......................................................................................................10

Colorful Camouflage........................................................................................11Passport to Discovery................................................................................13-16Explanation of Stations...................................................................................17

Activity 2: Waterfowl Web of Life................................................................18-27

Web of Life Activity.........................................................................................19Food Chain Mobiles...................................................................................19-20Food Chain Game......................................................................................20-21Sea Duck Food Sources...................................................................................22Marine Food Chain Cards..........................................................................23-28

Activity 3: Become An Expert.......................................................................29-32

Search for Answers..........................................................................................30Six-Sided Cube Display...................................................................................31Range Maps.....................................................................................................32

Activity 4: Conservation Issues....................................................................33-35

Endangered Species Situation Handout.........................................................34

Bibliography & Resources...................................................................................36

Science Standards...............................................................................................37-38

Appendix 1 Make a Sea Duck Model............................................................39

Appendix 2 Sea Duck Outlines..........................................................................40

Appendix 3 Sea Duck Species Cards.......................................................41-44


6


Objective:Objective:Objective:Objective:Objective:To learn about the special adaptations sea ducks havethat distinguish them from other types of sea birdsand ducks.

Concept:Concept:Concept:Concept:Concept:Northern environments present special challenges forwaterfowl. Sea ducks have unique adaptations for

surviving in arctic and subarctic waters.

YYYYYou Will Need:ou Will Need:ou Will Need:ou Will Need:ou Will Need:♦ see next page

Sea Duck Survival

What to Do:What to Do:What to Do:What to Do:What to Do:Introductions:Introductions:Introductions:Introductions:Introductions:If time permits: present a Sea Duck Slide Show tofamiliarize your students with the birds that areconsidered to be sea ducks and some generalcharacteristics of sea ducks. A slide show and scriptis provided with the Sea Duck Teaching Kit. Includedin the slide show are pictures of other common birdsthat can be used to generate discussion on pre-knowledge of birds and general differences andsimilarities. If you do not have access to this kit, youcan put your own slide show together or gathermagazines and books with photos for the studentsto look at to stimulate discussion.

Procedures:Procedures:Procedures:Procedures:Procedures: Make a copy of the Sea Duck Discovery Passportfor each student. Divide the class into 4 equal groupsthat will rotate between stations. Exploration at thestations can be as involved as you want to make it.This activity can be done in a 50 minute class periodwith students rotating every 10 minutes, but studentswill get more out of each station if you can arrangefor at least 15 minutes of exploration at each station.Students should explore the station and record their

Discovery StDiscovery StDiscovery StDiscovery StDiscovery Stations:ations:ations:ations:ations:Station 1: Fabulous Feathers� Investigations with a microscope� Compare and contrast flight feather

& downy feather� Feather race� Oil and water on feathers

Station 2: Why Don’t Sea DucksFreeze?

� Crisco mitt� Shredded paper mitt� Feather mitt

Station 3: Best Beaks� Mussels on a rock� Invertebrates in the water� Fish in the water� Debris on the beach

Station 4: Colorful Camouflage� Male breeding plumage� Female camouflage plumage� Molting

"findings" in their passport. Wrap up the activity bydiscussing the various findings of the groups andsharing drawings. The extension activities Sea DuckWall Hanging and Sea Duck Serenade are excellentwhole group wrap-up activities.

Activities included in Sea Duck Survival were adapted fromGiving Back to the Earth: A Teacher’s Guide to ProjectPuffin and Other Seabird Studies, by Pete Salmansohn,and S. W. Kress, Tilbury Press, Maine, 1997.


7


Station 1: Fabulous FeathersCollection of feathers (see Resources)

(flight, contour and down)Hand lensesMicroscopeLarge or small bowlsWaterCooking oil (colored black)Spoons or droppersDishwashing detergent

(Dawn if available)Plenty of paper towels!

Station 2: Why Don't Sea Ducks Freeze?Large bowl or tubIceWaterInsulation Mitts (see Instructions) Mitts with no insulation (enough for

one each if possible) Mitts filled with Crisco (2 minimum) Mitts filled with shredded paper

(2 minimum) Mitts filled with downy feathers

(if enough feathers are available,otherwise the shredded papermitts can serve as an exampleof insulation that traps air)

Station 4: Colorful CamouflagePictures of sea ducks in various

plumages and poses(Use Species ID cards)

Markers, colored pencils orfabric crayons

Outlines of sea ducksColor by number plumage page

(see page 16)

Materials Needed for each stMaterials Needed for each stMaterials Needed for each stMaterials Needed for each stMaterials Needed for each station:ation:ation:ation:ation:

Station 3: Best BeaksFish:

SpoonChopsticksSerrated pliersBowlSoap shavings

Mussels:SpoonChopsticksSerrated pliersModeling clayWalnuts (whole, in shells)

Macroplankton:TweezersChopsticksToothpicksBowlRice crispies

Beach debris:StrainerChopsticksSerrated pliersDry macaroniHandful of kidney beans

Sea Duck Survival continued...


8


Sea Duck Survival continued...Instructions for each station:

Station 1: Fabulous Feathers

Students will investigate the properties of feathers.They will be comparing the structure of flight,contour and down feathers and recording theirobservations. They will be investigating featherstructure under a microscope and hand lens. Theywill also be investigating the waterproof qualities offeathers by experimenting with oil and water andfeathers. Students will investigate the dangers ofcrude oil on feathers (as in the case of an oil spill)and experiment with cleaning the oiled feathers withdishwashing detergent - a common method used inoil spill clean-up of damaged sea mammals andwaterfowl. Encourage the students to discuss thebenefits of a duck's oil gland for protection and thedangers of toxic oils that can destroy their waterproofcoating and can also sicken a bird through ingestionduring preening. Cleaning and drying the featherswill also help ready the station for the next group -so be sure the students complete this step!

Types of Feathers

ContourFeather


9


Station 2: Why Don't Sea Ducks Freeze?

Students will investigate the general insulatingproperties of various materials and compare them tosea duck adaptations, which allow them to spendthe winters in northern arctic and subarctic coastalwaters. Students will plunge their hands into the icecold water with one covered with a noninsulated mittand the other covered with one of the insulated mittsto compare and contrast the insulating properties. Iftime permits you can have various materials availableto the students for experimenting with making theirown mitts and testing insulating properties.

Directions for making mitts:Uninsulated mitt: Using two quart size Ziplocfreezer bags (you can use regular Ziploc bags iffreezer bags are not available, they just may not lastas long), make a mitt by turning one bag inside outand placing it inside the other bag, matching the blueand red zipper strip at the top. Zip the bags together.Seal the bags with duct tape around the upper edge.

Insulated mitt: Using two quart size Ziploc freezerbags (you can use regular Ziploc bags if freezer bagsare not available, they just may not last as long), fillone bag with approximately 3 cups of insulatingmaterial. Turn the second bag inside out and placeit inside the first bag, matching the blue and redzipper band. Zip the bags closed and seal with ducttape. Using your hands, evenly distribute theinsulating material.

Make enough uninsulated mitts so that each studentat the station has one uninsulated mitt. Make at leasttwo each of the insulated mitts to experiment with.



10


Station 3: Best Beaks

Instructions for each beak station:Fish in the Water: Add small pieces of soap thatfloat into the bowl of water simulating slippery fishin the ocean. (If you can use an aquarium with anair bubbler to move the "fish" around, the experimentwill be more realistic.) Tools: chopsticks, a teaspoonand serrated pliers. Sea ducks that eat small fish areMergansers; other birds that eat small fish includePuffins, Terns, Murres and Guillemots.

Mussels on a Rock: Make a large rock out of themodeling clay. Stick walnuts into the clay mound torepresent mussels clinging to the rocky shore. Tools:a spoon, chopsticks and serrated pliers. Sea ducksthat pull mussels off rocks include Eiders and Scoters.

Invertebrates in the Water: Add rice crispies tofloat in a bowl of water to simulate macroplanktonsuch as crustaceans and animal larvae floating onthe surface of the ocean and fish eggs. Tools: tweezers,chopsticks, sharp toothpicks. Sea ducks who eatcrustaceans and fish eggs include Eiders, Harlequinducks and Long-tailed Ducks. Another sea bird thateats macroplankton from the surface of the ocean isthe Storm Petrel.

Debris on the Beach: Add dry, hard macaroni shellsto a bowl to simulate beach pebbles and rocks. Afew red kidney beans are mixed in with the macaronito simulate bits of washed up food on the beach suchas dead crabs, fish, urchins, and garbage. Tools:small strainer, chopsticks, pliers. Birds that eat this:Gulls. (Use this station as a comparison to sea duckdiet and also as an informative experiment on a verycommon bird that all students will be aware of).

Method: Each member of the group tries one toolat each station to remove the "food." When time isup, students work together to fill in the chart in theirpassport. Share results with the group during wrapup. If time is a factor, have each member choose atool, then time the group for 30 seconds (or 1 minute)depending on your constraints. After recordingresults and sharing with each other, move onto thenext station. An easy-to-use timer that students canmove from station to station would be handy.

Remind students that they cannot use hands, fingersor anything else to make their job easier and they shoulduse the tools as they were intended to be used.


Scoter BeakLong-tailed DuckBeak

Merganser Beak

Gull Beak


11


Sea Duck Model:Make a sea duck model using a plastic milk jugand paper machè. Ducks can then float and bepart of a display for other classes or parents.Duck models can also be used to discuss thebenefits of a common coloration of many seabirds: dark on top, light on bottom. See Appendix1 for specific instructions for making a model.Give yourself at least 2 class periods to completethis project.

Sea Duck Serenade:Listen to a tape of sea duck calls. Make two sets ofcards that have the names of the sea ducks you willbe listening to on them. Pass them out to the group(if you have a large class you can have a flock ofbirds rather than a pair). After listening to the tapeand practicing the calls as a class, each student willtry to find their partner by calling for each other.Challenge the students to describe or write their seaduck sound.

Survival is the Name of the Game Activity:See the list of resources for information on how toobtain a copy of this great game that looks atadaptations of animals for survival in their uniquehabitats.

Station 4: Colorful Camouflage

Students will use the power of observation tocarefully draw a replica of one of the sea duck photosor mounts provided. This station can have severaloptions depending on your desired results. Studentsshould first color the molting plumage comparisonprovided on Page 16, paying careful attention tocolor details.

Students should then freehand draw a copy of a seaduck picture paying close attention to body shape,bill shape, coloration and size.

Students can draw and color with fabric crayons,which can then be applied to fabric pieces and madeinto a class sea duck wall hanging (see ExtensionActivities).

The emphasis should be on paying attention todetails, using coloration (especially of males inbreeding plumage) for identification and using billshape and body size for identification during non-breeding season.

Instructions for each station:Sea Duck Survival continued...

Follow up and Extensions:Group Discussions:Discuss results of the experiments as a class. Try toencourage students to make comparisons betweensea duck characteristics and characteristics of othertypes of birds that they may be familiar with.

Sea Duck Wall Hanging:Make a mural or a sea duck wall hanging with thedrawings from Station 4. Follow the manufacturer'sdirections for using fabric crayons and transferpictures onto a large piece of fabric or onto individual

fabric blocks which can then be sewn together for afantastic classroom display!

This Page is Blank

PASSPORT TOPASSPORT TOPASSPORT TOPASSPORT TOPASSPORT TOSEA DUCKSEA DUCKSEA DUCKSEA DUCKSEA DUCK

DISCOVERYDISCOVERYDISCOVERYDISCOVERYDISCOVERY

Station 1: FishStation 1: FishStation 1: FishStation 1: FishStation 1: Fish

Station 2: MusselsStation 2: MusselsStation 2: MusselsStation 2: MusselsStation 2: Mussels

Station 3: MacroplanktonStation 3: MacroplanktonStation 3: MacroplanktonStation 3: MacroplanktonStation 3: Macroplankton

Station 4: Beach DebrisStation 4: Beach DebrisStation 4: Beach DebrisStation 4: Beach DebrisStation 4: Beach Debris

Spoon

Chopsticks

Serrated Pliers

Station 2 Best BeaksStation 2 Best BeaksStation 2 Best BeaksStation 2 Best BeaksStation 2 Best Beaks

How many food items did

your group capture in the

time period?

Total number captured

for the class

Each team member selects one tool to experiment with. Make a prediction as to which tool will be most

effective at collecting the particular food item. At the signal, each member tries to extract as many food

items as possible. Stop collecting at the signal. Record the team's data below.

Strainer

Chopsticks

Pliers

Tweezers

Chopsticks

Toothpicks

Spoon

Chopsticks

Serrated Pliers

2. Now examine a

downy feather with

a hand lens and a

microscope. Where is

the zipper? Draw

what you see.

3. Now, let your feather float on top of the

water. Spoon water onto the feather. Does it

soak in? _____ Does it get wet? _____ Take a

second feather and put 2 drops of oil on it and

rub it in. Now let it float on the water. Spoon

water onto the feather. Does it get wet? _____

Does the water form little pools on the

feather?_____ Why? ______________________

123456789012345678901234567890121234567891234567890123456789012345678901212345678912345678901234567890123456789012123456789123456789012345678901234567890121234567891234567890123456789012345678901212345678912345678901234567890123456789012123456789123456789012345678901234567890121234567891234567890123456789012345678901212345678912345678901234567890123456789012123456789123456789012345678901234567890121234567891234567890123456789012345678901212345678912345678901234567890123456789012123456789123456789012345678901234567890121234567891234567890123456789012345678901212345678912345678901234567890123456789012123456789123456789012345678901234567890121234567891234567890123456789012345678901212345678912345678901234567890123456789012123456789123456789012345678901234567890121234567891234567890123456789012345678901212345678912345678901234567890123456789012123456789123456789012345678901234567890121234567891234567890123456789012345678901212345678912345678901234567890123456789012123456789123456789012345678901234567890121234567891234567890123456789012345678901212345678912345678901234567890123456789012123456789123456789012345678901234567890121234567891234567890123456789012345678901212345678912345678901234567890123456789012123456789123456789012345678901234567890121234567891234567890123456789012345678901212345678912345678901234567890123456789012123456789123456789012345678901234567890121234567891234567890123456789012345678901212345678912345678901234567890123456789012123456789123456789012345678901234567890121234567891234567890123456789012345678901212345678912345678901234567890123456789012123456789

Station 1 - Fabulous Feathers!Station 1 - Fabulous Feathers!Station 1 - Fabulous Feathers!Station 1 - Fabulous Feathers!Station 1 - Fabulous Feathers!

1. Examine a large feather using a hand lens and

then a microscope. Can you see the zipper?

Draw what you see. Be as detailed as you can!

4. If there was an oil spill how could you clean a

bird’s feathers and clean up the oil in the water?

________________________________________

Take your feather out of the water and place two

drops of detergent into the bowl. What

happened?________________________________

Each team member will compare and contrast an uninsulated mitt with an insulated mitt. You will

also compare the various types of insulation and speculate on their ability to keep a sea duck warm in

the arctic and subarctic waters.

1. Place one hand in an empty mitt and plunge it into the ice cold water. How does the water feel?

__________________________________________________________________________________

2. Now keep one hand covered with an empty mitt and put a mitt with insulation on the other hand.

Plunge both hands in the tub of ice cold water. Which hand feels warmer?______________

Which type of insulation did you experiment with?____________________

3. Repeat the above experiment with a different insulation mitt. Which hand feels

warmer?________________ Which type of insulation did you experiment with?________________

4. Now compare the two insulated mitts with each other. Which one makes your hand feel

warmer?____________________________ Why do you think one type of insulation is better than

the other?___________________________

How could feathers and/or extra fat help keep the sea duck from freezing?______________________

Can you think of any other animals that benefit from extra layers of fat or feather insulation?

________________________________________________________________________

Station 3: Why Don't Sea Ducks Freeze?Station 3: Why Don't Sea Ducks Freeze?Station 3: Why Don't Sea Ducks Freeze?Station 3: Why Don't Sea Ducks Freeze?Station 3: Why Don't Sea Ducks Freeze?

Using the dishwashing detergent, clean your

feather for the next group to use.

Carefully observe the pictures of the eight different species of sea ducks. Make a note of the general

body shape of the bird, its bill shape and any other distinguishing marks that might help someone

identify this bird out in the wild.

Draw a detailed picture of your favorite sea duck on the blank page at the end of your book. Use the

space below to make "field sketches" of special features you have observed.

Use pencil, crayons, markers or fabric crayons to make a transferable sea duck for a wall hanging or

pillow.

Draw a complete picture of a Sea Duck hereDraw a complete picture of a Sea Duck hereDraw a complete picture of a Sea Duck hereDraw a complete picture of a Sea Duck hereDraw a complete picture of a Sea Duck here

Station 4: Draw a Sea DuckStation 4: Draw a Sea DuckStation 4: Draw a Sea DuckStation 4: Draw a Sea DuckStation 4: Draw a Sea Duck


16


1. White2. Reddish Brown3. Dark Blue4. Light Blue5. Brown6. Yellow7. Grey8. Pink10. Tan11. Black

Plumage Color Key

Adult Male Long-tailed DuckBreeding Plumage

11

1

11

10

10

11

10

7

1

7

8

AdultFemale

Long-tailedDuck11

11

1 11

11

10

5

AdultFemale

HarlequinDuck

5

1

1

1 4 6

1

Adult MaleHarlequin Duck

BreedingPlumage

2

2

3

1

1

1

3

14

1

1

4 1

46

1

Adult MaleHarlequin DuckNon-Breeding

Plumage

3

1

1

121

1

3

4

6

2

Long-tailedDuck

Duckling

12

1

1

HarlequinDuckling

1

1

12


17


Station 1 - Fabulous Feathers:Adaptation - Feathers: Students should be able tosee a distinct difference between the contour feathersand the down feathers. Unless you are able to use amicroscope, it may be difficult to see the "zipper"effect of the barbs and barbules. Have students be asdetailed as possible in their drawings of the contourfeathers explaining that these hooks, or velcro-likefeatures, help the feather to lay flat and stiff and allowsit to be water repellent. When covered with the ducksnatural oil it stays dry and able to float. The downyfeathers are much "springier." Explain to the studentsthat this helps the feather trap air - making it a superinsulator for the duck.

The oil experiment is a very simplified way of lookingat how oil can affect waterfowl in the event of an oilspill. The best experiment would be to use motor oil,but the toxic nature of motor oil makes it impracticalfor use with students. Apply a few drops of blackfood coloring or ink to cooking oil and rub if ontothe feathers. Experimenting with both the contourand the downy feathers should produce differentresults. The use of dishwashing detergent (Dawnbrand) to clean both the water and the feathers is anexample of a very effective method of oil spill cleanupthat actually takes place. Get creative with thisexperiment by providing different materials to useas "scrubbing agents" such as cotton balls, sponges,spoons, etc.

In the event of an oil spill, oiled birds can die from anumber of factors. They can get hypothermia becausethe insulating properties of the downy feathers hasbeen destroyed and they can get poisoned by ingestingthe toxic oil while preening their feathers in an attemptto get them functioning correctly.

Station 2 - Best Beaks:Adaptation - Beaks: The beaks of sea ducks arespecialized to capitalize on the local food source. An

Explanation of StExplanation of StExplanation of StExplanation of StExplanation of Stationsationsationsationsations

eider's bill is short and stout for pulling mussels offthe intertidal rocks. The merganser's bill is long andnarrow with serrated edges excellent for catchingslippery fish.

Station 3 - Why Don't Sea DucksFreeze?Adaptation - Insulation: The students will discoverthe air trapping quality of the downy feather at station1. At the insulation station they will feel how well thefeathers insulate and keep them warm, as comparedto no insulation and "blubber" (Crisco). The downyfeathers of the eider duck have long been usedcommercially for insulation in duvets and arctic andclimbing clothing. Eiders line their nests with largequantities of down and there are places where eider"farmers" gather the nest linings to sell. Some seabirds, such as the puffin, have extra fat to keep themwarm in the northern waters, much the same as themarine mammals.

Sea Duck Survival continued...

Station 4 - Colorful CamouflageAdaptation - Plumage: All birds molt their wornfeathers on a regular cycle. Since it requires so muchenergy to grow new feathers, male sea ducks typicallymolt flight feathers in late summer after the breedingseason, when food is plentiful. Molting of primaryand secondary feathers leaves them flightless andtherefore vulnerable to predators and disturbances.Sea ducks have a drab plumage in the fall, and mostmales resemble females making identificationdifficult. They go through a second molt, which doesnot include primaries and secondaries, prior tobreeding season and the males replace their drabfeathers with bright body breeding plumage. Moltswhich only replace some of the feathers are calledpartial molts. Sea ducks usually have 2 partial moltsa year. The Long-tailed duck has 4 partial molts in ayear, the most complicated molting pattern of all thesea ducks.


18


Waterfowl Web of LifeObjective:Objective:Objective:Objective:Objective:To learn how sea ducks fit into both marine andfreshwater habitats as secondary consumers.

Concept:Concept:Concept:Concept:Concept:Sea ducks spend three-quarters of their lives in amarine ecosystem and one-quarter in a freshwaterwetland or forest environment. They capitalize onthe abundance of marine invertebrates in nearshorecoastal waters in their wintering grounds and on theabundance of freshwater invertebrates and insects intheir more inland breeding grounds. Their presenceis intricately intertwined with many organismsthroughout the marine food web.

YYYYYou Will Need:ou Will Need:ou Will Need:ou Will Need:ou Will Need:♦ Sea Duck Species Cards♦ Sea Duck Food Chain Cards♦ ball of yarn♦ wire or lightweight rods for mobiles♦ fishing twine or lightweight thread♦ tagboard♦ pencils, markers, colored pencils♦ for Food Chain Game:

Six to eight quarts of popped cornZiploc plastic sandwich bag per studentColored sash or colored name tags

60% green35% blue35% red

A stopwatch or wristwatchData boardMarker

The Sea Duck Food Chain Cards were reprintedfrom: Alaska Department of Fish and Game. 2001.Alaska Ecology Cards. Anchorage, Ak: AlaskaDepartment of Fish and Game.

What to Do:What to Do:What to Do:What to Do:What to Do:Introductions:

Assess the students' pre-knowledge of food chainsand food webs. Refresh students' understanding offood chains and food webs by going over a simplefood chain involving their own eating habits. Makea diagram on the board of all the foods the studentseat and their links to plants and animals in the foodweb. Brainstorm ideas about what sea ducks mighteat on their wintering grounds and their breedinggrounds. Review habitat types of the arctic tundra,boreal forest, interior streams and nearshore coastalwaters (bays and inlets). Make a list of possiblespecies of producers, primary consumers andsecondary consumers. See how many food chainsand webs you can construct on the board.

Procedures:

Hand out the chart on page 22 showing what seaducks eat and review it with the students.

Do the Web of Life Activity as a group.

Have the students construct Food Chain Mobilesindividually.

Play The Food Chain Game (you need a big spacesuch as a gym or playground)

Scoter Caddisfly

Damselfly

Mussels

Clams

Fox

Diatoms

Algae

Sun


19


WWWWWeb of Life Activity:eb of Life Activity:eb of Life Activity:eb of Life Activity:eb of Life Activity:

Objective: Students will demonstrate a typicalmarine food web using four species of sea ducks.

Using the Sea Duck Food Chain Cards provided, copyand laminate enough cards to be distributed to eachmember of the class. Be sure to include organismsfrom each level of the food web.

Punch a hole and tie a string in each card so thestudents can easily wear them.

Use the ball of yarn to play the Web of Life Game.

Students form a large circle, shoulder-width apart.Explain that you will be making a simple food webthat will show how all of their organisms are linkedtogether in one way or another. Give one end of thestring to the "Sun" to begin the process. The Sunthen GENTLY tosses the ball of yarn to a studentwho represents an organism that uses the sun to makefood (a producer), who then GENTLY tosses the ballto another organism who eats it, and so on.

Make the students state their relationship to theorganism that they have tossed their yarn to. Forexample," I make my own food from the sun, I ameaten by zooplankton," or "I eat phytoplankton, I ameaten by mussels."

As the ball of yarn is tossed from organism toorganism, a large web will form. When everyonehas been involved discuss how each organism isconnected to another in some intricate way.

Next, introduce an impact (natural or man-made) tothe ecosystem such as a disease in one of the organismsor an oil spill. Have the students who are affected bythe impact tug on their string. Many students should

feel the tug of the string! The interdependency of lifeshould be obvious to the students!

Briefly discuss the plight of some of the sea duckspecies you are studying. For example, theHarlequin Duck was negatively impacted by the1989 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. Have the HarlequinDuck drop its string. All other students who wereconnected to the Harlequin should then each droptheir string. What happens to the web?

Food Chain Mobiles:Food Chain Mobiles:Food Chain Mobiles:Food Chain Mobiles:Food Chain Mobiles:

Copy the outline of the sea duck species of choiceonto tagboard or construction paper. Enlarge ifdesired. Choose the method of mobile you wouldlike to make.

Method 1: Students cut out a large circle in the seaduck's stomach, hang the food (mussels for example)inside the stomach. Paste a picture of plankton insidethe mussels. Hang the sea duck so that the musselsdangle freely inside the stomach. Make sure studentscolor both sides of their sea ducks and inside the fooditem.

Waterfowl Web of Life continued...


20


Food Chain GameFood Chain GameFood Chain GameFood Chain GameFood Chain Game

Objective: Students will be one of three animals ina marine food chain and will try to eat their preywhile attempting to survive. Feeding relationshipswill be observed and the impacts of overfeeding, notenough resources, too many consumers, etc. will beexplored. This is a very active game where thestudents will be scrambling to gather "food" againsta clock. Their predators are waiting to capture themand steal their food, and they, as prey, will be tryingto avoid being eaten as they gather food. Studentscan graph results. Involve the students in trying toadjust the number of animals in each group so that


enough animals at each level of the food chain arerepresented and can therefore "survive" and keepthe food chain going.

Preparation: Put a piece of masking tape on eachstomach (plastic bag) so that the bottom edge ofthe tape is 1 1/2 inches from the bottom of the bag.Set boundaries for the game (especially if you areplaying outside)

Introduction: This activity should follow at leastone of the previous activities on marine food chains.Explain that the students will be playing a game of"tag" where each of the students will represent ananimal in the food chain who is trying to survive.The game is divided into rounds. Play at least threerounds so that the students have a chance to try toadjust their numbers for the best survival rates.Explain that the Green Sash/Sign represents thezooplankton, the Blue Sash/Sign represents thecrustaceans (shrimp, amphipods and isopods) andthe Red Sash/Sign represents the Long-tailed Duck.Show the group the boundaries and scatter thepopcorn around the playing area. Explain that thepopcorn represents the phytoplankton which makefood in their bodies by using the sun's energy plusoxygen, carbon dioxide and water. They are thebase of the marine food web.

In the first round, let the students choose what theywant to be. You will probably have lots of ducks -that's all right for the first round. Give everyone aplastic stomach and tell them they will store theirfood (the popcorn) in their stomach bags.

To play the game, set your watch for 5 minutes. At"go" the animals begin their feeding frenzy.Zooplankton can only eat popcorn (phytoplankton)

Method 2: Instead of cutting a circle out of the centerof the sea duck, students hang the mussels from thebase of the sea duck, then hang the plankton fromthe mussels in a vertical display. Make sure both sidesof the display are colored. If choosing the verticalmodel you may want to use a sea duck with a longerfood chain, such as the Merganser (Merganser - smallfish - crustacean - zooplankton - phytoplankton)

Sun

Food Chain Mobiles:Food Chain Mobiles:Food Chain Mobiles:Food Chain Mobiles:Food Chain Mobiles:


21


crustaceans can only eat zooplankton, and the duckscan only eat the crustaceans. When the game beginseach animal will try to tag the one they eat. Whenthey do, the tagged animal must turn over thecontents of their stomach. The round continues untilone of the animal species is all gone. The first roundusually lasts a few seconds! At the end of the roundwrite the survival rate of each organism on the chart.

For the plankton to survive they must have popcornin their stomach up to the bottom of the tape. Forthe crustaceans to survive, they must have popcornin their stomachs up to the top of the tape. For theLong-tailed Ducks to survive, they must have theequivalent of two crustaceans. If at least one of eachkind of animal survives, you have an ongoing foodchain. Return the popcorn to the playing area andget ready for round two.

For the next, and subsequent rounds allow thestudents to suggests how to adjust the animalpopulations so that the food chain stays intact andrepresents more of a real life food chain. Try to allowfor only one rule change per round if possible.

Some suggestions might be: �Change the number of animal plankton

and/or crustaceans and/or Long-tailedDucks. Try 60% plankton, 20%crustaceans, 20% Long-tailed Ducks.

�Let each plankton come back one more timeto feed.

� Provide a safe haven for plankton orcrustaceans where they cannot be eaten.

�Try timed releases. Let plankton feed first fora certain amount of time (1 minuteperhaps), then allow the crustaceans to feed(1 minute), then release the Long-tailedDucks.

After each round record the number of animals fromeach group that survives and briefly discuss theimplications.

The end of the game:

Review the various scenarios and their results. Whichones resulted in the most realistic representation of ahealthy system? Why? Remind students of the FoodWeb Pyramid - the producers are more plentiful atthe base of the pyramid, the consumers less plentifuland the secondary consumers even less.

Some questions to consider:

What would happen with only half as muchpopcorn (phytoplankton)? What could happen tothe animals that depend on this food source? If therewere no crustaceans, what would happen to thephytoplankton population? To the zooplanktonpopulation? To the Long-tailed Duck population?Do Long-tailed Ducks need plants to survive? Why?

* This activity has been adapted, with permission, from Giving Backto the Earth: A Teacher's Guide to Project Puffin. The original activityis from the University of California's Outdoor Biological InstructionalStrategies (OBIS) Program, devised at the Lawrence Hall of Science.


Sea

Du

ck S

pec

ies

Fo

od

Ite

ms

in M

arin

e H

abit

ats

Spec

tacl

ed E

ider

Cla

ms,

mus

sels,

shr

imp,

cra

bsC

om

mo

n E

ider

Mus

sels,

hor

se a

nd b

ox c

rabs

Stel

ler’

s Ei

der

Mus

sels,

cla

ms,

othe

r bi

valv

e m

ollu

scs,

gast

ropo

ds,

amph

ipod

sK

ing

Eide

rM

usse

ls, o

ther

mol

lusc

s, ki

ng c

rab,

oth

er c

rabs

, urc

hins

, san

d do

llars

Blac

k Sc

ote

rM

usse

ls, c

lam

sSu

rf S

cote

rM

usse

ls, c

lam

s, he

rrin

g ro

e du

ring

sprin

gW

hite

-win

ged

Sco

ter

Mus

sels,

cla

ms,

snai

ls, c

rust

acea

ns, a

nd s

mal

l fish

es d

urin

g w

inte

r, he

rrin

g

ro

e du

ring

sprin

g

Har

lequ

in D

uck

Am

phip

ods,

mol

lusc

s, su

ch a

s: lim

pets

, chi

tons

, mus

sels;

sm

all c

rabs

, and

fish

egg

s

Lon

g-ta

iled

Du

ckM

ainl

y m

ollu

scs

(inc

ludi

ng m

usse

ls, c

lam

s an

d pe

riwin

kles

) an

d cr

usta

cean

s

(i

nclu

ding

shr

imp,

am

phip

ods

and

isopo

ds);

sm

all f

ish -

incl

udin

g sa

nd la

nce

Co

mm

on

Go

lden

eye

Cru

stac

eans

Barr

ow

’s

Go

lden

eye

Mol

lusc

s, m

ainl

y m

usse

ls

Buff

leh

ead

Smal

l cru

stac

eans

(sh

rimps

, cra

bs, a

mph

ipod

s) a

nd s

mal

l mar

ine

snai

ls

Co

mm

on

Mer

gan

ser

Fish

Red

-bre

aste

d M

erga

nse

rFi

shH

oo

ded

Mer

gan

ser

Fish

Sea Duck Food Chain Cards

Long-tailed Duck Common Merganser

Mussels Clam

Three-Spine Stickleback Copepod


Common Merganser

Trait: long bill with saw-tooth

edges

Feeds on: sticklebacks, sculpins,herring, frogs, crustaceans, snails,

insects, leeches

Is eaten by: foxes, weasels,gulls

Clam

Trait: bivalve invertebrate - mollusc

Feeds on: filter detritus, algae,small crustaceans, insect larvae from

the water

Is eaten by: snails, sea stars,diving ducks, shorebirds, sea otters,humans

Copepod

Trait: invertebrate - crustacean

Feeds on: filter detritus or algaefrom the water, some eat small

zooplankton, some are parasitic

Is eaten by: fish and otheraquatic animals, including whales

Long-tailed Duck

Trait: stocky, diving duck

Feeds on: mussels, clams, snails,and crustaceans. Infresh water: larvae of craneflies,

caddisflies and other insects

Is eaten by: foxes, weasels,gulls, jaegers, ravens

Mussels

Trait: bivalve invertebrate - mollusc

Feeds on: filter detritus, algae,small crustaceans, insect larvae from

the water

Is eaten by: snails, sea stars,diving ducks, shorebirds, sea otters,humans

Three-SpineStickleback

Trait: vertebrate - fish

Feeds on: copepods, water fleas,

molluscs, amphipods, leeches

Is eaten by: salmon, DollyVarden, loons, grebes, mergansers,adult sticklebacks


Harlequin Duck Surf Scoter

Amphipod Caddisflies

Green Algae Diatoms


Harlequin Duck

Trait: colorful, small, diving duck

Feeds on: amphipods, molluscs,small crabs some fish and eggs. Infresh water: larvae of craneflies,

caddisflies and other insects

Is eaten by: mink, bald eagles,coyote

Amphipod

Trait: invertebrate - crustacean

Feeds on: detritus and small

invertebrates

Is eaten by: fish, water birds,whales

Green Algae

Trait: producer

Feeds on: makes own food through

photosynthesis

Is eaten by: small crustaceans,some molluscs, aquatic invertebrates,fish, geese, ducks

Surf Scoter

Trait: stocky, short necked, diving

duck

Feeds on: mussels, clams, somecrustaceans. In fresh water: insects(caddisflies, damselflies, dragonflies,

beetles, water boatmen)

Is eaten by: bears, foxes,weasels, jaegers, bald eagles

Caddisfly

Trait: insect and freshwater

macroinvertebrate

Feeds on: Adults: flower nectar.Larvae: aquatic plants, algae, diatoms,

aquatic insect larvae

Is eaten by: diving beetles, frogs,fish, waterfowl, shorebirds

Diatoms

Trait: microscopic, single-celled

producer

Feeds on: makes own food by

photosynthesis

Is eaten by: small crustaceans,larvae of invertebrates, fish


Damselfly Mosquito

Slimy SculpinSnails

Red Fox Mink


28

Sea Ducks of Alaska Activity GuideSea Duck Food Chain Cards

Red Fox

Trait: mammal

Feeds on: voles, lemmings, hares,birds, eggs, insects, berries, carrion

(dead animals)

Is eaten by: wolves, coyotes,lynx, wolverine

Snails

Trait: invertebrate - mollusc

Feeds on: Fresh water: algae,aquatic plants, detritus, fungi. Saltwater: other marine animals, including

other molluscs

Is eaten by: crustaceans, fish,birds, mammals

DamselflyTrait: insect and freshwater

macroinvertebrate

Feeds on: Adults: flying insects,including midges and mosquitos.Nymphs: mosquito larvae, tadpoles

and small fish

Is eaten by: diving beetles,frogs, fish, waterfowl, shorebirds

Mink

Trait: mammal with large canine

teeth

Feeds on: muskrats, voles,lemmings, eggs and young of ducks,geese and shorebirds, fish, frogs,

mussels, aquatic insects

Is eaten by: hawks, owls, lynx,foxes, coyotes, wolves

Slimy Sculpin

Trait: vertebrate - small fish

Feeds on: larvae of flies, mayflies,caddisflies, dragonflies, amphipods,

also some eggs and young fish

Is eaten by: greebes, loons,mergansers, other fish

MosquitoTrait: insect and freshwater

macroinvertebrate

Feeds on: Adult: female sucksblood from birds and mammals, malesfeed on flower nectar. Larvae: algae,

detritus

Is eaten by: Adults: dragonflies,fish, birds, bats. Larvae: fish andwater birds


29


Become an ExpertObjective:Objective:Objective:Objective:Objective:To become intimately familiar with one species of seaduck.

Concept:Concept:Concept:Concept:Concept:The more students understand about the unique lifehistory and habitat requirements of sea ducks, thebetter equipped they will be to understand impacts ofhuman actions and natural events and the moreeffective they will be as future decision makers andresponsible citizens.

What to Do:What to Do:What to Do:What to Do:What to Do:Introductions:Students will divide up into research teams andwork cooperatively to collect information abouttheir bird species and then teach the class abouttheir sea duck. Student teams should complete oneof the suggested projects to display theirinformation.

Show students where the local resources will be forconducting their research. Make available a"listening center" for the students to hear and learntheir particular sea duck call. Have as many birdbooks and additional resources available aspossible.

Divide the class up into their research teams anddistribute their research "packets." Each packetshould include: the Search for Answers researchsheet, a U.S. and Alaska range map to color andtheir "Six-Sided Research Cube" for sharing theirinformation. The teacher should decide if each

student will individually fill out each piece of theresearch packet, or if the team will fill out the piecescooperatively.

Once their research is complete and their cube isfinished, the research team needs to decide on aproject to complete for a display as part of theirpresentation. Listed below are a few suggestions -feel free to add more as appropriate.

Display Suggestions:

Design a game for the class that teachesabout your sea duck.

Write a story about your bird's unique lifehistory. The story can be a real life ac-count of an event or a fictional story aboutyour sea duck's life. Illustrate your story.

Write a poem or song about your sea duck.

Create a puppet show that teaches aboutyour sea duck and explains some of its spe-cial adaptations and unique habitat require-ments.

Make a showbox diorama of your sea duckin either its wintering ground habitat or itsbreeding ground habitat, or both.

Make a poster showing your bird, its range

and any other unique characteristics.

Class presentations:Have each group present their research in a funformat. If you have time, hold a "ScienceConference." Each research team will have theirresearch papers and cubes on display during an"Open House," and then each team will present theirresearch or their display project.Other suggestions for a presentation forum are: a talkshow, a scientist panel, or regular team presentations.

YYYYYou Will Need:ou Will Need:ou Will Need:ou Will Need:ou Will Need:♦ Species ID Cards♦ Additional reference materials, see back section♦ Search for Answers Worksheet♦ Six-Sided Search Pattern♦ Range map of Alaska and the USA


30


Search for Answers Sea Duck ResearchSea Duck ResearchSea Duck ResearchSea Duck ResearchSea Duck Research

Name of your sea duck:

Scientific Name:

Describe your bird's habitat:

Breeding habitat:

Wintering habitat:

What does your bird eat?

Does your bird have any predators?

Is this duck considered rare or endangered (What is its status)?

What kind of nest does your bird build?

Where does your bird nest?

What time of year does your bird nest?

How many eggs does it lay?

How often does it lay eggs?

What color are the eggs?

Gee Whiz Fact 1:

Gee Whiz Fact 2:

Share your favorite sea duck recipe:


31

Sea Ducks of Alaska Activity GuideSix-sided Cube Display

Name of Animal:

Two Interesting Facts:

Illustration:

Description: Habitat:

Range:

Reason for Concern:


32

Sea Ducks of Alaska Activity GuideRange Map


33


Conservation IssuesObjective:Objective:Objective:Objective:Objective:To help student become aware of potential hazardsto sea duck populations.

Concept:Concept:Concept:Concept:Concept:Sea ducks are vulnerable to population declinesbecause of their breeding strategy, their use ofdiminishing wetland habitat for nesting, and theirbehavior of congregating in large numbers in theirwinter feeding grounds. All of these characteristicsmake them vulnerable to adverse weather conditions

or natural or man-made disasters.

YYYYYou Will Need:ou Will Need:ou Will Need:ou Will Need:ou Will Need:♦ Sea Duck Species Cards♦ Endangered and Threatened Species Cards♦ Chairs♦ Music and tape player

What to Do:What to Do:What to Do:What to Do:What to Do:Pass out the sea duck species cards or the speciestrading cards and the other endangered andthreatened animal species cards to be used as nametags for the students. Punch a hole through the cardsand thread them with string. Have the students hangthem around their necks.

Explain the general rules for musical chairs. As thestudents move around the chairs the music plays,when it stops each student must find an empty chair.

The student who is left out must find their species onthe Endangered Species Situation Handout and readabout their plight. The student must follow theinstructions for their species. Only those species whoare recovering or stable will have instructions to stayin the game, otherwise the student is out.

Follow up and Extensions:Follow up and Extensions:Follow up and Extensions:Follow up and Extensions:Follow up and Extensions:

Group Discussions:Discuss impacts on various populations as a class.Brainstorm ideas for helping threatened or decliningspecies of sea ducks.

This lesson was adapted from Our Wild Neighbors: An Educa-tional Resource Book About Alaskan Animals by the AlaskaNational Park Service.

Remove a chair for each student that is removedfrom the game after each round.

At the end of the game discuss the different speciesthat were involved and the similarities anddifferences of their situations. Discuss which causesfor a threatened or endangered status were man-made and which were natural. Explore ideas forpreventing and/or restoring damaged populations.Discuss pros and cons of each possible solution.

Spectacled Eider

Photo by Doyle Ohnemus


34


� Common Eider has suffered severe declinesin breeding population in western Alaska and inmigrants past Pt. Barrow. It is on the AudubonWatchlist. Concerns are gull and other predationon eggs, vulnerability to oil spills during molt,wintering and migration.

� Steller's Eider was listed as a ThreatenedSpecies in 1997 due to declines in western Alaska andpossibly northern Alaskan populations. Concernsare increased subsistence harvest, increased predationon smaller goose nesting colonies in proximity toeider nesting areas, decline in availability of preferredfoods in wintering areas for reasons unknown.

� Black Scoter has had a recent decline inWestern Alaska possibly due to contaminants (toxicmetals or other chemicals in their food chain) inmolting areas.

� Surf Scoter has had recent declines inbreeding in western Canada and possibly Alaskabecause of their susceptibility to oil spills and othercontaminants in intertidal feeding areas that causewinter die-offs.

� The eastern population of Harlequin Duckshas had significant declines over the last two decadesand is listed as a "Species of Concern" in easternCanada and "threatened" in Maine. The PrinceWilliam Sound population suffered greatly from theeffects of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. The westernpopulation is vulnerable to oil spills and persistentcontaminants reducing productivity and has a lowrate of recovery due to high site fidelity (continueduse of the same area) to contaminated areas.

� Both Merganser species populations areprobably increasing but are vulnerable to oil spills incoastal wintering areas - stay in the game!

� Short-tailed Albatross lost some of theirnesting habitat in Japan due to a volcanic eruptionon their only nesting island. They are vulnerable tobeing caught in fishing nets because they areattracted to the bait that looks like the shrimp theyfeed on.

� Eskimo Curlew were over-hunted for foodfrom 1870-1890 and are thought to be extinct.

� The Steller Sea Lion population has steadilydeclined in Western Alaska. Suspected causes includeshooting by fishermen, change in the quantity orquality of the fish they eat, and the effects of climatechange on ocean food webs.

� The Humpback Whale was overhuntedand is an endangered species.

☺ The Peregrine Falcon declined because ofthe use of DDT for pest control which contaminatedthe food chain, but Alaskan populations haverecovered - grab a chair and stay in the game!

� It is unknown why the Spectacled Eiderhas declined. Scientists believe it may be acombination of loss of food source, pollution, andoverharvest.

Possible Reasons for declines in thePossible Reasons for declines in thePossible Reasons for declines in thePossible Reasons for declines in thePossible Reasons for declines in thepopulation of each speciespopulation of each speciespopulation of each speciespopulation of each speciespopulation of each species

� Long-tailed Duck has had a long-termdecline in western Alaska, but is stable on the ArcticCoastal Plain. It is on the Audubon Watchlist.Concerns for the species are predation by bird andmammal predators in nesting areas, lead shotpoisoning and heavy metal contamination.

☺ Bufflehead populations are stable orincreasing - grab a chair and get back in the game!

Endangered Species Situation Handout


35


Eskimo Curlew Humpback Whale

Peregrine Falcon Short-tailed Albatross

Steller Sea LionSpectacled Eider

Endangered Species Cards


36


BibliographyBird Identification GuidesBellrose, Frank C. Ducks, Geese and Swans of NorthAmerica, Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA, 1978.

Bird Life, A Guide to the Behavior and Biology of Birds,Golden Guide, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1991.

Birds of North America, A Guide to Field Identification,Golden Press, New York, 1966.

The Birds of North America Series, The Birds of NorthAmerica, Inc., Philadelphia, PA., 2001.

Harrison, Hal. A Field Guide to Western Birds’ Nests,The Peterson’s Field Guide Series, Houghton MifflinCompany, Boston, 1979.

Harrison, Colin. A Field Guide to the Nests, Eggs andNestlings of North American Birds, Collins, Cleveland,1978.

LeMaster, Richard. The LeMaster Method: WaterfowlIdentification Guide, Stackpole Books, Pennsylvania,1986.

Sibley, David Allen. Sibley’s Guide to Bird Life andBehavior, Knopf Group, 2001.

Sibley, David Allen. Sibley's Guide to Birds, Knopf

Group, 2000.

Curricula and Teaching GuidesAlaska Wildlife Curriculum 2001, Alaska Department ofFish & Game, Wildlife Education, Anchorage, AK, 2001.

Arty Facts Animals and Art Activities, CrabtreePublishing, New York, 2002.

Our Wild Neighbors, An Educational Resource BookAbout Alaskan Animals, Alaska National Park Service,Northwind Prepress, Alaska, 1999.

Salmansohn, Pete, S. W. Kress, Giving Back to the Earth:A Teacher’s Guide to Project Puffin and Other SeabirdStudies, Tilbury Press, Maine, 1997.

Sigman, Marilyn, S. Jordan, editors. Wetlands andWildlife: Alaska Wildlife Curriculum Teacher

The Sea Duck Joint Venture: www.seaduckjv.org

The Birds of North America Series: www.birdsofna.org

National Park Service: www.nps.gov

US Fish and Wildlife Service: www.fws.gov

Cornell Lab of Ornithology: www.birds.cornell.edu

Southern Duck Hunter: www.duckcentral.com

The Audubon Society: www.audubon.org

Natural History of Waterfowl: www.virtualbirder.com

An electronic field guide: www.enature.com

Ducks Unlimited educational site: www.greenwing.org

Feather resources:www.ostrichesonline.comwww.featherplace.com

Bird Song Resources:Peterson Field Guide to Bird Songs: Western Region

Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs: Western RegionOrder through: www.amazon.com

National Science Standards: www.nas.edu

Alaska Wildlife Curriculum activity guides “Alaska’sEcology”, “Alaska’s Forests and Wildlife”, “Alaska’sTundra and Wildlife”, “Wildlife for the Future” and the“Alaska Ecology Cards” can be ordered from Wizard

Works, P.O. Box 1125, Homer, AK 99603 (907-235-8757).

Information Manual, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,Anchorage, AK 1992.

Survival is the Name of the Game, Science LifesaverLessons, The Mailbox, The Education Center Inc., 1998.

Resources


37


Science Standards

Ala

ska

Co

nte

nt

Sta

nd

ard

s A

dd

ress

ed:

Con

tent

Sta

ndar

d A

: A S

tude

nt s

houl

d un

ders

tand

sci

enti

fic

fact

s, c

once

pts,

pri

ncip

les

and

theo

ries

.

A12

d

isti

ng

uis

h t

he

pat

tern

s o

f si

mil

arit

y a

nd

dif

fere

nce

s in

th

e li

vin

g w

orl

d i

n o

rder

to

un

der

stan

d t

he

div

ersi

ty o

f li

fe a

nd

un

der

stan

d t

he

theo

ries

th

at d

escr

ibe

the

imp

ort

ance

of

div

ersi

ty f

or

spec

ies

and

eco

syst

ems

(Div

ersi

ty)

A14

u

nd

erst

and

th

e in

terd

epen

den

ce b

etw

een

liv

ing

th

ing

s an

d t

hei

r en

vir

on

men

ts;

and

un

der

stan

d t

hat

a s

mal

l ch

ang

e in

a

po

rtio

n o

f an

en

vir

on

men

t m

ay a

ffec

t th

e en

tire

en

vir

on

men

t (I

nte

rdep

end

ence

)

A15

u

se s

cien

ce t

o u

nd

erst

and

an

d d

escr

ibe

the

loca

l en

vir

on

men

t (L

oca

l K

no

wle

dg

e)

Con

tent

Sta

ndar

d B

: A

stu

dent

sho

uld

poss

ess

and

unde

rsta

nd t

he s

kill

s of

sci

enti

fic

inqu

iry.

B1

use

th

e p

roce

sses

of

scie

nce

;

B2

des

ign

an

d c

on

du

ct s

cien

tifi

c in

ves

tig

atio

ns

usi

ng

ap

pro

pri

ate

inst

rum

ents

B3

un

der

stan

d t

hat

sci

enti

fic

inq

uir

y o

ften

in

vo

lves

dif

fere

nt

way

s o

f th

ink

ing

, cu

rio

sity

, an

d t

he

exp

lora

tio

n o

f m

ult

iple

pat

hs

B4

un

der

stan

d t

hat

per

son

al i

nte

gri

ty,

skep

tici

sm,

op

enn

ess

to n

ew i

dea

s, c

reat

ivit

y, c

oll

abo

rati

ve

effo

rt,

and

lo

gic

al r

easo

nin

g a

re

all

asp

ects

of

sci

enti

fic

inq

uir

y

B6

em

plo

y s

tric

t ad

her

ence

to

saf

ety p

roce

du

res

in c

on

du

ctin

g s

cien

tifi

c in

ves

tig

atio

ns

AK S

tate

Con

tent

Sta

ndard

s

A B

C

DSea D

uck

Act

ivity

12

14

15

12

34

62

34

51

3A

CE

F

Sea

Duc

k S

urvi

val

Fab

ulou

s Fea

ther

s�

��

��

��

Why

Don

’t S

ea

Duc

ks

Fre

eze

��

��

��

��

�

Bes

t Bea

ks�

��

��

��

�

Col

orfu

l Cam

oufl

age

��

��

�

Wat

erfo

wl W

eb o

f Li

fe�

��

��

�

Bec

ome

an E

xpe

rt�

��

��

��

��

��

��

Con

serv

atio

n Is

sues

��

��

��

��

�

National Science

Standards


38


Science Standards continued...

National Science StNational Science StNational Science StNational Science StNational Science Standards Addressed:andards Addressed:andards Addressed:andards Addressed:andards Addressed:

Content Standards, Grades 5-8:

A. Science as Inquiry* Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry (K-8)* Understanding about scientific inquiry (K-8)

C. Life Science* The characteristics of organisms (K-4)* Life cycles of organisms (K-4)* Organisms and environments (K-4)* Structure and function in living systems (5-8)* Reproduction and heredity (5-8)* Regulation and behavior (5-8)* Populations and ecosystems (5-8)* Diversity and adaptations of organisms (5-8)

E. Science and Technology* Understanding about science and technology

(K-8)* Abilities to distinguish between natural objects

and objects made by humans (K-4)* Understandings about science and technology

(5-8)

F. Science in Personal and Social Perspectives* Characteristics and changes in populations (K-4)* Types of resources (K-4)* Changes in environments (K-4)

* Science and technology in local challenges (K-4)* Populations, resources and environments (5-8)* Science and technology in society (5-8)

Alaska Content StAlaska Content StAlaska Content StAlaska Content StAlaska Content Standards Addressed:andards Addressed:andards Addressed:andards Addressed:andards Addressed:

Content Standard C: A student should understand the nature

and history of science.

C2 understand that scientific knowledge is validated by

repeated specific experiments that conclude in similar

results

C3 understand that society, culture, history and

environment affect the development of scientific knowledge

C4 understand that some personal and societal beliefs accept

nonscientific methods for validating knowledge

C5 understand that sharing scientific discoveries is

important to influencing individuals and society and in

advancing scientific knowledge

Content Standard D: A student should be able to apply scientific

knowledge and skills to make reasoned decisions about the

use of science and scientific innovations.

D1 apply scientific knowledge and skills to understand

issues and everyday events

D3 recommend solutions to everyday problems by

applying scientific knowledge and skills


39


Appendix 1

From: Arty Facts: Animals and Art Activities, Crabtree Publishing Company, New York, NY, 2002


40


Appendix 2Common Merganser

Outline

Long-tailed DuckOutline

Harlequin DuckOutline

Surf ScoterOutline


41


Black Scoter Black Scoter Black Scoter Black Scoter Black Scoter MelanittMelanittMelanittMelanittMelanitta nigraa nigraa nigraa nigraa nigra

Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska: Common inSouthwestern Alaska, Western Alaska (except inwinter) and Southcoastal Alaska (except insummer). Breeds in Southwestern, Western andNorthwestern Alaska. Uncommon in SoutheasternAlaska. Not known to occur in Northern AlaskaPopulation TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation Trend:rend:rend:rend:rend: Suspected decreasing. Possibledecline in the Atlantic Flyway and in breeding areasin Alaska although more precise surveys areneeded to determine statusConcerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns: Contaminants in the food chain, potentialfor overharvest, habitat loss from resourcedevelopment and other activitiesNesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat: Breed near shallow tundra lakesin Alaska, or tundra and boreal forest lakes ineastern Canada, nest is a hollow of grass and down,clutch of 6-8 eggs, 1 brood/year

Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on: Primarily molluscs (mussels, limpets andclams) also crustaceans (barnacles) and vegetationPredators:Predators:Predators:Predators:Predators: Bald eagles (winter), mink and foxes(nesting)

RangeRangeRangeRangeRange::::: Breeds from Alaska south to Oregon andWyoming and from eastern Canadian Arctic southto Gulf of St. Lawrence. Winters along the PacificCoast from Alaska to northern California, and alongAtlantic Coast from Gulf of St. Lawrence south toGeorgia

Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska: Common inSoutheastern, Southcoastal, and SouthwesternAlaska. Breeds in all regions of Alaska exceptNorthern. Uncommon in Central and WesternAlaska. Rare sightings in the summer in NorthernAlaskaPopulation TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation Trendrendrendrendrend::::: E. North American populationlisted as Species of Concern in Canada, Threatenedin Maine, Designated Species of Special Concernin Idaho, Montana, and WyomingConcernsConcernsConcernsConcernsConcerns::::: Contaminants in molting areas, loss ofbreeding habitat, vulnerability to oil spills and lowrecovery rate, potential for local overharvestNesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat: Nests along fast-flowing streamson the ground, on small cliff ledges, in tree cavities,and on stumps. Nests are of conifer needles,mosses, leaf litter or small stones and lined withdown, clutch of 6-8 eggs

Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on: Aquatic invertebrates such asamphipods, molluscs, small crabs and some fishand fish eggsPredatorsPredatorsPredatorsPredatorsPredators::::: Mink, bald eagles, coyote

Range:Range:Range:Range:Range: Breeds from Alaska east across Canada toNewfoundland. Winters along Pacific Coast fromAlaska south to Mexico and along Atlantic Coastfrom Newfoundland south to Carolinas

Harlequin Duck Harlequin Duck Harlequin Duck Harlequin Duck Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicusHistrionicus histrionicusHistrionicus histrionicusHistrionicus histrionicusHistrionicus histrionicus

© Joseph Hautman

Appendix 3 Species Cards

Population TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation Trend:rend:rend:rend:rend: Long-term decline in westernAlaska, stable on the Arctic Coastal Plain. AudubonWatchlist

Concerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns: Predation in nesting areas, lead shotpoisoning, heavy metal contamination

Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat: Breeds on islands, offshore alongthe coast or inland in tundra ponds and lakes, clutchof 5-9, 1 brood/year

Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on: Aquatic invertebrates such as mussels,clams, in freshwater: larvae of craneflies,caddisflies and other insects

Predators:Predators:Predators:Predators:Predators: Foxes, weasels, gulls, ravens, jaegers

Population TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation Trend:rend:rend:rend:rend: Probably increasing

Concerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns: Vulnerability to oil spills in coastalwintering areas

Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat: Nests in cavities in trees nearrivers, lakes or estuaries, or in cavities on groundin tundra areas; clutch of 7-12 eggs.

Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on: Primarily fish, a few aquaticinvertebrates such as snails, insects and leeches

Predators:Predators:Predators:Predators:Predators: Foxes, weasels and gulls

Species Cards

Long-tLong-tLong-tLong-tLong-tailed Duck ailed Duck ailed Duck ailed Duck ailed Duck Clangula hyemalisClangula hyemalisClangula hyemalisClangula hyemalisClangula hyemalis

Common Merganser Common Merganser Common Merganser Common Merganser Common Merganser Mergus merganserMergus merganserMergus merganserMergus merganserMergus merganser

Tim Bowman, USFWS

Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska: Common inSoutheastern, Southcoastal, Southwestern, andCentral Alaska except in summer. Common inWestern Alaska all seasons. Common in NorthernAlaska except winter. Breeds mostly in tundraareas, less frequently in Interior forested areas.

Range:Range:Range:Range:Range: Breeds in Alaska and Canadian Arctic.Winters along Pacific Coast from Alaska south ton. California, and on Atlantic Coast fromNewfoundland south to Carolinas; also on GreatLakes.

Range:Range:Range:Range:Range: Breeds from Alaska, Manitoba, and

Newfoundland south to n. California, Arizona, South

Dakota, Great Lakes region, and n. New Jersey.

Winters along coasts and on interior lakes and rivers

north to n. California, Great Lakes region, and s.

New England

Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska: Common in

Southeastern, Southcoastal and Southwestern

Alaska. Rare in Central Alaska. Breeds in all regions

of Alaska except the Western and Northern regions.

Appendix 3

Population TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation Trend:rend:rend:rend:rend: Threatened Species as of 1997 due todeclines in western Alaska and possibly northern Alaska

Concerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns: Potential for overharvest, increased predationin nesting areas, decline in availability of preferred foods,lead poisoning on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (nowbanned, but remains in soil)

Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat: Nests on nearshore coastal wetlandsadjacent to shallow ponds or within drained lake basins,nest is lined with grasses, sedges and lichens. Down isadded once eggs are laid, clutch size of 6-8 eggs, 1 brood/

year

Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on: Primarily mussels in winter, but also polychaeteworms, gastropods and brachiopods, insect larvae infreshwater ponds during breeding.

Species Cards

Steller's Eider Steller's Eider Steller's Eider Steller's Eider Steller's Eider PolystictPolystictPolystictPolystictPolysticta stelleria stelleria stelleria stelleria stelleri

Range:Range:Range:Range:Range: The North American population is restricted tothe Pacific, where it breeds in eastern Siberia and innorthern Alaska and winters in Pacific waters off theAlaska Peninsula.

Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska: During breeding

season, they are common in coastal areas of

western and northern Alaska, and Aleutians. In

winter, common in southwestern Alaska and

Aleutians, less common in Kodiak archipelago and

lower Cook inlet, and rare to the east or south of

there.

Population TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation Trend:rend:rend:rend:rend: Populations have exhibited a

sharp decline in western Alaska

Concerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns: Particularly vulnerable to oil spills

because they congregate in large, dense flocks

during winter, molt and migration; potential

competition for food on wintering grounds,

disturbance by human activities, potential for

overharvest

Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat: Builds nest on the ground,

sometimes in small colonies.

Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on: Molluscs and crustaceansPredators: Foxes, gulls, weasels

Common Eider Common Eider Common Eider Common Eider Common Eider Somateria mollissimaSomateria mollissimaSomateria mollissimaSomateria mollissimaSomateria mollissima

Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska: During breeding season,they are common in coastal areas of northern Alaska,particularly Barrow area, and are now rare in westernAlaska where they once bred commonly. In winter,common in southwestern Alaska and Aleutians, with fewin Kodiak and lower Cook Inlet.

Range:Range:Range:Range:Range: Breeds along coast from Alaska and arcticCanada, in the east to Maine. Winters from Alaskasouth along coast, rarely as far as British Columbia;in east, from Labrador south to Long Island.

Predators:Predators:Predators:Predators:Predators: Gulls, jaegers and foxes, Snowy owls andPeregrine falcons

Appendix 3

Photo by Doyle Ohnemus


44


Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska: Breeds in borealforested areas of central, western, andsouthcentral Alaska. In winter, common in mostcoastal areas from Alaska Peninsula throughsoutheast Alaska.

Population TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation Trend:rend:rend:rend:rend: Population estimates are poor,although the Alaska population is thought to bedeclining.

Concerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns: Not much is known about this speciesof Scoter, causes of the apparent decline areunknown.

Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat: Not well known, but probably likeother scoters, i.e. freshwater ponds, lakes, riverswith shrubby cover or woodland nearby. Buildsnests with weeds and sparsely lines with down,clutch size is 5-7, 1 brood/year

Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on: Mussels in winter, herring roe in earlyspring and insect larvae in freshwater ponds duringbreeding.

Predators:Predators:Predators:Predators:Predators: Bald eagles (winter), mink & foxes

Surf Scoter Surf Scoter Surf Scoter Surf Scoter Surf Scoter MelanittMelanittMelanittMelanittMelanitta perspicillata perspicillata perspicillata perspicillata perspicillataaaaa

Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska:Status and Distribution in Alaska: During breedingseason, they are common in coastal areas ofsouthcentral and southeast Alaska. In winter,common from Kodiak archipelago eastwardthrough southeast Alaska.

Population TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation TPopulation Trend:rend:rend:rend:rend: Western population is believedto be stable.

Concerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns:Concerns: Impacts of logging on nests sites,particularly in British Columbia where 60-90% ofthe world's population breeds, winteringpopulation vulnerable to oil spills

Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat:Nesting Habitat: Nests in tree cavities or, if notavailable, may nest in holes in rocks and cliffs,nests lined with down, clutch size 6-15, 1 brood/year

Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on:Feeds on: Molluscs, crustaceans, insect larvaeand seeds

Barrow's Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandicaBucephala islandicaBucephala islandicaBucephala islandicaBucephala islandica

Species Cards

Range:Range:Range:Range:Range: Breeds in boreal forest areas of Alaskaand Canada, Arctic to Labrador. Winters alongPacific Coast from Alaska to Mexico, and alongAtlantic Coast from Newfoundland to Florida; alsoalong Gulf Coast.

Range:Range:Range:Range:Range: Breeds from Alaska south through BritishColumbia to Oregon and nw. Wyoming, and in n.Quebec and Labrador. Winters along Pacific Coastfrom Alaska south to n. California, and in easternNorth America, winters from Gulf of St. Lawrenceto Long Island.

Appendix 3

sea duck curriculum revised - center for · pdf filefront cover photo credits clockwise from...

Documents