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The Effect of Different Colored |
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Researched by Whitney B.
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PURPOSE
The purpose of this experiment was to determine how birdfeeder color affected the amount of seed eaten by birds.
I became interested in this idea because every winter when it got cold I put birdseed out for the birds and I wanted to find out how to make more birds come to my feeders. I thought the color of the feeder might matter.
The information gained from this experiment could affect anyone who wanted birds in their yard, or wanted to feed birds in the winter. People who work for the Department of Fish and Wildlife might also be interested.
HYPOTHESIS
My hypothesis was that the green feeder would attract the most birds.
I based my hypothesis on the conclusion of another student scientist’s experiment from 1998, “To What Color Bird Feeders are Birds Most Attracted?” Carrie Shramm, the experimenter, concluded that the green feeder did attract the most birds.
EXPERIMENT DESIGN
The constants in this study were:
• Type of feeders used
• Space between feeders
• General location of feeders
• Scale used to weigh the feeders
• Kind of birdseed
• Amount of birdseed in each feeder
• Number of feeders used
• How long the feeders are available to the birds
The manipulated variable was the color of the feeders.
The responding variable was the mass of the birdseed eaten.
To measure the responding variable, the mass of birdseed in each feeder was determined every two days for three weeks using a triple beam balance scale when full and when partially emptied by birds.
MATERIALS
| QUANTITY | ITEM DESCRIPTION |
| 5 |
Birdfeeders |
| 4 |
Cans of spray paint(red, green, silver, blue) |
| 1 |
Triple beam balance scale |
| 5 |
Bag of birdseed |
| 1 |
Roll of masking tape |
| 4 |
Hooks to hang the feeders |
1) Paint Feeders
a) Using cans of spray paint,
paint each feeder a different color
• One feeder
painted red
• One feeder painted green
• One feeder painted blue
• One feeder painted silver
• One feeder unpainted
• One feeder painted green
• One feeder painted blue
• One feeder painted silver
• One feeder unpainted
b) Be sure to get NO paint near
the seed slots in the feeders, where the birds actually eat
c) Feeders do NOT have seed slots that the birds could peck, accidentally eating paint
d) Drill in screws to hang feeders 0.61 meters apart
c) Feeders do NOT have seed slots that the birds could peck, accidentally eating paint
d) Drill in screws to hang feeders 0.61 meters apart
2) Fill seed to very top of feeder
a) Use clean,
dry, fresh wild bird seed purchased from Petsmart
b) Weigh each feeder in grams using a triple beam balance scale
c) Record full weight data
b) Weigh each feeder in grams using a triple beam balance scale
c) Record full weight data
3) Put feeders out for 2 days
a) Hang each
feeder on hook
• Red feeder on
first hook
• Green feeder on second hook
• Blue feeder on third hook
• Silver feeder on fourth hook
• Clear feeder on fifth hook
• Green feeder on second hook
• Blue feeder on third hook
• Silver feeder on fourth hook
• Clear feeder on fifth hook
b) Keep each
feeder out from about 2:30 p.m. one day to about 2:30 p.m. two days
later
4) Bring feeders inside to weigh after 2 days
a) Use triple
beam balance to weigh each feeder, record the mass
b) Refill feeders, reweigh, and record full feeder weight
b) Refill feeders, reweigh, and record full feeder weight
5) Replace Feeders outside
a) Rotate
feeders on the hooks, moving each feeder over 1 space to the
right. For example, to replace the feeders for the first time do
the following:
• Clear feeder
on first hook
• Red feeder on second hook
• Green feeder on third hook
• Blue feeder on fourth hook
• Silver feeder on fifth hook
• Red feeder on second hook
• Green feeder on third hook
• Blue feeder on fourth hook
• Silver feeder on fifth hook
6) Repeat steps 2-5 for 2 weeks
a) After 2 weeks, average the
weights of each color feeder
7) Subtract ending mass from full mass for each trial
8) After 2 weeks, average the weights of each color feeder
The original purpose of this experiment was to determine how birdfeeder color affected the amount of seed eaten by birds.
The results of the experiment was the birds ate most out of the red feeder, then the red feeder with an average mass of 517.6 grams, then the green feeder with 516.5 grams, then the blue feeder with 502.7 grams , then the silver feeder with 495.1 grams, and they ate the least out of the clear feeder with 474 grams.
See table and graph below.
CONCLUSION
My original hypothesis was that the green feeder would attract the most birds.
The results indicate that this hypothesis should be rejected, because the birds
ate slightly more out of the red feeder than the green feeder.
After thinking about the results of this experiment, I wonder if the location
of the feeders matters.
If I were to conduct this project again I would make sure the birds already knew where the feeders were so they would start coming right away. I would also use better outdoor spray paint on the feeders. My feeders may not have been the best kind to use. I’d try to find better ones.
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Introduction To Birds A bird is a winged animal with feathers, but not all can fly. It is also the only animal with a gizzard. All birds lay eggs. They have two eyes, usually on the side of their head, two legs, and a beak. Some birds can swim. Some can catch live prey, depending on their habitat, and needs, etc. Birds do have a skeleton, but have hollow bones, so it’s easier to fly. How Birds Were Designed For Flight Flying puts enormous demands on a bird’s body, but some can save energy by gliding. Their skeletons are lightweight with a minimum of bones. Birds have a very high metabolic rate (speed they burn up energy) and small birds have a heart rate of up to 600 beats per minute. Birds have the highest body temperature of any animal, 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Senses Birds live in a world dominated by sight and sound. They can distinguish notes much faster than humans and much of the bird’s brain is concerned with visual information. Some owls hunt when it’s pitch black by using taste buds. Most birds sight is so developed that three of the four other senses (taste, touch, and smell) are almost unusable. Most birds have less than 100 taste buds. Digestive System Birds have no teeth. Seed eating birds use their strong beaks to crack seed shells. Their digestive system breaks down all food and the gizzard grinds vegetation into pulp. Birds of prey have sharp, hooked beaks to tear flesh. Finches (one of the main birds in the project) Finches are small, arboreal songbirds with heavy conical bills, strong jaw muscles, and strong skulls. They have 12 tail feathers and 9 large wing feathers. They are seed eaters and Nest & young Finches nest from July to September. They build tight, cup-shaped nests out of thistle fuzz, plant fibers, and spider silk. The female lays 4-6 bluish white eggs that she sits on constantly until they hatch. The male provides food for the female and fledglings. The incubation and fledging lasts 11-14 days. Goldfinches (Carduelis tristis) Goldfinches are 5 inches long. The male has a bright yellow body and a black patch on their head, black on his wings and tail, and white marks. When a male finch loses his feathers, the ones he grows back are olive brown.The female stays olive brown all year with black wings and tail. They love weedy fields because they eat the seeds from the weeds. Sparrows (another of the main birds in the project) Sparrows are 6 inches long with a reddish- brown coat streaked with black. They have a grayish-white chest. History of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) Another less common name for the house sparrow is the English sparrow. They were brought to the U.S. from Europe and Asia in 1851 by the Brooklyn Institute. By 1900 they were the most common bird in the U.S. Today they are found through out the U.S., Canada, and much of Mexico. They are common in both the city and country. Facts Sparrows are seed eating birds and prefer to eat off the ground. They don’t migrate, but stay in the same place all winter and will eat anything to survive. They have a shrill song and are often considered pests. Sparrows nest in holes, trees, and on ledges of buildings. They lay 4-9 yellowish- green, brown, or black spotted eggs. They have 3-4 broods per year. Thistle Seed(nyjer seed) Many birds love thistle seed including. house finches, purple finches, juncos, towhees, pine siskens, mourning doves, and many sparrows . It is rich in oil and comes from Africa. It is best held in hanging feeders that must have a small hole that is just big enough for a small finch to peck out one seed. It resembles wild grains of rice. It is highly desirable to many birds. Summary Birds are the only animals with feathers, hollow bones, and a gizzard. Not all birds can fly, but all lay eggs. Different birds nest at different times and have different kinds of nests. They also have different diets. Birds are similar in many ways but different in others. |
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Burnie, David. Bird. London: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1988. 8,9,34,35 Burtt, Edward H. Jr. “Goldfinches,” World Book Encyclopedia, 2005. “Finches.” Encyclopedia of the Animal World. 1972 Lener, Carol. Backyard Birds of Winter. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. 1994. pp. 36,41, 43 Shramm, Carrie. To What Color are Birds Most Attracted? at selah.k12.wa.us Vehrencamp, Sandra L. "House Sparrows," World Book Encyclopedia, 2005. |
I would like to thank the following people for helping make my project possible:
• My parents for helping me work on my project
• Mr. Newkirk for editing my work and giving me ideas
• Jodee Penner, DVM, Diplomate ACLAM, veterinarian for helping me research alternatives to animal use for my science project
• Mrs. V. for helping me on the computer and giving me ideas
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