Bird Size and Perching Distance
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Do larger birds keep more space between each other when perching on a wire? You measure the gap between pairs of crows and pairs of sparrows sitting on overhead power lines. A ruler mounted at a fixed distance from the cable lets you calculate the real spacing.
You record the distance for five pairs of each species. Then you compare the average gaps to see if body size predicts personal space.
Crows sat much farther apart from each other than sparrows did.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that the crow, being a larger bird, will put a greater distance between itself and another crow when perching on a wire. The sparrow, being a smaller bird, will put a smaller distance between itself and another sparrow when perching on a wire.
Method & Materials
You will look for overhead power cables or telephone cables that crows and sparrows often perch on. You will mount a ruler horizontally, some distance from the cable poles. You will measure the distance between the birds when they sit on the cable.
You will need a long ruler (transparent), a roll of duct tape, a measuring tape, an overhead power cable line or telephone line on which birds can perch, a calculator, and 2 sticks.
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See what’s includedResults
The results of the experiment showed that the hypothesis holds true: the crow puts a greater distance between itself and another crow when it perches on a wire. The sparrow puts a smaller distance between itself and another sparrow when perching on a wire.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it shows how the size of a bird affects its perching behavior. It also shows how birds have a way of measuring the distance between their perching neighbor.
Also Consider
Consider conducting the experiment under different weather conditions (a sunny, cloudy, windy or rainy days). Also, identify a different species of bird for the experiment (eg. pigeons). How does their behavior compare with that of the birds in this experiment?
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related videos
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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