Lesson Plan

Unit 2 — PEST INVADERS

Activity — Pests in the school yard

Setting the scene

Birds such as feral pigeons, starlings and sparrows are often found in cities and towns attracted by the changed surroundings humans have created. Many of these birds have the ability to adapt to disturbed environments and actively seek out opportunities to feed, nest and rear their young on or near public buildings such as schools.

Birds can be pests because they compete with native birds for food, shelter and nest sites. Birds such as sparrows and Indian mynas are particularly aggressive when defending feeding locations.

Pest birds will often inhabit a site in large numbers which can result in noise pollution, the unsightly and hazardous build up of droppings and be a source of parasites and infection such as salmonella.

Aim

Students address the problem of pest birds in their school yard by manipulating the school environment.

Student outcomes

Students will:

recognise that introduced birds can become a pest
investigate how pest animals affect you and your school
understand that the eradication (complete and permanent removal) of a pest is rarely achievable
acknowledge the importance of considering animal welfare issues
develop an understanding for the complexities involved in effective management of the damage caused by pest animals, including habitat modification
understand and participate in effective monitoring and evaluation techniques
conduct accurate environmental observations
use digital technologies to record data and achieve results
problem solve real life situations
investigate and communicate effectively
participate positively and effectively as individuals or in a small team

Materials

pests in the school yard activity sheet
bird identification books or web resources
computer

What to do

This activity is also suitable for students working together in small groups.

Note:

Introduce the topic by discussing the ‘setting the scene’ section of the pests in the school yard activity with your students.
Ask the following questions to prompt student discussion:
What is a pest?
What is a pest bird?

Step 1

Hand out the pests in the school yard activity sheet. Discuss the requirements with your students such as how to record pest bird behaviour and how to create a database using a computer.

Step 2

Identify any problems or concerns you and your students may have with pest birds in the school yard.

Step 3

By observing the school yard, students create a list of introduced birds.

Common introduced birds found in urban areas are:

house sparrow
laughing turtle dove
domestic pigeon (also known as rock dove)
European starling
blackbird
Indian myna
spotted turtle dove

Note: Students may require a reference when identifying these birds. Bird books and images sourced from the internet can assist in identification.

Students could also take photos of birds in the school yard and identify them back in the classroom.
A member of the local ornithologists group could also be approached to visit the school and assist students in identifying introduced birds in the school yard.

Step 4

Once your students have created their database and entered all of their observations, gather the class to discuss everyone’s findings.

Step 5

Record student suggestions for reducing the presence of pest birds in the school yard. Any suggestions at this stage are valid.

IMPORTANT – Suggestions can not include killing, capturing or harming the birds.
Suitable scaring techniques could include:

shiny objects that move in the wind
noisy objects that move in the wind
the placement of mock predators (plastic snakes)
large eyes that mimic predators
scarecrows

Suitable habitat manipulation could include:

restricting access to food and rubbish

install lids on bins
regular litter inspection and removal
additional bins in high traffic areas
nominate bin monitors who make sure bins are emptied regularly
remove bird feeders

changing the natural environment

remove or add plants
prune overhanging branches
maintain garden beds
remove weeds

blocking access to roosting and nest sites on a building

install fishing line over roosting and nest sites
install slippery planks on roosting and nest sites

relocating school property to areas not visited by pest birds
making school property unattractive to pest birds

Step 6

Where possible, put into action student suggestions for reducing the presence of pest birds in the school yard.

Be aware that results will vary. This is normal as pest birds will become familiar with scaring techniques over time and ignore them. To challenge this situation, students may need to vary the type of scaring techniques employed when pest bird numbers build up. The best long-term solution is to use permanent techniques, such as installing barriers, which make an area less suitable for pest birds.

Step 7

As a suggested extension to this activity, students could design a building that deters pest birds.

Step 8