Biodiversity Trail Birds and Insects

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1 Biodiversity Trail Birds and Insects Self guided program Birds & Insects exhibition Student Activities Illustration: Sara Estrada-Arevalo, Australian Museum. Produced by Learning Services, Australian Museum, October College Street, Sydney, NSW

2 Instructions: To find the answers to these Clue Cards explore the Birds & Insects exhibition located on Level 2 of the Australian Museum. Use the Birds & Insects exhibition floorplan shown below to find the section you need for each clue. Discover the names of the birds and invertebrates by matching the Clue Card facts with information in the displays. Birds & Insects exhibition Birds display C KEY: Insects Invertebrates cases 1-5 Invertebrates cases Invertebrates cases 6-25 Birds display A Birds display D Main entrance from Level 2 foyer Birds Arachnids Other Invertebrates Birds display B Through to Dinosaurs exhibition

3 Living things are everywhere, including the most unexpected places. Some living things have even made their homes on other living things. sections you need to find the answers to these clues. Look in invertebrate cases 12 and 35 and in bird display C. Invertebrate A an insect They live on humans and on other mammals and birds. They feed on blood. Eggs are called nits and they become adults in just over a month. They die if they are separated from their host for a few days. They are transferred from host to host by direct contact. Two forms live on humans, one on the head and one on the body. They are Invertebrate B an arachnid They are very small (0.1-2 millimetres long). Their small size lets them live places unavailable to many animals. Some live in weird places such as on the feathers of birds or the hairs of mammals. Many of them live as plant or human feeders. A few of the largest are predators. They are The largest of these invertebrates are 3-30 millimetres in size and feed on blood of reptiles, birds and mammals. They are called Bird They are quite big birds and have a yellow crest on their heads. They can mimic the human voice and are popular as pets. They usually feed on the ground. They sometimes damage crops, trees and timber homes. They are

4 Some insects live and work together in a very organised way. You may have seen some insects working together or walking in a long line. Can you imagine a society of insects? section you need to find the answers to these clues. Look in invertebrate case 27. Invertebrates A, B and C insects Three groups of insects have a true social life. They have queens. They have a division of labour within their colonies (a caste system). There can be nursery attendants, food gatherers, cleaners and soldiers which are females. In this system fertilised eggs produce females and unfertilised eggs produce males. They are: 1., 2. and 3. Draw an example of one in the box and label it.

5 Biodiversity is important to us in many ways. Some birds are connected with our culture and traditions and have become emblems of our country or are in stories or songs. sections you need to find the answers to these clues. Look in bird display B for the first two birds and in birds display C for the other one. Bird A It is the largest bird in Australia. You can find it in Australia s national emblem. It is the second largest bird in the world. It is the only living species of its group. It grazes in flocks on open plains in the inland. The male incubates the eggs and cares for the young. It is a Bird B They are tall birds with long legs and a large bill. They mostly eat fish. They build large platform nests in trees. Only one species is native to Australia. They appear in many stories related to babies. They are The Australian species is called a Bird C It can be found in eastern and southern Australia. Its feathers are brown, white, black, and if you look carefully with just a little bit of blue. They have a familiar laughing call that they use to announce their own territory. They lift their head and tail when giving a call. It is a

6 Insects can provide humans with a variety of products like food or fabrics for making clothes. Can you think of a product they provide for us? sections you need to find the answers to these clues. Look in invertebrate cases 23 and 26. Invertebrate A an insect They have a sting in their tail. They produce a sweet food that humans eat. There are over 2000 species in Australia. Only a few species are social and form hives. There are solitary species that nest in the ground, in twigs, branches, or in the nests of other insects. They are and they produce Invertebrate B an insect Their pupae make a cocoon for protection. Their caterpillars have been used by people since ancient times because they produce a fibre used to make fabric. They feed on mulberry leaves. They are and they produce

7 Insects may be small but working together they can be powerful! Sometimes you might not see them but you can often be aware of their presence in other ways. sections you need to find the answers to these clues. Look in invertebrate cases 9 and 14. Invertebrate A an insect They are the noisiest of all insects. You may have heard them in the bush in summer. They sing in chorus but only the male sings. Each species has its own song. They use organs called tymbals to make sound. They are sometimes wrongly called locusts. They are Have you heard them? Invertebrate B an insect They are wood eaters. They fertilise the soil by recycling plant material. They live in total darkness most of their lives. They digest their food with the help of microscopic special protozoa or bacteria living inside them in their gut. Many species make nests above ground. They cause four million dollars worth of damage to buildings and other structures each year. They are

8 Some birds stay awake at night to look for food. They have some amazing features that help them. section you need to find the answers to these clues. Look in bird display C. Bird A They are often incorrectly called owls. They feed at night. They have large mouths. They catch prey on the ground. During the day they camouflage themselves by stretching their bodies to resemble a dead branch. They don t have powerful feet and claws like owls. They are Bird B They feed at night. They have exceptional night vision. They have excellent hearing to locate prey. They have strong feet and claws. They have strong, hooked beaks. Their fluffy plumage muffles the noise of their flight. They are

9 Identifying insects can be tricky because completely different species sometimes look similar. To identify them you need to look very carefully. section you need to find the answers to these clues. Look in invertebrate case 22. Invertebrate A an insect They have wings covered with tiny scales. Adults cannot chew and they only sip liquid food through a tube called proboscis. They usually fly at night. They rest with wings flat and open. They do not have a knob at the end of their antennae. They are Draw an example of one of their antennae in the box. Invertebrate B an insect They have wings covered with tiny scales. Adults cannot chew and they only sip liquid food through a tube called proboscis. They usually fly by day. They rest with wings held up. They have a slight knob at the end of their antennae. They are Draw an example of one of their antennae in the box.

10 Some Australian invertebrates and birds are threatened because of introduced species and other changes to their habitats. sections you need to find the answers to these clues. Look in invertebrate case 44 and in bird display D. Invertebrate a crustacean They belong to one of the oldest groups of crustaceans. They are sometimes called living fossils. They are found mainly in high, isolated mountain pools and streams in Tasmania and Victoria. They have disappeared from places where trout have been introduced. They are Bird These birds used to be common in backyards around Sydney. They are small native birds. Most are small insect eaters or honeyeaters in urban areas. They are vulnerable to predators and competitors. Name one of the small birds in the display that is becoming less common: What does it eat?

Biodiversity Trail Australian Animals

Biodiversity Trail Australian Animals Self guided program Surviving Australia exhibition Student Activities Illustration: Sara Estrada-Arevalo, Australian Museum. Produced by Learning Services, Australian