Back to School: Let’s Learn About Raptors!

Birdy lessons and activities for the whole family | Trouble viewing this e-mail? Try our [web version](. [National Audubon Society]( Nestling Edition | September 2021 [Illustration of a Bald Eagle in front of a purple background.]( [Keep Your Eyes on the Skies, Fall Raptor Migration is Here!]( Each spring and fall, birds of prey like hawks, eagles, and falcons migrate from their breeding grounds in the north down south where they can more easily find food during the cold winter months. And it’s a matter of what kind of prey they’re hunting that sets this group of birds apart. Raptors can eat lizards, snakes, fish, mice, and even other birds! Raptors are incredible hunters because of their sharp eyesight and powerful talons they use to catch and carry animals away. Learn more about these extraordinary birds just in time for fall migration: [Raptors! The Birds of Prey]( | [Disponsible en español]( [Turkey Vulture.]( [These Paper Airplanes Fly Just Like Birds]( All birds have wings, but the way they look and the way they are used depends upon the need of the species. For example, this Turkey Vulture needs to soar high in the sky, so it has large, wide wings to ride the air currents. In this activity, you can learn firsthand about flight by folding paper airplanes that correspond to the four major wing shapes. [Give it a try]( | [Disponsible en español]( Turkey Vulture. [Diagram of various raptor species in flight.]( [Learn to ID Raptors in Flight]( Watching birds in flight is thrilling—particularly when there are large numbers of them—but it can also be frustrating to try and identify them at various angles and distances. Right now, raptors are on the move in big groups called “kettles.” Brush up on your in-flight ID skills with this helpful quiz. [Learn more]( | [Disponsible en español]( [Red-tailed Hawk.]( [Celebrate Migration Time with a Simple Raptor Rhyme]( In this activity, kids write poems about owls, eagles, and hawks to share with family and friends. Here’s a little inspiration… “A raptor soars in the sky above accented by a screech, What bird is that? You ask yourself. Well, listen up. I’ll teach. It’s hunting from an airy perch and I think its tail looks red, I’ve got it! That’s a Red-tailed Hawk just hoping to be fed.” [Give it a try]( | [Disponsible en español]( Red-tailed Hawk. [Young girl inspecting flowers with a magnifying glass.]( [Back-to-school with Audubon Adventures]( Kids are back in school and whether remote or in-person, Audubon Adventures homeschool kits can help families share the joy of birds together. You can order home and classroom editions in English or Spanish for grades 2–6. [Learn more]( Illustration: Alex Tomlinson/Audubon. Photos from top: John Comisky/Audubon Photography Awards; Francois Portmann; Morris Finkelstein/Audubon Photography Awards; FatCamera/iStock CONNECT WITH US [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( [YouTube]( [DONATE]( [ADVOCATE]( National Audubon Society 225 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014 USA [(844) 428-3826](#) | [audubon.org]( © 2021 National Audubon Society, Inc. [Update your email address or unsubscribe](