Olivia

=Do birds care what CoLoR the bird feeder is?=

Research:
I researched and found that birds DO see in color, and that some birds have favorite colors. Birds in general are also attracted to bright colors, especially ones that are commonly on the flowers that they liketo hang around. Hummingbirds especially are attracted to red that is why they usually make the hummingbird food and feeder bright red, and pink.

Materials:
2 bird feeders with purple and green construction paper on the inside of the clear plastic Wild bird seed

Independent:
The color of the bird feeder

Dependent:
How much seed had been eaten by birds

Control:
Where the bird feeder is, the animals/people, and the type of bird seed.

Procedure:
I will put the two bird feeders (one green and one purple) hanging outside a few feet away from each other, and put seed in each one, then at the end of each week I will measure how much seed was eaten for three weeks. At the end of the three weeks I will count up how much bird seed was eaten in each feeder and then compare them.

Results: I found that after two weeks of keeping the feeders up, the birds took about .064 pounds of seed from the red feeder and .056 from the purple feeder. More seeds were eaten from the red feeder so they preferred that feeder. A issue with the experiment was that after two days (no birds had found it yet anyways) I realized that the pockets in the feeder that the birds were suppose to eat out of were not open. But, I opened them, so I don't think it effected the experiment.

Conclusion: The data shows that most birds preferred the red feeder. I also found that because of the rain and wetness the feeders gained some weight before the birds started to come regularly. hypothesis was not supported, they birds showed a strong preference for the red feeder.

Notes: ~ I put the feeders up Monday night, 10/07/13. I haven't had any birds show up yet, but it has been very rainy and haven't seen many birds lately anyways. If no birds have come to the feeders soon I will move them to a different place ~ Some birds finally came Tuesday, 10/22/1

Bibliography:
[|www.birdchannel.com] [|Birding.about.co]