Meet Two Hummingbird Species Which is Which? Link to Lesson >> Grades: 2+ Materials: Journey North Hummingbird Journals Overview In this lesson, students prepare for the season and practice observation skills by looking closely at photos and a range map* of the two hummingbird species that Journey North tracks. They describe and draw each species. During the season, they'll have a chance to compare and learn more about each species and its fantastic migration. * Note: Range maps show the majority of a population, but not the individual vagrants ("strays") that some of you see and report. Also, more and more rufous hummingbirds are being reported out of this range. So it pays to get students in the habit of looking closely at field marks, as scientists do. More Teaching Opportunities with this Lesson Practice Writing Skills Tell students they are helping out with a new field guide for bird watchers. Have them write a short paragraph that compares and contrasts the two species. Compare and Contrast Create a Venn diagram to show how rufous and ruby-throated hummingbirds are alike and different. Students can do more research by browsing our expert's answers to hummingbird questions. >> Discuss These Distribution Map Questions What is the latitude of each species' wintering area? Which species migrates farther north? Where do the two species overlap? Which species do you think will arrive on its breeding grounds first? Why? What questions do you have after looking at the map? (Note: If you live in the West, you might see a number of other hummingbird species. See Mike Patterson's tips to help you know which hummer you're viewing: Are you really seeing a Rufous?) This Season Teachers Kids Orientation Registration Search Copyright 1997-2009 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Questions or comments? Contact us.