GRADE FIVE SCIENCE

Hello Boys and Girls, Did you enjoy the Independence celebrations in your school? In your community? Let’s see how well you will answer these questions.

1 When did Guyana gain her independence? Who were the main persons involved in the gaining of Guyana’s indepen2

dence? 3 Name four symbols of nationhood that came about through independence. 4 Guyana was a colony of __________________ and we were called

____________ ___________. Do continue to work as hard as you can. Enjoy all the activities that you do. They help you to learn to remember.

This week we will continue to discuss birds. Do you remember what was discussed so far? Can you name the different types of feathers? Name the feathers below.

Eating

Special long feathers are found around the mouths of some insect-eating birds. These may either act like a funnel to catch the insect in the air, or they may protect the eyes while catching an insect. Other birds use feathers on the side of their mouths to select fruits.

Keeping clean

Some birds, like herons, have small feathers called powder down that they crush with their beak and feet to rub into the normal feathers and keep them conditioned. This powder down may also help control feather parasites like mites.

Aiding digestion

Did you know that some fish-eating birds also eat their own feathers to line their digestive area? This helps to protect the bird from sharp fish bones.

Constructing nests

Many birds (especially water birds) line their nests with bird feathers. This helps to keep their eggs warm and also provides a soft padding. Some birds like parakeets actually use the feathers located on their bottom and lower back to move grass and leaves to their nest.

Transporting water

When raising eggs and baby chicks, many adult birds will soak the feathers on their belly before returning to the nest. They can then use the water to keep the eggs from drying out and to give their chicks a drink. Some birds that live in the desert (like the sandgrouse) have special belly feathers that are very good at holding water. This adaptation lets them nest further away from water holes, to avoid the higher numbers of predators found in areas near water holes.

Escaping from predators

When birds are attacked or frightened they can drop some of their tail feathers. This is called fright molt. This sometimes helps the bird get away, leaving the attacker with only a mouth or foot full of feathers.

Sending visual signals

Feather colours and patterns are used to send signals to mates and rivals. This is likely the largest and most used function of feathers.

Camouflage

Sometimes bright colours are not good. To keep from being seen by predators, many birds have feathers that look like dead leaves or other parts of the surroundings they live in so that predators cannot see them. Some predators also like to blend in so that their prey may come closer, making the prey easier to catch.