River-Lab 5 Guide Manual – Trail Point 3
Trail Point 3—Animal
Alewife
(Pomolobus pseudoharengus)
We are going to look at this animal called the alewife—an organism that spends
some of its life cycle in this river. (Show photo of alewife.)
 Record alewife on your observation sheet on the line next to fish.
 Has anyone studied the alewife? (If yes: Tell us about it.)
Identification and Life Cycle of Alewife
 Identification
■ (Show images of alewives.)
 The average size of an alewife is 11-12 inches when full grown.
 Females are slightly larger than males.
 Life Cycle
■ (Show life cycle diagram.) (Have students follow arrows during
discussion.)
 Tell me where the adult alewife lives. Check off adult habitat: salt
water.
 Alewives are a type of fish that spend most of their lives in
saltwater.
 In spring, adult alewives leave the salt water to spawn.
 As the temperature of the river water flowing into the coastal
saltwater becomes warmer, alewives swim upstream into the
freshwater stream of their birth.
 Fish that live in salt water and spawn in fresh water are called
anadromous.
Record feature: anadromous.
 They usually begin this trip toward the end of April in New
England.
 The alewives travel upstream in groupings according to their age.
■ The older, most mature alewives leave the saltwater first, the
younger alewives follow.
 Spawning usually takes place in quiet backwater areas upstream in
freshwater when the temperature of the water is between 55° to 60°.
 After spawning, alewives return to the sea. On the way, they rest and
eat in the estuary for a time before heading to the salt water.
 The alewife demonstrates that there is a link between the sea and
inland river systems.
Observation and Recording of Habitat
o Why do you think we stopped here to discuss the alewife? (Lead if necessary:
what did I say about where alewives spawn in the river?) [Still areas.]
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o
Let's look at the habitat conditions here.
o Is the water moving fast or slow? [Slow.]
o What else do you observe about this habitat?
 Is the water here shallow or deep? [Shallow.]
 What does the bottom look like? [Leafy and muddy.]
o Does that meet the requirements? [Yes.] So, this backwater is a likely
place for alewives to spawn.
 Record spawning habitat: freshwater.
 Record on feature line: spawn in backwater.
o There is another requirement for spawning—the temperature of the
water (55° to 60°).
 Let's check the temperature of this backwater area. [Record
temperature; ____.]
 What is the possibility an alewife would lay her eggs at
this time?
 Other fish could use this quiet backwater area to spawn also.
 If time, (Show spawning card.) What fish might be spawning
now at the temperature we observed?
Interactive Activity
 Direct team members to take turns reading information about alewives on
trail gear card. Information italicized and underlined below is information
listed on card. Respond with additional details provided here in open bullets.
 On the way upriver to spawn, periodically alewives stop to circle (roil)
in groups in shallow, sunlit areas.
 When the alewives roil, the water becomes rough.
 The roiling attracts bird predators.
 Gulls catch the whole fish but eat only the eggs from the females'
bodies.
 Night herons eat the whole fish.
 People catch and use the alewife in many ways. This fish is often
used to make pet food.
 Each female lays 10,000 to 100,000 heavy, adhesive eggs.
[Record feature: MANY eggs.]
 The eggs drop to the bottom of quiet backwater areas such as this.
 Will all eggs survive? [No.] What happens to them? [They could
get eaten.]
 A Sucker, another fish, follows the alewives upstream, waiting to
eat (consume) the eggs as they are laid.
 The eggs hatch in and by the fall, the fry (young fish) will make their
way downstream to the sea.
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River-Lab 5 Guide Manual – Trail Point 3
Do you think all the young alewives will survive to reach the sea?
■ Alewife young (fry) are consumed (eaten) by a variety of
predators such as larger fish or birds.
■ Kingfishers eat the 2-to-4 inch fry.
 A scavenger might eat the alewife after it dies.
 If a scavenger never found the dead alewife and the alewife body
remained in the water where it would rot and decay, how would it
be contributing to the river basin system? Remember what we
have talked about during the other trail points, what happens to
plants after they die? The same process occurs with animals.
[Nutrients in the alewife body enrich the water or soil through
the decay process.]
 As the alewife or any other animal decays (rots and breaks down)
the nutrients that were part of its body will be released in the water
or soil. These nutrients enrich the water or soil.
 As the body of the alewife decays in the water, what other area
downstream (where the river meets the sea) would benefit from
that enrichment? [Estuary.]
Record Contributions of Alewives
 Check off on observation sheet the contributions of the alewife to the river basin
system.
o [Food in all stages of life cycle, enrichment of water.]
Full Checklist from observation sheet (for guide reference)
 Food source in all stages of life cycle
 Enrichment of soil and/or water (bodily wastes while alive and decaying
matter after death)
o Habitat creation
o Algae control
o Insect control
o Population balance
o Helping maintain the oxygen supply in water
o Predator-prey improvement (formerly “toning”)

Transition:
 If we had seen the eggs of the alewife or even the fish itself, we could have
marked that down as Evidence of Productivity. But since we didn’t, we really
can’t.
 But alewives do lay a lot of eggs.
■ Many get eaten;
■ Many hatch into young fish.
 How do you think laying so many eggs impacts the productivity of the river
basin system? Does it increase or decrease the productivity? [Increase]
 At the next trail point, we are going to observe another plant that grows in this
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river basin system.
Eels
(Anguilla rostratus)
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We are going to look at this animal called the eel—an organism that spends some
of its life cycle in this river. (Show photo of eel.)
Record eel on your observation sheet on the line next to “Fish”.
Has anyone studied the eel? (If yes: Tell us about it.)
Identification and Life Cycle of Eel
 Identification
■ (Show images of eel.)
 Females can grow to an average length of two to three feet and up to
five feet long.
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Males are smaller.

Even though they look like a snake, they are true fish with paired fins.
Life Cycle
■ (Show life cycle diagram.) (Have students follow arrows during
discussion.)
 Tell me where the adult eel lives.
 Eels are a type of fish that spend most, but not all of their lives in
freshwater. Record adult habitat—fresh water.
 In the fall, at about 8 years of age, adult female eels begin their long
journey from their rivers to the Sargasso Sea in the Caribbean to
spawn.
 As the time approaches for them to spawn, female eels eat
tremendous amounts of food to build fat deposits to survive the
long journey ahead. Their coloring darkens and their eyes enlarge.
The internal organs shrink to make room for the eggs.
 The males, who have been living in the estuary or just upriver from
the estuary, join the females on their journey.
 Spawning takes place in the Sargasso Sea. Record spawning
habitat—salt water.
 After spawning, the adult eels die.
 The eggs drift in the current, hatching into tiny, transparent, leaf-like
larvae, called leptocephali.
 They take about a year to return to North American coastal rivers
undergoing many physical changes along the way.
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The eel demonstrates that there is a link between the sea and inland
river systems.
© 2009 Mill River Wetland Committee, Inc.
River-Lab 5 Guide Manual – Trail Point 3
Interactive Activity
Now let’s go back over the amazing journey that eels make to spawn.
Direct team members take turns reading information about eels provided on trail gear
card. Information italicized and underlined below is information listed on card for team
to read. Respond with additional detail provided here in open bullets.
Observation and Recording of Habitat and features/behaviors
 After they reach the Sargasso Sea in the Caribbean, each adult female eel spawns
10 to 20 million eggs!! Record feature: 10-20 million eggs
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After this spawning feat, the exhausted adult eels die.

It takes about a year for the new young eels to return to the same fresh water
rivers that their parents lived.

The males stay close to the estuary.
Female eels slowly make their way further upstream to live.

Some have to travel many, many miles upstream, taking many years to
complete the journey.
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The eel's skin has a mucous coating that protects the eel’s body.
■
The coating gives eels the ability to travel hundreds of miles, sliding
through culverts and around impediments/obstacles, wherever a damp
surface occurs, even across a dew-covered field. Record feature:
mucous coating.
Males usually remain in the estuary or just upstream from it.
Do you think all the young eels will survive their journey from the Sargasso
Sea to the river? What might happen to them? [Some might get eaten.]
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Once in the river, the kingfisher, a diving bird that lives in the river basin
system will eat the young eels.
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The adult eels are eaten by night herons, gulls, and larger fish, sometimes
even people!

How do the eels contribute to the river basin system in this way? [The eel is
food at all stages of life.]
Eels are active only at night. Record feature: nocturnal.

At night, they prey on small fish, crayfish, and other small aquatic animals.
■
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By day, they burrow into the mud or hide under logs or rocks.
What does that tell you about the habitat conditions the eel prefers during the
time it lives upriver? [Quiet protected mucky bottom of bodies of
freshwater.]
By eating small fish, crayfish and other small animals, the eel reduces
competition among the aquatic animals that survive. The survivors grow
larger.
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■
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How does this fish, the eel, choice of food contribute to the river basin
system? [Population balance and improvement of prey species.]
The color of the eels at all stages of its life helps the eel to stay hidden from
predators.

Adult eels are olive-brown or greenish on top, fading to yellow-green sides
and whitish bellies.

In the larval stage in the ocean, the eels are transparent. The elvers (also
known as glass eels) are also transparent.

As they enter fresh water and begin eating aquatic insects and zooplankton,
their coloring changes from whitish to dark gray.
After an eel dies a scavenger might eat the eel body.

What if a scavenger never found the body of the dead eel in the water, how
would the eel's body be contributing to the river basin system? Remember
what we have talked about during our other trail points, what happens to
plants after they die? The same process occurs with animals.[Enrichment of
water and soil]

As the eel or any other animal decays (rots and breaks down) the nutrients that
were part of its body will be released in the water. These nutrients enrich the
water.

As the body of the eel decays in the water, what other area downstream
(where the river meets the sea) would benefit from that enrichment? [Estuary.]
Record Contributions of Eels
 Check off on Contribution Checklist any contributions the eel makes to
the river basin system.
o [Food in all stages of life cycle, enrichment of water, population
balance, predator-prey improvement.]
Full Checklist from observation sheet (for guide reference):
 Food source in all stages of life cycle
 Enrichment of soil and/or water (bodily wastes while alive and decaying
matter after death)
o Habitat creation
o Algae control
o Insect control
 Population balance
o Helping maintain the oxygen supply in water
 Predator-prey improvement (formerly “toning”)
Transition:
 If we had seen the young eels or an adult eel, we could have marked that
down as Evidence of Productivity. But since we didn’t, we really can’t.
 But eels do lay a lot of eggs, which return to the river as elvers.
■ Many young eels get eaten.
 Eels eat a lot of aquatic animals and keep that population in balance and
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River-Lab 5 Guide Manual – Trail Point 3

improve the prey population.
At the next trail point, we are going to observe another plant that grows in this
river basin system.
Belted Kingfisher
(Ceryle alcyon)
We will discuss the kingfisher, a bird that lives here in this river basin system.
 Record kingfisher on your observation sheet on the line net to "Bird”.
 Has anyone studied the kingfisher? If yes: Tell us about it.
Identification of kingfisher.
 (Show images of the kingfisher.)
 Describe size of kingfisher.
 It is about 13 inches. Record feature: small bird.
■ (Show with hands: that’s about this big.)
 They have long, harsh, rattling cry, a sound similar to a party
noisemaker.
■ Once you hear that distinctive kingfisher cry, look to the sky
and you might spot the kingfisher’s rapid flight.
 Describe its bill. Record feature: bill is long, thick, black, and
sharp.
 Remember this observation for when we talk about what it eats.
Interactive Activity
Direct team members to take turns reading information about the kingfisher on trail gear
card. Information italicized and underlined below is information listed on card. Respond
with additional detail provided here in open bullets. Record information about
kingfisher when I direct you.
Observation and Recording of Habitat and Features.
o Why do you think we stopped here to discuss the kingfisher? We are going to
discuss where it nests and feeds in the river basin system.
 Kingfishers prefer running waters but that is not the only place they live.
 They also live around lakes, ponds, marshes, by the sea, and on islands.
 Why do you think kingfishers prefer to live near water? [It is where their
food lives!]
Check off feeding area: anywhere there is water and fish. (Be sure
students are checking off in the Feeding section.)
 Their main food is small to medium-sized fish, but they also eat (consume)
mice, frogs, crayfish, insects, and even fruit.
 They are master fishers with deadly accurate diving aim.
 A kingfisher dives headfirst into the water and grabs a fish in its bill –
remember your observation about the bill. (Show picture of kingfisher again.)
 The kingfisher's diet of small-to-medium size fish and small animals improves
those prey species and keeps the population in balance.
 By eating small fish the kingfisher reduces competition among the fish that
survive. The survivors grow larger and are food for larger birds such as a
night heron.
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Kingfisher nests are located at the end of a tunnel, dug deep into a steep river
bank.
 The kingfisher tunnels are usually four to five feet deep, but occasionally up
to fifteen feet. The tunnel is dug and defended primarily by the male, after he
has proven himself to the female during courtship. Check off nesting area:
tunnel in bank.
 The female lays 5-8 eggs in the nest at the end of the tunnel. Record feature:
lays 5-8 eggs.
 Kingfishers are very territorial.
 They fiercely defend their section of the river from all competitors, especially
larger diving birds. A kingfisher (wingspan 20 inches—show with hands) was
once observed chasing an osprey (wing span 63 inches—show with arms)
from the Old Fording Place to the north side of the Excavated Lake.
 The territorial nature/behavior of the kingfisher ensures there will be some
small fish left to grow into bigger fish to feed the larger animals.
 Kingfishers have many predators.
 Raccoons, foxes, owls, hawks and snakes hunt kingfishers at all stages of
kingfisher’s life.
 After a kingfisher dies, a scavenger might eat the body.
 If a scavenger never found the dead kingfisher and the kingfisher's body
stayed on the ground or fell in the water, where it would rot and decay, how
would it be contributing to the river basin system? Remember what we have
talked about during our other trail points, what happens to plants after they die?
The same process occurs with animals. [Enrichment of water and soil
through the decay process.]
 As the kingfisher or any other animal decays (rots and breaks down) the
nutrients that were part of its body will be released in the water. These
nutrients enrich the water.
 As the body of the kingfisher decayed in the water, what other area
downstream (where the river meets the sea) would benefit from that
enrichment (decaying process)? [Estuary]
Record Contributions of Kingfisher
 Check off on observation sheet the contributions kingfishers make to the river
basin system.
o [Food, enrichment of soil and water, population balance, predatorprey improvement]
Full checklist from observation sheet (for guide reference)
 Food source in all stages of life cycle
 Enrichment of soil and water (bodily wastes while alive and decaying
matter after death)
o Habitat creation
o Algae control
o Insect control
 Population balance
o Helping maintain the oxygen supply in water
 Predator-prey improvement (formerly “toning”)

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River-Lab 5 Guide Manual – Trail Point 3
Transition:
 If we had seen the nest or the eggs of the kingfisher or even the bird itself, we
could have marked that down as Evidence of Productivity. But since we
didn’t, we really can’t.
 But kingfishers eat a lot of fish and keep the fish population in balance and
improve the prey populations.
 How do you think those contributions impact the productivity of the river
basin system? Does it increase or decrease the productivity? [Increase.]
 At the next trail point, we are going to observe another plant that grows in this
river basin system.
Black-crowned Night Heron
(Nycticorax nycticorax)
 We will discuss the Black-crowned Night Heron (BCNH) that lives here in this
river basin system.
 Record Black Crowned Night Heron on your observation sheet on the line next to
"Bird”.
 Has anyone studied the Black-crowned Night Heron? If yes: Tell us about it.
Identification of Black-crowned Night Heron
 Show images of the Night Heron.
 Describe size of Black-crowned night heron.
 It is about 2 feet tall. Record feature: large bird.
■ (Show with hands: that’s about this big.)
Interactive Activity
Direct team members to take turns reading information about BCNH on trail gear card.
Information italicized and underlined below is information listed on card. Respond with
additional detail provided here in open bullets. Record information about BCNH when I
direct you.
Observation and Recording of Habitat and Features
o Why do you think we stopped here to discuss the black-crowned night heron?
We are going to discuss where it nests and feeds in the river basin system.
o 50 to 80% of diet of the night heron diet is medium to large fish up to
14 inches.
o Nearly a quarter is comprised of crayfish, crabs, and shrimp. They
also eat insects, frogs, and rats and mice.
o Night herons nest in colonies in tall trees near water—ponds, wetlands,
and rivers.
o (Point to tall trees near water.)
Record nesting area: tall trees near water.
o Why do you think a Black-crowned night heron would build a nest
near water? [Lives near the river to be close to its food source—
fish.]
o At night, they fly up and down waterways looking for fish.
Record feeding area: anywhere there are water and fish.
o In spring, they follow alewives upstream on their spawning run.
o Once they spot fish, they stand, not moving, on the bank or on rocks
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protruding from the water, patiently waiting for their prey.
o To catch a fish, a Black-crowned night heron splashes into the
river with an awkward dive to grab a fish out of the water.
o To eat its catch, a night heron tosses it until the fish is aimed headfirst
down toward the heron’s open mouth.
o Eating a fish headfirst prevents the Black-crowned night heron’s
digestive tract from being scraped by the scales on the fish’s body.
Strong digestive chemicals in the stomach dissolve the scales and
bones.
o By eating small fish, the Black-crowned night heron reduces
competition among the fish that survive. The survivors grow larger.
o How does this large bird, the black-crowned night heron’s, choice
of food contribute to the river basin system? [Population balance
and improvement of prey species.]
o Crows and raccoons prey on Black-crowned night heron eggs.
 Black-crowned night heron lays 3-6 eggs a season. Record feature:
lays 3-6 eggs.
 How does the Black-crowned night heron contribute to the river
basin system in this way? [The Black-crowned night heron is
food at all stages of life.]
 After a night heron dies a scavenger might eat the body.
 If a scavenger never found the dead night heron and the night
heron's body stayed on the ground or fell in the water, where it
would rot and decay, how would it be contributing to the river
basin system? Remember what we have talked about during the
other trail points, what happens to plants after they die? The same
process occurs with animals. [Enrichment of soil and water
through the decay process.]
o As the Balck-crowned night heron or any other animal decays (rots
and breaks down) the nutrients that were part of its body will be
released in the water or soil. These nutrients enrich the water or
soil.
o As the body of the night heron decays in the water, what other area
downstream (where the river meets the sea) would benefit from
that enrichment? [Estuary.]
Record Contributions of Black-crowned night heron
 Check off on observation sheet the contributions of the Black-crowned night
heron to the river basin system.
o [Food, enrichment of soil and water, population balance, predatorprey improvement]
Full checklist from observation sheet (for guide reference).
 Food source in all stages of life cycle
 Enrichment of soil and water (bodily wastes while alive and decaying
matter after death)
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River-Lab 5 Guide Manual – Trail Point 3
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Habitat creation
Algae control
Insect control
Population balance
Helping maintain the oxygen supply in water
Predator-prey improvement (formerly “toning”)
Transition:
o If we had seen the nest, or eggs of the black-crowned night heron or even the
bird itself, we could have marked that down as Evidence of Productivity. But
since we didn’t, we really can’t.
o But Black-crowned night herons eat a lot of fish and keep the fish population
in balance and improve the prey population.
o How do you think those contributions impacts the productivity of the river
basin system? Does it increase or decrease the productivity? [Increase.]
o At the next trail point, we are going to observe another plant that grows in this
river basin system.
Red-winged Blackbird
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(Agelius phoeniceus)
We will discuss the red-winged blackbird that lives here in this river basin system.
Record red-winged blackbird on your observation sheet on the line next to "Bird”.
Has anyone studied the red-winged blackbird? If yes: Tell us about it.
Identification of Red-winged blackbird.
 Show images of the Red-winged blackbird, male and female.
 Describe the coloring of the red-winged blackbird.
 One is black with red patches on their wings the other is small and
brown. Record feature: red patches on wings.
 Like many birds, the male is more colorful. The female is a plain
brown bird.
 Describe size of red-winged blackbird.
 It is about 9 inches tall. Record feature: small bird.
■ (Show with hands: that’s about this big.)
Interactive Activity
Direct team members to take turns reading information about red-winged blackbird on
trail gear card. Information italicized and underlined below is information listed on card.
Respond with additional detail provided here in open bullets.
FYI -- Out of the three birds featured —this is the one most likely to be seen.
Record information about red-winged blackbird when I direct you.
Observation and Recording of Habitat and Features.

Why do you think we stopped here to discuss the red-winged blackbird? We
are going to discuss where it nests and feeds in the river basin system.

Male red-winged blackbirds are very territorial. They migrate
from the south early in spring to establish their territory.
o Males are so aggressive in protecting its territory that at first
they may even chase female redwings away when they return
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from the south.
o In time, however, courting, mating, and nesting occur.
Redwing nests are constructed of grasses and cattail fluff.
o The nests are often built among cattails or other wetland plants.
The habitat the red-winged blackbird prefers is where the
cattails grow: a marsh or wetlands. Record nesting area:
marsh, swamp, or wetland.
o The cattail fluff the redwings use contains the cattail seeds.
What happens when redwings use cattail fluff to line their nests?
[Seeds are spread.]
o How does that benefit the river basin system? [More cattail
marsh habitat!]
Red-winged blackbirds eat mainly insects during the spring and
summer.
o
Their diet is made up of mosquitoes, moths, spiders,
dragonflies, butterflies and more.
o
How does their diet contribute to the river basin system?
[Insect control.]
o Red-winged blackbirds eat all throughout the basin. Record
feeding area: whole river basin.
Red-winged blackbirds migrate south for the winter where they eat
grains as well as insects.
o Even though red-wings anger Southern farmers by eating corn
kernels off newly-seeded fields, because these birds are also
important consumers of insects, they help farmers by keeping
the insect population in balance.
Raccoons, snakes, crows, owls, hawks and red foxes prey on Redwinged blackbird eggs, their young, and the adults.
o Look at the picture of the red-winged blackbird nest with its 4
blue eggs.
o They usually lay 3-5 eggs at a time and often lay new eggs 2 or 3
times a season, building new nests each time. Record feature:
lays many eggs.
o How does the red-winged blackbird contribute to the river basin
system in this way? [The red-winged blackbird is food at all
stages of life.]
A scavenger might eat the red-winged blackbird after it dies.
o If a scavenger never found the dead red-winged blackbird, and
the red-winged blackbird's body stayed on the ground or fell in
the water, where it would rot and decay, how would it be
contributing to the river basin system? Remember what we
have talked about during our other trail points, what happens to
plants after they die? The same process occurs with animals.
[Enrichment of soil and water through the decay process.]
o As the body of the red-winged blackbird decays in the water,
what other area downstream (where the river meets the sea)
© 2009 Mill River Wetland Committee, Inc.
River-Lab 5 Guide Manual – Trail Point 3
would benefit from that enrichment? [Estuary.]
Record Contributions of Red-winged blackbird
 Check off on observation sheet the contributions of the red-winged blackbird to
the river basin system.
o [Food, Enrichment of soil and water, insect control, population
balance]
Full checklist from observation sheet (for guide reference)
 Food source in all stages of life cycle
 Enrichment of soil and water (bodily wastes while alive and decaying
matter after death)
 Habitat creation
o Algae control
 Insect control
 Population balance
o Helping maintain the oxygen supply in water
o Predator-prey improvement (formerly “toning”)
Transition:
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Since we saw red-winged blackbirds we can check off that on our
Evidence of Productivity Checklist.
If we had seen the nest, or eggs of the red-winged blackbird or even the
bird itself, we could have marked that down as Evidence of Productivity.
But since we didn’t, we really can’t.
But red-winged blackbirds eat a lot of insects and keep the insect
population in balance.
How do you think those contributions impact the productivity of the river
basin system? Does it increase or decrease the productivity? [Increase.]
At the next trail point, we are going to observe another plant that grows in
this river basin system.
If time tell: [walking and talking] The New York Museum of Natural History
did a study in which a male's patches were blacked out. When released back
into its habitat, that redwing immediately lost both its mate and its territory,
indicating that the patches are needed to warn away other males. Ask students
what they think happened when the blackening was removed and the redwing
released back into his territory. [Regained mate and territory.]
© 2009 Mill River Wetland Committee, Inc.
5GM - 76