Written
by
Moses Dirks
Produced
by the
Materials Development Center
Rural Education
University of Alaska
2223 Spenard Road
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
A
Word of Thanks
I
would like to acknowledge the assistance of the following people:
Tupou
L. Pulu - for suggesting other things to include in my writing
and for writing 'A Note to Teachers'
Knut
Bergsland - for reading over my Native manuscript
Students
in Atka - for clarifying some of my narratives in the Native
language
Mary
L. Pope - for photoreadying the material
Carol
Hutchins and Diane Crowne - for the pictures which they made
for the National Bilingual Materials Development Center and
which are now used in this book
I
would also like to recognize the teaching of my parents as
well as my grandparents who depended on the birds that come
to Atka for subsistence. It was from them that I first learned
the names of the birds, what they eat, where they are found,
the songs they sing, and how to catch some of them for food.
I am grateful for their teachings. I hope that through reading
this book and doing some of the activities that are suggested
in 'A Note to Teachers', the students of Atka will be able
to know more about the birds that come to their island, and
to other islands of the Aleutian Chain throughout the year
either for the purpose of nesting or simply to avoid the long
winter months of the more northern regions of Alaska.
Moses
Dirks
A
Note to Teachers
This
book, Atkan Birds, is written about the birds that Moses
Dirks can definitely identify in Native for Atka island. There
may be others that he is not aware of and which some of the
activities that are suggested below should help identify. The
most important thing to remember when studying this book is
that no limitation of study to birds of Atka only is intended.
You should encourage the students to find out about other bird
species especially those that are found throughout Alaska.
One
of the best guides on what to do for bird study in Alaska is
the booklet that was compiled by the Anchorage Audubon Society,
Inc. It is called A Guide to the Audubon Alaskan Birds Chart. If
you do not have a copy of it, you should get one. The activities
suggested in it are the very ones that can make your bird study
not only interesting but very informative. The address for
the Anchorage Audubon Society, Inc. is P.O. Box 1161, Anchorage,
Alaska 99510. Other information on birds and bird sanctuaries
can be obtained by writing to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Anchorage, Alaska.
Perhaps your students could make it a project to write to these
agencies including the Educational Services Department, National
Audubon Society, 950 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022.
The
following activities are further suggestions on what to do
in studying birds with Native students:
- Invite
people from the community to come to the school and do the
following:
- Look
over pictures of the birds and identify them both in
English and in the Native language. Two good books
for this activity are Roger Tory Peterson's new Field
Guide to the Birds published by Houghton Muffin
Company, Boston, and A Guide to the Birds
of Alaska by Robert Armstrong and the Editors of
Alaska Magazine which can be purchased from the Book
Cache in Anchorage.
- Sometimes
the Native people give examples of how different birds
sing their songs. Perhaps it would be very interesting
to compare the Native bird sound words to those in
the English language, but it would definitely be more
interesting to record the bird song as imitated by
the Native people and compare them to actual bird songs
recorded by you and your students, or played by a recording
of such songs made by the Laboratory of Ornithology,
Cornell University. These recordings can be used with
the Field Guide to the Birds. The National Audubon
Society has also produced a set of materials called
the Audible Audubon. These consist of a microphonograph
and a set of cards containing a color picture of the
bird on one side and the information about the bird
and its call on a microphonograph record on the other
side. The bird songs, or calls, on these microphonograph
records are the same ones found on the three 12-LP
records mentioned previously. Both have their advantages
and disadvantages in terms of using them with students.
The Audible Audubon is quite limited in the number
of birds that are common to Alaska. Perhaps it would
be best to select the ones from the 12-LP records that
are typically Alaskan birds and record them on cassettes
for student use. Use the counter on the cassette recorder
to indicate where different bird songs are found on
the tape so that the students can easily locate them.
Help the students to identify the birds in their local
area by the songs of those birds. Have a bird song
identifying contest.
- Compile
the list of names given by the Native people from the
community and compare them with your known list to
see if there are any new birds to be added to your
list.
- Tell
stories of birds and their significance in the people's
life history. Help students to learn the stories, and
in some cases, there will also be story songs sung
by birds for different purposes that students can learn.
Some of the stories may be concerned mainly with the
beliefs of the people about the behavior of certain
birds and how they bring luck, or even misfortune,
upon the people.
- Teach
bird dances to the students.
- Show
different methods by which birds were killed for food
in the old days. These may include catching birds by
nets, trapping, or snaring. Help the students to learn
these methods and to make the necessary gear for bird
hunting.
- Tell
of how the people worked out ways of ensuring that
the bird population is not decreased by foolish hunting.
- Discuss
the effects of hunting laws on the traditonal hunting
of birds and why these laws are necessary for the proper
management of our bird resources.
- Have
students make a list of the current endangered bird species
in Alaska. After the list is made, write short articles on
the birds giving the reasons why they are on the endangered
species list.
- Work
with students in mastering both vocabulary and concepts that
are necessary for a better understanding of the following
terms as they apply to birds:
habitat,
migration, flyways, etc. For example, students should
be able to describe the three major habitat divisions
in Alaska: tundra, coniferous or northern forest, and
aquatic. Use maps of the state and the whole Western
Hemisphere with your students. A lot of geographical
knowledge can be gained during your bird study. One way
to carry out this activity is to prepare a number of
cards with information on birds. For example, some of
the cards might read like this:
|
The
word that means a group of birds nesting in close
association.
|
Name
at least four types of bill adaptations.
|
|
Name
the Alaska State bird.
|
Tell
what you can do to help with bird banding.
|
|
Name
at least four of the National Wildlife Refuges
in Alaska.
|
|
These
cards can be used in many different ways. Consider using
them for games that are similar to cards used in "Sorry" or "Monopoly." One
other way to use them is to divide them into two stacks.
Divide the students into two groups. Draw concentric
circles on the chalkboard. Starting with the innermost
circle, assign points to each circle such as 30, 25,
20, 15, etc. Use rubber darts to shoot at the circles.
After the dart lands within one of the circles, the shooter
picks up a card and reads it out loud. A member of his
group has the first chance to give the correct answer.
If he misses, a member of the opposing team can give
the answer. If he answers correctly, the shooter's team
loses the number of points assigned to that circle to
the other team. They also lose their turn to shoot the
rubber dart. Keep a tally of points accumulated by each
team. Tally the points at the end to determine the winner.
- Encourage
students to be involved in determining how new proposed building
projects in the local area, whether they be for residential
purposes, highways or industrial use, are going to affect
bird habitats.
These
are only a few suggestions. They can be expanded and added
to as the needs and interests of your class are considered.
And hopefully, this little book will be of some use to your
class in the study of birds.
Topography
of a Bird
Table
of Contents
Qigu{ -
Gavia immer
Common Loon
|
Qaqa}i{ -
Gavia stellata
Red-throated Loon
|
Aagayuu}i{ -
Phalacrocorax pelagicus
Pelagic Cormorant
|
Ingatu{ -
Phalacrocorax urile
Red-faced Cormorant
|
Qukin}i{ -
Olor columbianus
Whistling Swan
|
Qagmangi{ -
Philacte canagica
Emperor Goose
|
Aa}i{ -
Anas platyrhynchos
Mallard
|
Amtatu{ -
Anas acuta
Pintail
|
Qii{chiida{ -
Anas crecca
Green-winged Teal
|
Kuchutu{ -
Aythya affinis
Lesser Scaup
|
Saaku{ -
Somateria spectabilis
King Eider
|
Kasami{ -
Somateria mollissima
Common Eider
|
Tamgaalu{ -
Melanitta deglandi
White-winged Scoter
|
Qugaangi{ -
Melanitta nigra
Black Scoter
|
Hanim
Kamgituu - Bucephala clangula
Common Goldeneye
|
Midimit{i{ -
Becephala albeola
Bufflehead
|
Aanglaa}i{ -
Clangula hyemalis
Oldsquaw
|
Kaaxadgi{ -
Histrionicus histrionicus
Harlequin Duck
|
A}laaya{ -
Mergus serrator
Red-breasted Merganser
|
Ti}la{ -
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Bald Eagle
|
A}diikas -
Lagopus mutus
Rock Ptarmigan
|
Hiigi{ -
Haematopus bachmani
Black Oystercatcher
|
Chulixta{ -
Calidris ptilocnemis
Rock Sandpiper
|
Sluka{ -
Larus glaucescens
Glaucous-wing Gull
|
Tiigilgaada{ -
Rissa tridactyla
Black-legged Kittiwake
|
Ulungt{a{ -
Uria aalge
Common Murre
|
Siihmlu{ -
Cepphus columba
Pigeon Guillemot
|
Qizangi{ -
Synthliboramphus antiguus
Ancient Murrelet
|
Qagida{ -
Fratercula corniculata
Horned Puffin
|
Uxchu{ -
Lunta cirrhata
Tufted Puffin
|
Tutuutu{ -
Nyctea scandiaca
Snowy Owl
|
Qanglaa}i{ -
Corvus corax
Common Raven
|
Maadugaa{ -
Plectrophenax nivalis
Snow Bunting
|
Chaanu{ -
Leucosticte tephrocotis
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch
|
Chiixuyaaka{ -
Melospiza melodia
Song Sparrow
|
Chilu{ -
Calcarius lapponicus
Alaska Longspur
|
Qatxaya{ -
Troglodytes troglodytes
Winter Wren
|
|
|
|
At{am
Sangis
Udang
At{am imunaa ama chida}an sas alanazaIaka}is uku}azas. Sam
agiitingis udang slum huzuu agikus, agiitingis maagutaza}ulas.
Qan'gim sangis ama saaqudgim sangis malagazas. Unangam ilan
ama Amilaayam ilan asangis ila{taa a}iingan a}ikung hingamataguun
asangis alax tunux ilagan ida}aqadaan}an a}iku{.
Atkan
Birds
There
are lots of birds that can be seen around Atka and near it.
There are some birds that are present all year round, and there
are some that stay only part of the year. There are winter
birds and summer birds. I am going to give their names in Aleut
and English, and in that way, we will know the names in both
languages.
At{am
Sangis 
