You’ve made it to Bird Island! On the island is Westminster’s largest rookery. A rookery is a colony of breeding animals, which in this case are birds. Below are tips to help you identify the birds on the island. When you see one, try to answer the following questions
- How big is it? Compare its size to a familiar bird such as an American robin, American crow, or Canada goose.
- What color is it? Look for color differences in its wings, head, throat, neck, chest, abdomen, and back.
- What is the beak's shape and size? Beaks are related to diet. Large, thick beaks are great for catching fish, cone-shaped beaks for cracking seeds, and small beaks for catching insects.
- Can you see it's feet? Webbed feet are designed for swimming and walking in the mud, whereas feet with large talons are designed to seize prey.
- Watch their behavior. Are they alone or in group? Are they on the ground, close to the water or in a tree?
If you enjoy bird watching, the best time to see birds is at sunrise and sunset.
Take a Closer look at the water in the lake