Exploring STEAM via birds with valuable opportunities and resources

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An introduction to various fields in STEM and the arts, and how they relate to ornithology. Dive deep into the world of birds and pursue what piques your interest! Each section includes analysis and engaging aspects of what you could explore, and a list of helpful resources, competitions, and valuable opportunities that could be once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Feel free to skim through certain sections you are certain you have no interest in, but trying things out by simply reading this comprehensive guide would be strongly advised.

Science

🌍 Physical Science 

Physics, chemistry, and earth and space science.

Ever wondered how birds take off in flight and make such complicated maneuvers in the sky? The answer is inextricably tied with quantum physics and earth science: migrating birds have been found to use magnetic fields to find breeding and wintering grounds - take a look at the full research paper here.  For a more simple background, the flight of birds depends entirely on the four forces in physics: weight, lift, thrust, and drag. The way bird wings are tapered and how they move in different shapes, from a figure-eight to a simple vertical thrust, can affect birds' flight performance in the air. For a more fascinating and in-depth overview, check out this lecture on the magic of flight!

Studies also find that these birds' internal compass also rely on chemical reactions within the eyes that sense magnets. Scientists have also speculated that tiny iron crystals in bird beaks may help them navigate, but do not understand how these magnetic crystals in bird beaks are wired to the brain or how they specifically work. The colors of birds are also determined by pollution and heavy metal concentrations, and pigments that color birds are even transferred to the yolk of the eggs they hatch - yet the eggs don't turn red, or purple, or whatever the color of the bird itself. Diet and environment and their influence on birds is understood but widely unknown, a pressing topic in chemical ecology.

​ Seabird flight patterns have also been found to be a potential technique for much faster spaceship flight. Because of seagulls and albatrosses, we might be able to reach Jupiter much faster than ever before! Conventionally, going to Jupiter would take a handful of years, but ships modeling seabird flight could be exponentially faster.

Opportunities:

• Challenge yourself with an Earth and Space Science, AP Chemistry or AP Physics course at your school.

• Apply to the $50,000 Davidson Fellows scholarship which could award budding scientists and chemists for exceptionally creative applications and ideas. 

• Join your school's local Science Olympiad for a variety of topics on physical science you can test your knowledge on and compete in.

🌱 Life Science

Biology & medicinal studies​, environmental science, veterinary science, ornithology, and psychology.

Like the study of life, plants, animals, and people? Birds have been proven to be important models for testing new ideas in biology because of their behaviors and distribution. Though nearly everyone who's taken a basic science class know that birds originate from dinosaurs, the types of dinosaurs and corresponding birds create such a diverse map of life that it may surprise you nevertheless.

Birds are known to eat 400-500 tons of bugs a year and greatly reduce the spread of diseases such as rabies: look to the Indian Vulture, whose depletion through being poisoned by pesticides led to a disease crisis killing many, costing India over $2 billion in 1994 alone and $34 billion across the span of 14 years. Hawks and owls keep the rat population in check. Without birds, you may not be alive, or you may be swarmed in locusts and diseases galore. Bird poop is one of the most valuable things on the planet because it can keep entire forests alive through fertilization. It can even fertilize coral reefs, and they save millions of dollars for humans every year: native sparrows alone destroyed weed seeds that saved farmers $35 million in 2024.

​ The American Psychological Association has released multiple findings regarding the psychology and intelligence of birds as well. Pigeons could even distinguish between healthy and cancerous tissue in X-rays and after training could identify breast cancer 85% of the time, similar in skill to human pathologists. As a result, birds could even be trained to screen for cancer, especially in countries with a shortage of doctors.

Opportunities:

• Consider AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, or AP Psychology.

• Check out Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Course Catalog for an array of cheap, unique courses to grow your skills in ornithology, from college-level biology to fun drawing and listening classes!

• ​Check out this directory of health related internships to see if you might be interested in working to help others and gain medical experience, or delve into some fun psychology project ideas!

Technology

🖥 Computer science

Computer models and game design.

Birds and computers actually have more things in common than one may realize. Pigeons' learning strategies are nearly identical to basic machine learning algorithms, techniques used by AI to accomplish and calculate things that humans cannot. If you're interested in how birds think, fly, and survive, maybe you could consider how computers actually do similar things to solve problems in our everyday lives, too. Perhaps we could incorporate more complex bird behavior into algorithms as well!

On the flip side, AI has been used in numerous ways to identify and conserve birds in ways that haven't been possible before. Computer science developments help make sure that we can see blue jays, cardinals, and other birds galore singing songs outside our windows each day. In fact, a Google-funded research project is creating continent-wide maps of bird habitat connectivity with machine learning models. The Bird Migration Explorer uses big data from hundreds of research institutions into a fun web interface including dynamic location data, seasonal abundance, and more.

​Introductory programming professor Lillian Lee at Cornell University comments that newly-acquired programming skills were applied by a student to research in ornithology, winning the Best Paper Award at one of the most prestigious AI conferences. Scientists use something known as a convolutional neural network to track hundreds of individual birds that humans could never be able to physically tell apart in order to observe chick rearing behavior and defense against predators. How cool would it be to tell all the birds apart and give them individual names while knowing what they like to do in nature? It's almost as if one could speak to animals!

If you're looking for something more fun or casual to explore, birds are featured in many different video games, educational to goofy - look to Angry Birds or Untitled Goose Game for current relevant examples. Cornell Lab of Ornithology's website is chock-full with puzzle games, platform games, and even interactive material introducing a college-level ornithology understanding for people interested in an in-depth exploration of the topic while enjoying oneself.

Opportunities:

• Perhaps schedule AP Computer Science Principles or AP Computer Science A into your course load. The former involves creating a project with a theme or goal of your choice using a programming language!

• Learn basic computing through Raspberry Pi, which includes fun and accessible hardware for everyone.

• ​Veritas AI, founded and run by graduate students, provides AI scholar programs to delve into something novel with computers.

• At Horizon, you can develop an original research project with a top professor over a trimester of remote work through their program.

• Games 4 Change is a challenge rewarding students for creating digital games about issues impacting their communities. Get started on making something that everyone can play and learn from now!

Engineering

✈ Aerospace & Astronomy

Airplane, drone, and spaceship design.

Due to their gift of flight, many know that spaceships and other technologies regarding aerospace are based heavily off of birds and their wings. Shock absorption structures in space shuttles are actually being increasingly based on woodpeckers' heads! Military squadron formations make a "V" shape because that is the most efficient way geese migrate. Aircraft manufacturers are testing it out with commercial planes as it saves energy. Hummingbirds' unique combination of a chest bone, specific muscles, and figure-eight flying patterns have been used in drones that can now move just as fast and flexibly. B-2 bombers, a type of stealthy airplane hard to detect by radar, are directly modeled after the peregrine falcon's hunting technique, body shape, and speed adjustment patterns to reach top speeds silently and rapidly. Innovative plane models are beginning to incorporate tattered wings and covered landing gear to reduce noise, like owls. The way birds open their wings and tail before landing are being incorporated into drones and small aircraft as a tail with a motor, meaning it will soon be possible to balance flying on very narrow surfaces like cables.

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Opportunities:

• Even if you're not a physics fan in particular, any of the AP Physics ​​courses may supplement your knowledge with useful topics on the matter of flight!

• Partake in NASA's Student Launch Challenge involving launching a rocket and lots of prizes.

• Maybe you could host one of these aerospace activities as a program at your school or local community.

🛠 Product design

Product ideas inspired from birds.

The properties of birds have been used in many products inseparable from our lives - and most of them have nothing to do whatsoever with flying. Fade-resistant paints imitate the nanostructure of colored bird feathers, a high-tech remote controlled car that can travel hundreds of feet powered by rubber bands has a skeleton based on bird bones, two-legged robots stand like ostriches who can run 43 miles an hour, and Japanese trains modeled after the shape of the kingfisher's beak create less sound because of how kingfishers plunge into the water to hunt for fish with barely any splash. Novel, state-of-the-art commercial building floors are actually based on crow skulls which have layers of shells resulting in a strong, thin surface that is more stable and efficient than how we usually build floors. Shorebirds' beaks can capture water droplets in the air to hydrate themselves, and researchers created a subsequent device that can collect fog droplets to create drinking water for areas experiencing water crises.

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Opportunities:

• Find a local Invention Convention program, where you're guided through making an invention of your own which can be patented and recognized at the worldwide level. What global challenge will you tackle?

• ​Join the Diamond Challenge, a competition with over 20,000 alumni, to build solutions and draft ideas to solve pressing global issues - combining the worlds of engineering, invention, and business marketing all in one.

• Girls in STEM may want to check out EngineerGirl's page where you can ask an engineer questions and explore careers.

Art and the humanities

👨‍⚖️ Geopolitics

The geopolitical significance of birds provides a new insight into how we should value them as a species.

On Capitol Hill, bird walks began a few years ago, leading congressmen to birdwatch and relate to each other despite partisan divisions. Political barriers were taken down, connections were forged between policy makers, and everyone focused solely on identifying species and learning about birds. Though the congressmen never speak about politics on these walks organized by Audubon, they move towards bipartisan legislation to protect birds as a result. Increased equity in birding helps everyone understand that access to nature via parks and green space to marginalized communities is crucial in stopping health inequities.

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Opportunities:

• ​Read about the National Audubon Society, one of the biggest bird conservation organizations and learn how to get involved.

• Get inspired by Birdgirl, an activist who started a popular blog about birds and started leading a nonprofit movement on equal access to nature here.

🤝 Cultural integration

Different cultures have perceived birds as widely different, from holy entities to funny characters to something to eat.

​ Birds, although not seeming like the mainstream trend, have been inseparable from our culture as early as the Egyptian civilizations that worshipped the Bennu, a deity resembling a heron that represents creation and rebirth. Everyone has heard of the phoenix, a mythical and immortal bird from Greek mythology made of flames. In China, preserved duck, chicken, or quail eggs are processed for months to create the Century egg, a fermented delicacy. On a more nostalgic note, Big Bird from Sesame Street has been the childhood friend of many, encouraging children to help others in their community, be honest, trustful, generous, and hopeful.

Opportunities:

• Stanford researchers found that culturally significant birds are at risk from deforestation and global warming despite being an integral part of human culture: read more here.​

• Bring something about birds to a cultural presentation or club at your school, or suggest hosting a cultural bird-related event!

📚 Literature

The International Journal of Science and Research has described a multitude of ways on how birds are an inspiration to authors in literature. Even works of writing as simple as the nursery rhyme "Mother Goose" show how birds became part of our lives through being domesticated animals. Aesop taught morals through bird characters, like a rooster regarding survival as more important than a precious gemstone in the classic story "The Cock and the Jewel". Birds are so diverse, beautiful and unique that they are found in the world's greatest works of writing. They're even found in classics like Shakespeare to the point that a book called The Ornithology of Shakespeare was written about it.​

Opportunities:

• ​Check out this classic list of birds in famous works of literature. Maybe they pop in books much more than you think!

• Goodreads has a giant list of fiction and nonfiction birds featuring birds with a wide range of narratives and topics here. Get started on reading one if any pique your interest!

✍ Writing

As aforementioned on this page, birds are portrayed in a multitude of ways and expressed uniquely through fiction and nonfiction. Perhaps you could bring that into your own writing, or explore different genres of fiction writing if you like the idea of bringing something new to life.​

Opportunities:

• The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards allow fiction submissions in different kinds of formats, looking for impactful and unique themes. Awards are on the regional and national levels.

• The John Locke essay competition provides fascinating prompts in different humanities fields each year and rewards winners with a global grand prize.

• New York Times hosts small and big contests alike as frequently as every week. These contests challenge your writing to the max by prompting you to write things from review or commentaries to 100 word memoirs of yourself.

• YoungWritersUSA has seasonal writing competitions with prompts for elementary, middle, and high schoolers. Prizes include gift cards and publication.

🎭 Music and Theatre

A lot of classical music is actually inspired by birds, including references to blackbirds and starlings. In fact, starlings were brought from Europe to the Americas because of their renowned birdsong and mimicry. Famous works like Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 Pastoral include nightingale, quail, and cuckoo calls. More examples of birds in classical music can be found here.​ In addition, this article also shows how birdsong has had such a massive influence on music, from folk songs to pop songs and much more. References to birds have been increasingly made in modern music too, such as in "Birds of a Feather" by Billie Eilish - the singer uses the common idiom to express everlasting and enduring feelings of love.

Opportunities:

• Check out YoungArts' classical music competition targeted towards high schoolers ages 15-18. One can receive national recognition and other cool prizes or opportunities. They also have competitions for art too!

• Take a look at this list of music competitions for high schoolers with monetary awards!

• You can compose your very own music with Chrome Music Lab. Though the tool itself is simple, one can make pretty nice songs and eventually progress to a more advanced music creation platform like GarageBand!

🖼 Visual Arts

Birds' association with art is undeniable. John James Audubon, an ornithologist from the 19th century, created thousands of life-sized paintings of birds in great detail, printed on giant "Double Elephant Folio" paper. Frida Kahlo's self-portrait Me and My Parrots is a significant symbol of how artists express their culture and identity. Cartoon birds and exaggerated characters have been popping up in shows like Peep and the Big Wide World targeted towards young children. Birds can be used as metaphorical symbols to express complex emotions and situations in human culture and society. For example, the graphic novel White Bird by R. J. Palacio is told by depictions of a wooden bird as symbolism for the story's biggest themes. 

Opportunities:

• For a compelling example of combining birds with art, read this Wikipedia page on Bird in Space, a unique art series from the 1920s.

• Check out the Bird and Moon archives, where there is an extensive stock of interesting, entertaining, and informative comic strips all about birds and other wildlife.

• The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards mentioned in the writing section above allow for many art types to be entered, from paintings to digital art. YoungArts, linked in the music section to the left, does too!

Mathematics

📊 Statistics

Data analysis and understanding trends.

It may be already unsurprising to you, but mathematics was behind nearly every other instance of birds being incorporated into the STEM aforementioned on this webpage. New research and finding patterns in nature always rely on statistics and understanding data trends. But don't worry, math isn't all numbers on a page - its applications can become wildly creative and interesting, even to a layperson who dislikes complicated equations. For proof, simply check out the visualizations and data products on eBird, a birdwatching website where hundreds of thousands of people log observations, using advanced statistical models to depict interesting trends from migration journeys to locations of different species.

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Opportunities:

• Take an AP Statistics class at your school

• Consider incorporating data analysis from collected information or existing data from data.gov in an original research project

• What insights can you glean from general trends found on eBird and in other studies? Is there anything you could do with that information to spread awareness and education about birds and math at your school? Perhaps start a club or initiative.

📈 Algebra and Calculus

Bird models and behavior trends.

As said about statistics, calculus is heavily applied in the field of ornithology and its surrounding areas of study as well: especially with flight, which you can refer to the Science and Engineering sections of this webpage for a deeper understanding. Projectile motion in calculus is even applicable to fun Angry Birds games, as seen in this short, fascinating video you may want to watch to get started in this area. Mathematical modelling developed by mathematician and logician Alan Turing are directly applied to study why flocks of birds distribute across a landscape in a certain way. As the leader of the study PhD student Natasha Ellison said, "Mathematical models help us understand nature in an extraordinary amount of ways and our study is a fantastic example of this." Bird-like artworks are even created and introduced by mathematical equations and trigonomic functions through combining tens of thousands of computer-generated images. See how 500 lines or 20,000 circles on a graph could create a seagull or a dove just by writing a few lines of an equation on this Wikipedia page.

Opportunities:

• Take an AP Calculus class to up your game.

• Check out Desmos's Global Math Art Contest, where you can "draw" beautiful pictures and 3D scenes by graphing equations.

This marks the end of the post. Please spread the word to other students who you think may find Bird2Branch's resource hubs and other elements useful! Be sure to check out other parts of our website, as they're sure to help.