Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology Home Study Course and Exams

Description

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Home Study Course in Bird Biology is a basic ornithology class designed to provide comprehensive, college-level information on birds and their environments in a manner accessible to non-scientists, teachers, and motivated students the world over. It covers all major topics in ornithology, from anatomy and physiology to ecology, behavior, and conservation biology. One full chapter covers vocal communication and, in keeping with the Lab's tradition of recording and producing high-quality animal sounds for education and research, is accompanied by a CD of bird vocalizations that are used to illustrate the many elements of bioacoustics.

Who Should Take This Course?

This course is suitable for anyone with an inquiring mind and a serious interest in birds.

Course Format

The Home Study Course in Bird Biology is based on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's 1,100+ page Handbook of Bird Biology. The course is entirely self-paced and is facilitated by a Cornell Lab of Ornithology instructor, who is available to answer any questions about the course content. The Handbook includes more than 1,000 figures and illustrations and is accompanied by an audio CD of bird sounds. This course consists of ten online exams and participants earn a certificate upon successful completion.

This course contains the following modules:

1. Introduction: The World of Birds
2. A Guide to Bird Watching
3. Form and Function: The External Bird
4. What's Inside: Anatomy and Physiology
5. Birds on the Move: Flight and Migration
6. Understanding Bird Behavior
7. Vocal Behavior
8. Nests, Eggs, and Young: Breeding Biology of Birds
9. Individuals, Populations, and Communities: The Ecology of Birds
10. Bird Conservation

Authoring Faculty

The course was written by twelve leading ornithologists, each experts in their subject, and edited by Education Program staff at the Lab of Ornithology.