As part of an interdisciplinary project, high school Advanced Placement Environmental Science students in Jonathan Maletta’s class investigated native bird species and then constructed birdhouses for the local fowl.

The students took further steps to understand the population dynamics of birds by registering their birdhouses with Cornell’s NestWatch program, which tracks trends in the reproductive biology of birds. Among the native species studied were black-capped chickadees and house wrens.

Through the activity, and with the help of technology teachers Brian Chalmers and Robert Dunlop, the students also learned about the proper use of power tools and how to properly design the houses to keep out invasive species.  

“I really enjoyed participating in this collaborative project,” said student Bella Mungioli.