Bird TV: New WSO Web site offers free videos to teach viewers about birds
There are many ways to learn more about the some 400 bird species that occur in Wisconsin, and WSO has compiled many of these resources on our website. Central to our Learn About Birds section is Bird TV. That’s short for “Bird Teaching Video,” a set of web-based educational resources written and produced in conjunction with WSO by Steve Betchkal for use by schools, nature centers, bird clubs and community members. And it’s all free.
The topics covered in the various episodes are diverse, informative, sometimes humorous, and always stocked with beautiful imagery. It’s so easy to love the shapes and colors of birds, their songs, behaviors and amazing physical adaptations, but at the heart of Bird TV is a simple and timely ethic: “Those who come to know birds will look out for birds.”
Bird conservation is a key component of education, and each and every episode of Bird TV discusses how the citizens of a state whose quality of life has been enhanced by wild birds can help tobetter protect their avian resources. There are currently 13 episodes on line, and Betchkal, chief news photographer for WQOW in Eau Claire and a WSO member, has plans for more. They range from 3 minutes to 23 minutes long.
Three of the episodes were produced originally for WSO. Four others are adapted from stories that aired on the ABC affiliate in Eau Claire. The other six are more-or-less how they aired -- with an introduction and credits added.
Check out the links to all of the videos here
