Why are feathers important to understanding birds?
Why do some remain close to home year-round and others migrate for thousands of kilometres?
Answers to these questions are an integral part of Our Feathered Friends, a travelling exhibition from Ottawa’s Canadian Museum of Nature.
The exhibition takes flight at the Nanaimo Museum Feb. 3 to May 21 and is suitable for all ages.
The exhibition’s display units and graphics provide an introduction to birds and birdwatching.
“Visitors’ skill when identifying local birds will be enhanced via the exceptional photography of Ralph Hocken and study specimens loaned from Vancouver Island University’s Museum of Natural History,” said curator David Hill-Turner. “Novice birders will find the exhibition and programs very helpful in learning more about the hobby.”
Public programs offered as part of the exhibition will appeal to various birding interests, including a photography contest; Urban Bird tours; birding and nature photography presentations; and ecology programs for elementary school students.
Workshops and demonstrations offer opportunities to try the art of origami or learn to prepare a meal for your favourite backyard bird.
Using photos, specimens and video, learn what makes birds special, how they soar and glide and how to identify them. More than 400 species of birds have been identified in B.C. – more than any other province in Canada.
Indoor and outdoor birdwatchers should find something of interest in the travelling exhibit.
For more information, please visit www.nanaimomuseum.ca or call 250-753-1821.