Young Birders - Bird Bone Identification Workshop with Bournemouth University

What can archaeological bird bones can tell us about how birds lived in the past, and what that might mean for their future? We'll be visiting Bournemouth University's Bone Lab to find out!

This hands-on workshop will introduce you to zooarchaeology: the study of animal remains from archaeological sites. The session will explore how bird skeletons can reveal information about species identification, diet, habitats, and long-term changes in bird populations.

The workshop will consist of a short introduction to zooarchaeology and bird research, including some exciting local finds, like the bones of the now extinct Great Auk found on Portland. Participants will get hands-on experience with bird skeletons from Dorset and beyond, including Atlantic Puffin, Guillemot, Red Kite, passerines, waders, and corvids. Working as zooarchaeologists, you’ll examine archaeological bones and learn how to identify birds to species by comparing shape and size, helping us to understand how people were using birds in the past and what the birds we find can tell us about past environments.

To finish, you’ll investigate owl pellets, to see whether the owls have been eating small mammals, birds, or both. We’ll explore how owl diets reflect the landscapes and ecosystems around them.

This event is in partnership with Bournemouth University.

Travel

The event will be held on Talbot Campus, within Bournemouth Universities dedicated animal bone lab (room CG14), Christchurch House. Details of how to get to Talbot campus, via car or public transport can be found here. Please use the pay and display Visitor Carpark on Talbot Campus.

Note: we will have someone at the entrance of Christchurch House to help people find their way to the lab.

Safeguarding

Please note that for this event, we will not be providing adult tickets to accompany the Young Birders. As this is a specifically funded event for 13-18s to make this no charge and we have limited spaces available, we want to offer as many as possible to the young people. We will have 2 members of staff present at the event with all relevant safeguarding training. We also find that the Young Birders interact, learn from each other and ask more questions when parents are not present. If there are specific circumstances that mean a parent must attend we can make accommodations, but you must make sure to let us know beforehand. We hope this makes sense, please get in touch with us if you have any questions.

Please make sure to complete the following consent form if you intend to book a Young Birders Place on the event.