Student science teachers’ ideas about endangered bird species: Hermit ibis, Chukar partridge

Turkey is located in a region where the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa, called the Former Land Masses, are in close proximity to each other. The majority of its land is located in Asia, as the Anatolian Peninsula on the southwestern end of the continent, and the rest lays in the Thrace Peninsula, a part of the Balkan Peninsula, on the southeastern edge of Europe. Turkey is mathematically located between the 26th and 45th east longitudes, according to the main meridian (Greenwich) and 36th-42nd° north latitudes according to the equator. From this viewpoint, Turkey is both an Asian and European country, and it has considerable diversity in terms of bird fauna (Yarar & Magnin, 1997). While Turkey is a very important country in terms of birds, bird and nature protection has not yet been developed (Kiziroglu, 1987; Kiziroglu, 1989). Bird Life International and the Natural Life Protection Association (NLPA) are the first documents that demonstrated the importance of Turkey in terms of birds and habitats, and threats they encounter, as noted in the Important Bird Areas of Europe in 1989. The NLPA has achieved noteworthy success in the field of protection, primarily in wetlands, which have constituted the majority of protected areas in Turkey since 1990 (e.g. Göksu Delta, Büyük Menderes Delta, Kızılırmak Delta, Sultan Marshes, Ereğli Marshes, and Burdur Lake) (Yarar & Magnin, 1997). The total number of bird species in Turkey is 456, of which 304 are local and 152 are migratory species (Bilkent University, 2009). Turkey is at the intersection of Africa, Europe, and Asia, thus providing two major routes for bird immigration. One route includes the Marmara Sea, Central Anatolia and Hatay Belen Gateway, while the other goes through the Caucassus, Coruh River, East Anatolia and Hatay Belen Gateway.

Species identification tasks are generally accepted as fundamental aspects of biodiversity Randler & Bogner, 2006). When teaching pupils how to identify species, classification books, outdoor lessons or hands-on approaches are often preferred to teacher-centered ones involving factual knowledge transfers (Randler & Bogner, 2002). A pre-pilot study by Randler (2003) pointed to a tendency of novice pupils to assign birds to an order or family.

According to the most optimistic estimations of scientists, who draw attention to the fact that the rapid extinction of living species may be approximate to the effects of a nuclear war, a fifth of living species in the world are in danger of becoming extinct in 20-30 years. The populations of birds that were once symbols of different countries are rapidly declining (Tucker & Heath, 1994). Changing natural conditions, such as unconscious hunting, the use of chemical substances and the destruction of natural living spaces, including forests and fresh-water springs, are among the most significant factors. These species, faced with the danger of becoming extinct, play a significant role in protection of the ecological balance. For example, sparrow hawks and eagles are classified as predatory birds and they are the enemies of mice. Various pests, such as mice, can be harmful to agricultural products and are among falcons’ food sources. Everything is balanced in nature, and birds have a role to play in this balance. Helping students gain bird identification skills will help them protect these endangered species. Hence, environmental and biodiversity education should be included in the school curriculum. In an effort to increase students’ responsible attitudes toward nature, Randler and Bogner (2006) provide pupils with a hands-on lesson regarding the natural history of six bird species. Findings from this important study show that students’ levels of species identification skills, and their knowledge in selected facets of biodiversity, increase in a learner-centered educational setting.