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Sky Island Tours
offers many interesting educational programs for any audience.
These programs bring the wonder and beauty of
the natural world into your classroom, meeting room, or home.
Our education offerings are a great way to
become familiar with, or learn more about, the creatures that can be found in southern
Arizona.
If you cannot find a program to fit your
needs,
please contact us and we will develop a custom presentation just for
you!
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| Southern Arizona’s Familiar Feathered Friends |
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This program introduces our audience to the more common
birds that can be found in southern Arizona. This lecture will discuss identification,
habitat, food, and other aspects of the natural history of our most familiar
birds. The lecture features color slides
and audio recordings of all of the species that are discussed.
This presentation is ideal for beginning
birders, new area residents (year-round or winter-only!), and school science
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| A Taste of the Tropics |
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One of our most popular programs, A Taste of the Tropics
displays many of the birds that have made southern Arizona
a mecca for birders from around the world.
Trogons, hummingbirds, warblers, flycatchers, raptors, and tanagers are
the focus of this presentation. Some of
these birds are among the most colorful species found in North
America. Color slides and
audio recordings bring these wonderful birds to life. A great presentation for visiting birders,
seniors groups, and school science programs.
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| Arizona's Owls |
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Owls are among the most recognizable groups of birds.
This presentation explores owls in depth,
highlighting the sights and sounds of these remarkable birds.
The lecture features many aspects of the natural
history of these birds- habitat, food, nesting, and conservation.
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| Raptors |
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Hawks, eagles, and falcons are another group of easily
recognized birds, which have attracted the attention of humans for
centuries. In this presentation we
explore the diversity, identification, and natural history of these aerial
predators. We will also take a look at
vultures, which have traditionally been classified as raptors (although they
are not at all closely related to them).
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| Hummingbirds |
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Hummingbirds are simply incredible birds.
Their astonishing colors and unbelievable
flight abilities make them hugely popular. This program presents an overview
of the biology of these birds- natural history, classification, and
identification. We will also discuss
hummingbird gardening to attract these birds to your yard.
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| Bats, Bats, Bats |
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Bats are often feared because of the threat of rabies or
the possibility that one of these animals could get tangled in ones hair. The truth is that bats are an enormously
successful group of mammals that deserve our respect, not our fear.This lecture features color slides that
exemplify the diversity of bats. Topics
to be discussed include bat classification, natural history, and bat-human
interaction.
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| Mammal Overview |
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This program presents an introductory overview of the
Mammalia, the class of vertebrates to which humans belong. In this presentation, the diversity and natural
history of mammals will be featured.
Special attention will be paid to species occurring in southern Arizona.
Among the mammals highlighted will be
rodents, bats, squirrels, carnivores, and ungulates.
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| Bounteous Beetles |
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Beetles form the most diverse collection of animals on the
planet. This program will highlight the
diversity, natural history, and economic importance of this huge group of
insects. Live specimens will be used to illustrate
the variation and biology of beetles.
A good program for natural history classes.
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| Leapin’ Lepidoptera |
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Butterflies and moths are among the most wellknown and
popular groups of insects (although some cause tremendous economic
damage). We will focus on the
classification and natural history of these insects, which offer an excellent opportunity
to discuss topics such as plant-animal interactions, mimicry, metemorphosis,
and conservation. In addition, this program will also explore
butterfly (and moth) gardening, which is becoming an increasingly popular
pastime.
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| Arachnids & Insects |
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Earth is the domain of insects, spiders and their relatives (scorpions, ticks, mites,
daddy-long-legs, and a few others). They are among the most feared and reviled
creatures on our planet. However, this |
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reputation is almost totally undeserved.
In this program, we will feature the classification and natural history
of these abundant animals. Live
specimens of some of the more common species will be featured.
We sincerely hope that this presentation will
help, in some small way, to dispel the fears that many people have toward these
animals. They are truly remarkable
creatures that are largely beneficial to mankind.
This program is suitable for
school science programs, garden clubs, youth groups, and all others who are
interested in these amazing animals.
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Please book educational programs at least two weeks prior to desired date.
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| Field trips can be incorporated into any of the above
programs for an additional cost.
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