Our first project for young children will be the publication of a series of “Bird Song Ditties for Kiddies” written by Lang Elliott, each presented as an animated “Read Along” interactive. We’ve completed an initial prototype featuring the Black-capped Chickadee. Click here to see it in action!
At this time, Lang has nine other ditties written and plans to add another ten or fifteen, once we establish some funding for this project. Below is the text for the ditties already written (Ditties © Lang Elliott; All Rights Reserved.
Chick-a-dee-dee-dee, simple phrase,
Is what I shout on winter days.
But do you know my pretty song?
Fee-bee-eee, I whistle, all spring long.
American Robin:
I play my flute from dawn til noon.
Cheerily, cheeriup is my tune.
See me there on your front lawn?
I feast on worms, until they’re gone.
White-breasted Nuthatch:
I’m a stubby little woodland bird,
my tail as short as my beak!
Down the tree is the way I walk,
and yank-yank is the way I speak.
Northern Cardinal:
I wear a brightly colored gown.
My song’s a whistled treat.
I SHOUT with color and with sound …
merrily, wheet-wheet-wheet!
Jay-jay, jay-jay, I do exclaim!
And that is how I got my name.
But other sounds delight me more …
rattles, squeaks, and toots galore!
Northern Flicker:
I’m an ant-licker, and when I bicker,
I go wicker-wicker-wicker!
But when you see me in a tree …
I laugh out loud: hee-hee-hee-hee!
American Goldfinch:
A chippery chattery song I sing …
my call a bright soo-weet!
I also whistle on the wing …
A cheery per-teety-tee tweet!
On ponds and lakes you watch me swim,
fly up and around and back again.
In groups I chatter, cackle and quack,
my laughable voice a part of the pack.
Bobolink:
My feathery coat is black and white,
my call a simple pink!
My song is from another world …
gur-bubble-lee-spinkle-lee-spink!
Killdeer:
With rings around my neck and breast,
I sputter and squeak, for all to hear …
Then fly so high above my nest,
and cry my name kill-deer, kill-deer.