Abe

Sunflower Seeds: Flavored, or Non-Flavored?

INTRODUCTION

I have been enjoying sunflower seeds as a pleasurable snack for a while now. In fact, I am what some call a expert seed eater. Because I have a large quantity of seeds at my mouth at one time. I will then take on at a time and crack the shell, pushing it against my other cheek, and eat the seed itself. This is what divides the pros and the rookies. I also enjoy birds and we fill out feeders up with sunflower seeds. I thought it cool how I was eating bird food and my parents would support my interest because it is a healthy snack. I chose to do this expirement to see if birds really do enjoy the same kind of seeds I eat, and out of those which types they prefer.

__//**My question is will birds prefer barbecue flavored sunflower seeds or non flavored?**//__

__//**hypothesis: They prefer non- flavored seeds.**//__

I will be using BBQ flavored and plain (roasted and salted) normal non flavored seeds. Of the davids brand __//**Independent variable: Types of seeds**//__

//__**Dependent variable: quantity of seeds remaining after approx 2 days**__//

__//**How to measure the dependent variable: See amount (in oz) left after a certain period of time.**//__

__//**Control Variables: Location and time. I will have the seeds on the railing of my deck facing the west. I put them out early in the morning at around 5:30 to 6:00pm in the evining**//__

__//**Materials needed: Seeds**//__

EXPIREMENTS AND RESULTS l l V

I started out by placing one pakcage of each type of seeds on the railing on my deck. Barbecue on the left side railings, Plain Roasted and Salted on the right side. From 5:30am to 6:00pm the seeds were outside For the first few hours I watched in case of a squirrel but non came. This made me realize I didn't have to watch as meticulously. The next morning at 5:30am once again I placed the seeds on the railing but this time, I switched their placement to make sure that wasn't effecting how much was eaten. At 6:00pm that evening I gathered the remaining seeds and weighed them on a postal scale so it would be very accurate. The weight on the remaining non-consumed seeds were as shown below.


 * __I had 2 1/8 oz of each type of seed (one package). After the elapsed time this is what remained.__**

__Non-Flavored (roasted and salted) I had 1/2 oz left which means 1 5/8 oz were consumed by birds.__

__BBQ I had 2 oz left after the same amount of time which means that 1/8 oz was consumed.__

Here is a chart:



Conclusion: Overall this expirement went well. I learned that birds like more natural foods. The data I collected supports my original hypothesis. I enjoyed doing this expirement, and thank you for reading.

--Abe