Ornithology Level 3

About this Ornithology Level 3 Course

Our Ornithology Level 3 course is perfect for anyone interested in the world of birds. This course covers everything you need to know about birds including their anatomy, migrations, courtship, nesting, feeding and conservation of threatened species. Within the units, various types of birds are studied to give students an in-depth knowledge of different birds and how they live around the globe.

Study Time:	100 hours
Enrolment length:	12 months
Course Format:	Online
Entry Requirements:	None Specific

Upon completion of this course students receive a Quality Licence Scheme certificate and an OLC Certificate. All certification fees are included in your course fees.

Ornithology Level 3 Certification

To complete this Ornithology Level 3 course you will need to submit, and pass, all of the tutor marked assignments. There are six assignments in the course and no need to purchase any textbooks as we provide all of the lessons and materials required to learn the syllabus. All assignments are coursework based and are in an essay/question and answer style to test your knowledge of the topics covered in each of the course sections.

Course Content

This course assesses the following units:

Unit 1: Anatomy and flight

Birds are a remarkable feat of nature, gifted as many of them are with the ability to fly. They have adapted to all manner of ecological niches and can be found in various guises on practically every landmass on the planet. In this first unit of the ornithology diploma, we will delve into the world of birds, looking at how they are beautifully designed to take advantage of the skies. We dig deeper into the feather than you will likely have done before, and we consider why the ability to fly is not something shared by all bird species. We’ll see why some birds have lost this ability throughout evolution.

Unit 2: Migrations

Migration is a necessary, ingrained behaviour that helps many animals thrive all year round, allowing them to access the benefits of more than one area of the world. It is a remarkable feat, and no more so than in the birds, some of whom travel tens of thousands of miles every year in search of the optimum conditions. In this unit, we explore the remarkable story of migration, looking at how and why a tiny bird like the Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) travels an astonishing 22,000 miles a year and how they navigate its way from the very north of the planet to the south and back.

Unit 3: Courtship

The Aves class provides some of the planet’s most elaborate and colourful animals. Much of this colour and variety is all to attract impressive prospective mates and increase the chances of successful reproduction continuing the individual’s lineage and passing on their genes. In this unit, we will explore not just the elaborate colours and ornate plumage that some bird species use but also how different species adopt different strategies and displays to signal themselves out as eligible mates.

Unit 4: Nesting

After successful courtship and the decision to mate with a particular individual, reproduction can begin. In birds, reproduction is sexual, so it involves fusing male sperm with female eggs, but how the two meet is markedly different from sexual intercourse used in mammals. In this unit, we look at how birds are adapted in their own way to allow sperm to pass from male to female. We’ll also consider how birds protect their growing and developing chicks outside the body in hard calcareous shells and the nests they use to keep them safe.

Unit 5: Feeding relationships

In zoology, the study of life on Earth and the animals we share our planet with, scientists can categorise and compare animals based on how they access energy and nutrition – the strategies they use to find food and the types of food they look for. Ornithology is a specialist branch of zoology, as we know, focussing on the Aves class, the birds, so we can compare different species of bird based on what they eat and how they hunt or forage.

Unit 6: Conservation

In the final unit of this ornithology diploma, we look at the importance of bird populations. We consider the various factors that affect the number of birds in a population and determine the species’ health as a whole. Finally, we look at our roles as humans in helping to protect the animals we share this planet with, and we will encounter some of the incredible work being done in bird conservation.

Online study and instant enrolment

All of our students are given access to our Online Campus through their own personal login and password. As soon as you complete your enrolment, you would have immediate access to your account which allows you to make a start working through the lessons. Tackle your assignments as your own pace and contact your tutor to access any help and support you need. The course itself is set out in a very simple layout, making it easy to work through the topics and complete your assessments.

Our Online Campus includes:

• Instant enrolment – access everything on your course from the moment you enrol.
• Personal account logins – login any time, 24/7.
• Full support throughout – message your tutor, use our online chat or give us a call.
• Online assignment submissions – upload work online from the comfort of home.
• Self-led learning – study at your own pace so you can pass much faster.
• Safe e-portfolio system – store all of your work in your account.
• Progression tracking – easily see what assignments you have left to complete.
• Details help centre – get instructions and guidance every step of the way.
• Unlimited attempts – submit as many attempts at your assignments as you need.

Unlimited assessment submissions

All of the assessments for this course are completed through our Online Campus. You can attempt each one as many times as needed to ensure you pass. After every attempt, your tutor will provide detailed feedback and tips on how you can improve going forward. Quickly see your progress during your studies by checking your progress bar and seeing the remaining assessments you need to complete.

Get full tutor support

Throughout your enrolment with the Online Learning College, you can access support at any time you need. All students are assigned a personal tutor who will mark all of your work and provide detailed feedback after every submission. Your tutor will be an industry expert with a full knowledge of the course content and will be able to help you at any point along your learning journey. One of the best tools at your disposal is your tutor – you can ask as many questions of them as you wish to and they will be happy to help at any time.

We also have a brilliant support team on hand and available through email, online chat and over the phone. This team is there to help with any questions which are more generic, such as providing support in submitting work through your account or getting your certificate when you have completed your course. We pride ourselves on ensuring the support you receive is the best in the business – help and guidance is fast and detailed every time you contact a member of the team.

Assessments

To pass this course learners must pass 6 assignments. These are completed after navigating through the corresponding lessons and writing your answers to assignment questions. Once these have been read and marked by your personal tutor, feedback and marks are provided to students which contain helpful tips to improve work in future assignments.

Enrolment Length

All of our courses are allocated plenty of time for students to complete their studies and all materials are self-led so that you can complete the course at your own pace, but you have access to the course on the Campus for 12 months from your enrollment date. Should you require additional time on one of our courses you can extend your enrolment by 30 days for an additional fee of £60. As well as this we operate a 14 day money back guarantee on every one of our qualifications- that’s how confident we are of how you will love studying with us!