Introduction When teaching pupils how to identify species, classification books, outdoor lessons or hands-on approaches are often pre- ferred to teacher-centred ones involving factual knowledge transfers (Randler and Bogner, 2002; Randler et al, 2005). Outdoor educational settings are preferred when plant species or invertebrates are to be identified (Killermann, 1998). In this context, bird species identification skills are often neglected due to (i) the vast variety of bird species in natu- ral settings, (ii) the materials required for class sizes of 30 pupils, and (iii) noise levels in outdoor classes which make bird songs hard to hear. Nevertheless, to the general public, bird watching (‘birding’) is frequently synonymous with nature conservation (e.g. the RSPB’s ‘feeder watch’ in the UK and the ‘Christmas bird count’ in the US). In educational settings, knowledge about species identification in general, and bird species in particular, is a frequently neglected issue. Randler and Bogner (2002) compared two different meth- ods of instruction with regard to bird-species identification skills. Fourteen different bird species were presented to 5 th and 6 th graders. Pupils showed improved learning rates and reten- tion in two selected methods of instruction. Use of taxidermic specimens as instructional tools improved learning, although differences were marginal in terms of achievement scores. The present study was a follow-up investigation with a fresh- water ecosystem as its central focus. Two educational pro- grammes were employed: a traditional methodology and an alternative programme focusing on positive emotions and self-efficacy (Gläser-Zikuda et al, 2005). This second study dealt with different species and their adaptations to water Cognitive achievements in identification skills Species identification tasks are generally accepted as fundamental aspects of biodiversity education. Our educational training unit, therefore, focused on identification skills by introducing stuffed specimens in combination with identification books and preparation booklets. We limited the number of bird species to six. 492 secondary school pupils (163 from 8th grade [high stratification level] and 329 from 9th grade [medium stratification level]) participated in the study. Instruction-1 pupils received a hands-on lesson about the natural history of six bird species, while Instruction-2 pupils were taught in a conventional teacher-centred manner. Pupils from the hands-on classes achieved significantly better grades in two follow- up tests. The measure of well-being was significantly enhanced by the teaching technique, while interest, anxiety and boredom were not affected. Additionally, pupils appreciated the opportunity of self-regulation. In general, a shift from the unspecific to the specific was observed: for instance, from duck and gull to mallard and black-headed gull. A reduction in the number of species presented to pupils within a lesson seems to enhance learning and retention effects. Key words: Bird identification skills; Classification; Educational programme; Taxidermic specimen; Taxonomy. Christoph Randler 1 and Franz X Bogner 2 environments (birds, water lilies, dragonflies), as well as the relevant ecological niches. Potential interdependencies and interactions were studied, as well as the impact of human activities and nature preserving efforts. A pre-pilot study by Randler (2003) pointed to a tendency of novice pupils to assign birds to an order or family. For instance, nearly all pupils (99.3%) labelled the specific family of a duck correctly, 55.9% did this for a gull, 100% for an owl, 92.5% for a woodpecker, but not many students could provide species names such as, for instance, black-headed gull ( Larus ridibundus). We took these existing concepts into account by evaluating any pre-existing knowledge (namely the concept of duck, gull, ...) and concentrated our teaching effort on species identification, and integrating the relevant ecological niche examples including a species’ natural history. Stuffed, identified specimens in combination with a prepa- ration book were used (for details see Randler and Bogner, 2002). We used group-based learning (Lou et al, 1996), hands-on science incentives (e.g. Stohr-Hunt, 1996) and original objects (e.g. Randler et al, 2005) to enhance learning. Following our previous study (Randler and Bogner 2002), we reduced the number of species employed from 14 to 6 due to our interpreting species names as new scientific terms ( termini technici). Graf (1989) reported that students had major difficulties when a high number of new terms were involved. Consequently, our smaller number of new terms per lesson avoided excessive demands on students. Our main objective was the establishment of specific identification skills and relevant knowledge of specific ecological interactions such as inter-specific competition and avoidance. We employed a JBE 161 Volume 40 Number 4, Autumn 2006 Identification skills | Randler and Bogner 1 University of Education Ludwigsburg and 2 University of Bayreuth, Germany Case Study