Be a Nature Reporter: Telling the Story of a Backyard Bird

Real reporters ask six questions before they write any story: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Today you will use those same six questions to report on something amazing happening right outside your window — a bird building a nest, hunting for food, or singing to its friends.

The six questions every reporter asks before writing a story. How to observe and take notes like a reporter does. How to write a short nature news report with a headline. Why checking your facts carefully matters in journalism.

Who is in the story? What is happening? When did it happen? Where did it happen? Why is it happening? How is it happening? If a reporter saw a robin building a nest, they might answer: Who — a robin. What — built a nest. Where — in the oak tree. When — this morning. Why — to lay her eggs safely. How — using twigs and mud.

Before writing, reporters observe carefully and quietly, so they do not scare away their story. Bring a notebook outside or sit by a window. Watch one animal for several minutes. Notice its colors, the sounds it makes, and exactly what it does — does it hop, fly, peck, or sit still? Write down small details, because small details make a report feel real.

A nature news report has three parts. First, a headline — a short, exciting title, like "Robin Builds Nest in Oak Tree!" Second, an opening sentence that answers who and what, like "A robin built a nest in the old oak tree this morning." Third, 2 to 3 more sentences with extra details you observed, like where the twigs came from or what sound the robin made.