# Choose Your Five Field Studies

Part of the Nature Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/nature/guide/index.md)

*4. Field Study Options*

> **4.** Do all the requirements in FIVE of the following fields:

This requirement covers eight different field-study paths, but you complete exactly five of them. Your goal is not to rush through the easiest choices. Pick five that fit your location, season, and access to habitats so you can make careful observations.

## Your Options

- **[Req 4a — Birds in the Field](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/nature/guide/req4a/)**: Identify birds outdoors and create a bird-friendly feature such as a birdhouse, feeder, or birdbath while tracking what visits it.
- **[Req 4b — Mammal Signs and Tracks](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/nature/guide/req4b/)**: Learn to spot wild mammals in the field and preserve evidence of their tracks with plaster casts.
- **[Req 4c — Reptiles and Amphibians](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/nature/guide/req4c/)**: Study snakes, frogs, salamanders, turtles, and other herps by sight, sound, and field signs.
- **[Req 4d — Insects and Spiders Up Close](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/nature/guide/req4d/)**: Observe small creatures closely through identification, photography, rearing, or colony care.
- **[Req 4e — Fish and Food Sources](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/nature/guide/req4e/)**: Connect fish identification to habitat and diet by finding native species and the foods they eat.
- **[Req 4f — Shells, Mollusks, and Crustaceans](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/nature/guide/req4f/)**: Build your ability to identify aquatic invertebrates and organize a labeled shell collection.
- **[Req 4g1 — Wild Plant Identification](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/nature/guide/req4g1/)** and **[Req 4g2 — Seeds, Leaves, and Plant Records](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/nature/guide/req4g2/)**: Identify wild plants, then choose whether to collect and label specimens or build a photo catalog.
- **[Req 4h — Soils and Rocks](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/nature/guide/req4h/)**: Compare soil types and identify rocks from your local area.

## How to Choose

**Choosing your five fields** — Match your choices to your real opportunities

- [ ] **Season:** Birds, frogs, insects, and wildflowers are often easiest in spring and summer. Tracks, soils, and rocks can be easier year-round.
- [ ] **Location:** Ponds, creeks, coasts, fields, forests, and backyards all support different options. Pick fields your local habitats can actually support.
- [ ] **Gear:** Birding may need binoculars. Plant work may need a field guide or phone camera. Track casting needs plaster. Choose options you can prepare for well.
- [ ] **Time:** Bird and feeder observations can take weeks. Rock or soil collecting may be done in a shorter outing. Balance long and short projects.
- [ ] **What you will gain:** Bird, mammal, reptile, and insect options sharpen field observation. Plant and soil options train careful comparison. Fish and shell studies strengthen habitat thinking.

> **Tip**
>
> A strong mix is one air option, one land-mammal option, one plant option, one water-related option, and one earth-materials option. That gives you variety and helps you see more of the ecosystem.

### Start With Good Field Habits

No matter which five you choose, bring a notebook, label what you observe right away, and record the date, place, weather, and habitat. Those notes make later discussion with your counselor much easier.

> **Safety First!**
>
> Never reach into holes, lift rocks onto yourself, handle venomous animals, or collect living things from protected areas unless you know the rules and have adult guidance. Good nature study protects both you and the habitat.

Video: [Food Chains and Food Webs (video)](https://youtu.be/JCl_yDf0Qok?si=E9r3jI_7n8iYE1Rb)

Video: [Food Chains in the Everglades (video)](https://youtu.be/5Z8rKhXUYAg?si=CG1gOoYQ6n9s86LY)

Those videos are a good reminder that every field option in Req 4 connects back to the ecosystem relationships you already studied. Start with birds and build your observation skills from there.

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- Previous: [Food Chains in Action](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/nature/guide/req3/index.md)
- Next: [Birds in the Field](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/nature/guide/req4a/index.md)