How to Watch Birds

People often start bird watching in their own backyard. If you feed your birds regularly, it can be very surprising how many different variety of birds turn up on your feeders, plants, flowers, trees, and water fountains.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• bird feeders
• bird seed
• plants and flowers are optional but birds love them!
• Woods if you live near them are great for birds!

1. Have a good set of reasonable pair of binoculars. You do not need to go out and purchase an expensive set. You just need one that will enable you to look at your backyard bird or at the local park.

2. 
   Chickadee

   Get out early in the day time. The earlier the better as this is when the birds are the most active.

3. Go out often and every month. Birds migrate and different birds to see each time they migrate. Resident birds are easier to see some months than others.

4. 
   Goldfinch

   Spot your birds. Identify the movement, call, color, and size help to locate each bird.

5. 
   Mama Cardinal

   Purchase a bird book. The book will help you identify the different types of birds.

6. 
   Woody WoodPecker

   Carry a notebook. Your notebook can be used to write down the details of your different birds. Write down the date, and time of year.

7. Wear neutral colored clothes. It makes it easier to watch the birds.

8. Join a local bird club or Internet group. You could learn valuable tips and meet to people who love to watch birds as much as you do.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep good bird records. They can be valuable and rewarding.
• Often you will hear a bird before you see it.
• Learning to hear the different bird calls is an important part of becoming a good bird watcher.
• The more time you spend watching the birds the better you will become in identifying them.
• Purchase CD recordings of bird calls which will help you identify them.
• Know the types of shelter and trees that your birds prefers to rest or hide in.
• Some build their nest close to the ground, while other will find the topmost branch of a tree to build their nest.
• Know the time of day they feed. Usually before sunrise to about noon. Others before sunset.