How to Bird-Watch

Birding is one of the fastest-growing hobbies in the United States. If you're looking for a new pastime, join the eager amateur ornithologists.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Portable Tape Recorders
• Pens
• Spiral Notebooks
• Cameras
• Binoculars
• Binoculars
• Spotting Scopes
• Pens
• Cameras

1. Choose a beginning field guide that covers the birds of your region.

2. Study the book and learn the characteristics of different bird families.

3. Use the book's range maps and identify the birds of your region.

4. Invest in a pair of binoculars to help you see birds more closely.

5. Begin to identify the larger birds you see in your yard with the naked eye.

6. Try to identify smaller birds, such as warblers and hummingbirds.

7. Start a journal listing the birds you have seen and positively identified. List the bird type, location and date.

8. Expand your birding explorations from your yard to local wildlife refuges, creeks, wetlands and other habitats. Continue to keep notes and lists about birding activities.

9. Join a bird club to further expand your horizons.

10. Plan birding trips to other states or countries.

Tips & Warnings

• Keeping a list of all the birds you have seen in your life is a common practice among birders. This is called a 'life list.' Other lists you may want to keep include a state list, county list, yard list, North American list or world list.
• Call local colleges, museums or nature preserves to ask about birding classes or special docent-led birding excursions.
• Misidentifications are common among beginning birders. Check for all the field marks listed in the guidebook before making a positive identification.

Who Can Help:

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[niellste]

on 6/5/2009 i love birding esp backyard birding i have some great tips for creating ur own cheap birding sanctuary check out my article

on 11/22/2005 You'll have a hint as to what you're looking for before you see the bird if you learn their sounds.