How to Become a Better Birdwatcher

Birdwatching is a wonderful hobby. Here are some ways to become more proficient at recognizing birds.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• binoculars
• field guide to birds

1. Attend a free guided bird walk. Many local parks offer them on a weekly basis, usually at the same time and place. Experienced birders love to share their knowledge and help those new to birding. As a new birdwatcher, I always felt welcome and encouraged to ask questions.

2. Carry a pair of binoculars. They don't need to be super expensive. Even a very basic pair will make a huge difference in your ability to identify birds. If you get more serious, then you should invest in a better pair.

3. Don't invest in a birding scope, yet. They are very expensive and cumbersome. Most likely, you will run into people on bird walks that have one. And most people are happy to share, especially if you are new to birdwatching.

4. Carry a good bird guide. I would highly recommend The Sibley Guide to Birds, although this edition is rather large. You might be better off with the edition that corresponds to your area of the country (East or West). These are easier to carry.

5. Get on a local listserve that reports sightings of birds. This will give you ideas of the best local places to go. It will also give you an idea what is being seen there which will help you with identification.

6. Go out during migration season (spring and fall) to find the greatest variety of birds. Many birds pass through that don't hang out the rest of the year.

7. Bird early in the morning(6-9am) or just before sunset. Birds are most active at these times of day.

8. If you are interested in learning bird calls, I have seen people carrying an iPod with a program for bird calls!

[naturenut]

on 6/20/2009 Great tips on becoming a Better Birdwatcher.

[jujudy]

on 6/1/2009 Excellent advice on how to be a better bird watcher. Birds are really beautiful and can bring a lot of pleasure. If a person follows your advice, they will learn to recognize birds in flight, or by song, or by nest--as each bird species is unique in each of these categories. Roger Tory Peterson, famous ornithologist, once told a birding group--after he was forced to stay home from an outing due to a bad cold and a rainy day--that he had encountered more species than either one of them had encountered on their outing. Mr. Peterson knew the bird calls and flight patterns. From his sick room he had an excellent birding day.

[SimplyCuttings]

on 5/30/2009 Thanks for this article. I absolutely LOVE to look at birds, and photograph them. 5 stars for you!