Wild Bird Identification Tips
Are you an expert in wild bird identification?
No, well neither am I.
I enjoy taking birding trips, seeing new wild birds and practicing my
wild bird identification skills. Bird
watching for me, is all about the thrill of the hunt - the
hunt for wild
birds that I have never seen before.
If you are new to bird watching, the best place to start
identifying wild birds is right in your own backyard at your bird
feeders. I would guess that you know what an American
Robin looks like or perhaps a Blue Jay. You probably learned the
names of those birds and others by seeing them often. Knowing the names
of a few birds is a great start. You now have reference points
that will help you when you see less common wild birds.
Why is wild bird identification important?
Identifying the wild birds in your backyard will make it easier
to learn about them from field guides or other reference books. It will
also be helpful if you are keeping a list
of wild birds that you see or if you are participating in the Christmas
Bird Count, the Great Backyard Bird Count or a local bird count.
You may also want to brag to your birding friends about seeing
a rare bird for your area, such as the Northern Shrike (the latest
addition to my life list).
Knowing the names of the wild birds visiting your feeders will help you
learn more about them. You will be able to research what they
eat, their mating habits, migration patterns and more. This will make
it possible for you to attract even more wild birds into your yard.
There are a few things you will need for wild bird identification: a
good field
guide, a pair of binoculars
for birding and a note pad and pencil. In the beginning you may
find that a camera is helpful, but it is not necessary. There is even birding
software available, which can be very helpful.
Wild bird identification will be easier if you follow a process.
The first thing you must do is become comfortable with how your field
guide works. It will normally categorize birds by habitat, feeding
habits or size. No two birding field guides are the same. Practice
in your backyard with birds that you are familiar with. How fast can
you find a cardinal or a chickadee in your field guide?
When you see an unfamiliar bird you may only have a few seconds to
identify it, so what are you looking for?
When looking at a bird what do you see? Legs, wings, a bill, the shape
of the tail, these are all important. But what about the
eye-ring,
the secondaries, or the median line? As you can see below, there are
many parts to a wild bird. They are not always important for wild bird
identification. But if you see that the bird you are trying to identify
has a white median line, you should write it down.
Take some notes or even make a quick sketch, but here is what you
need to know:
- Size: Compare it to those birds that you
already know. Is it bigger than a sparrow? Smaller than a robin? Is it
plump or thin?
- Bill: Is it long or short? Curved or
straight? What color is it?
- Tail: Is it forked, rounded, square or
notched?
- Wings: Are they long or short? Pointed or
curved?
- Colors: Colors can be tricky. Distance and
lighting can make colors hard to identify. So get as close as you can
and use your binoculars. Look for overall color. Then look for facial
colors, wing colors, tail colors and any other color that varies from
the main color. Identify spots and stripes if present.
- Activity: What is the bird doing? Swimming,
climbing trees, foraging on the ground, write it down.
- Surroundings: Identifying the habitat is
also important. Are you deep in the forest, near water, in a meadow?
You will have no trouble identifying a wild bird if you answer
these questions. I can not stress enough the need to make notes.
You may see 10 or more birds that are unfamiliar to you in one outing.
If you do not write down notes, chances are you will have difficulty
remembering what you saw.
One last wild bird identification tip, listen. On any birding trip you
are likely to hear more wild birds than you see. Use the sounds
of the wild birds as an invitation to find them. Become familiar with
their calls by listening to one of the many CDs available on the
market. If you hear the drumming of a Ruffed
Grouse, you will know to look low to the ground. But if you hear
the wail of a Common
Loon, then you know that there is a lakenear by. So if you are not
seeing many birds, stop and listen, you may be supprised at
what you hear.
As I said before, your backyard is the best place to practice
wild bird identification. Once you feel ready, find a birding hot spot
near you and start working on that life list.
Wild
bird identification, top of the page.
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