As a hobby, birdwatching offers so many options, it’s hard to narrow them down. One way to come up with a new plan is to take a tip from the birds. Many birds live in flocks. There are benefits to this. When living in groups, birds can share food finds, predator watches and individuals cultivate friendships while passing along useful survival information.  All of those birds can’t be wrong. Why not dust off the binoculars, grab that field guide and commune with local birders!

Where to find birdwatchers

We know how to locate birds in the field. But, there are birdwatchers in your region as well. Set those binoculars on these tips and discover what’s flying in your area!

1. The American Birding Association is chock full of resources. This non-profit was founded over thirty years ago to further, promote and increase public interest in birding. The American Birding Association is dedicated to hobby birdwatchers and those in the recreational birding arenas. The ABA is also a conservation minded organization that encourages the public to be environmentally savvy and to have the tools to become backyard (and global) naturalists. The ABA Mission statement: “The American Birding Association represents the North American birding community and supports birders through publications, conferences, workshops, tours, partnerships, and networks.”

The ABA sponsors exciting lectures, workshops and ornithological excursions through their “Conservation and Community” program. Join other birders and naturalists with these hands-on activities geared to promote wildlife and habitat awareness and to help you become a better birdwatcher. Join international birding trips and adventure safaris or meet with your local members to discuss the nesting and population variables in your hometown.

2. The National Audubon Society has 22 regional affiliates and 450 local chapters. You can’t go wrong associating with one of the most recognizable conservation organizations in the world! Plug in your state and see where the nearest Audubon center is located. Visit the sanctuaries and parks set up for naturalists and many will also have sophisticated visitor centers with ornithological research stations and varied events throughout the year.

The “Audubon Near You” website has a regularly updated news blog that reveals legislative work, conservation efforts, groups engaging in environmental missions and more. Audubon encourages it’s members to be active in the environmental movement, and joining this organization can get you wonderful “hands-on” experiences where you can contribute and meet fellow hobbyists as well as professional researchers.

Read through the online magazine and learn about current topics and findings in the naturalist world.  Audubon allows you to be active locally while working globally, connecting and being kept aware of what fellow birdwatchers are up to.

Joining the Audubon Society is a fulfilling experience. Join local trail walks or fly to international fundraising galas. Whichever you choose, you will become a part of the “National Audubon Society’s mission to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity.” 

3. Bird Watchers Digest has a Bird Club Finder that assists you in finding a bird organization near you!

Visit the “BWD Bird Club Finder” to locate a club in your area. Scroll down to your country and click on “Find Clubs.” From there you will select your state and a list of links will appear in the Results page. It is so easy and a great resource for birders who will be traveling out of state. You can get in contact with your destination’s birding club and see what will be happening in that locale. Fantastic! The resource is an international one; however, the lists for birding destinations outside of the United States are still under construction.

Check the events page as festivals, lectures and other intriguing birding goings on are listed and updated. Head on out to the Snow Goose Pacific Flyway Festival or the Everglades Birding Festival. There is always a bird watching event on the radar so check back frequently.

4. Social Media organizations like “Meetup” have a special birdwatching section. Meetup is a fun site that connects special interest hobbyists to groups and organizations that have the pursuit of interest. If you like birding, hiking and rock climbing, Meetup is the one-stop resource for you.

Visit: http://birdwatching.meetup.com/

If local gets mundane…

Love to travel and want to add your favorite hobby to that jet-setting pastime? Well, you can. Ecotourism is an extremely popular and vibrant industry. One organization, founded by renowned birder Knud Rasmussun in 2000, connects birders in 150 countries.

If you suddenly have an inkling to hit he bird trail on your Jamaican beach vacation, no worries. Click on birdingpal.org and a local birdwatching fan will find you the perfect spot to view Red-billed Tropicbirds or Caribbean Flamingos. This site is a wonderful tool to get the most of your “short” vacation time, meet likeminded individuals and gain new friends.

Designed by Vince Murray, the site is simple to use with “a clickable world map on the front page [that] prompts a birder to simply select a continent and then a country they are interested in traveling to. A page then opens, listing local birders with their name, availability, location, languages spoken and a note about themselves and/or birding in their area. A birder can then email one or more pals for information and ask about the possibility of a being taken out to the local hotspots.”

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology sports a Citizens Science Program that relies on you and your birding buddies to record populations and data. Over 200,000 members provide invaluable research. Choose from several of their guided programs ranging from urban bird counts, school projects, Project FeederWatch and the Great Backyard Bird Count, started in 1988. Cornell allows you to be an active “hobby ornithologist” while helping scientists track  events unfolding in the natural world.

No one is going to be bored or lonely in the birdwatching nesting grounds.  You’ll be spoiled for choice and too busy to care! Keep us posted on your exciting projects and any clubs that we should know about. Happy birding!

High-flyin’ has gone high tech. Who hasn’t heard of tweeting? The Internet was made for the birds… and for birders. Social media is the perfect resource to share your birding adventures information and tips, learn from others in the birdwatching community and get “connected” to a wide resource for ornithology. This is the best century to be a birder.  You can interact with enthusiasts and scholars from across the globe…and in live time. Hit the rain forest through live streaming or watch a conservation effort in Japan. If you are a passionate birder, find out how to get featured, join an organization or plan a fascinating expedition with a research organization.  Let’s get started.

eBird

credit – cityraptors.com

When the Cornell Lab of Ornithology teams up with the Audubon Society – expect great things. eBird is the app that hatched when these birding brains combined to launch a “ simple and intuitive web-interface [that] engages tens of thousands of participants [in French, Spanish and English] to submit their observations or view results via interactive queries into the eBird database.”

And that’s hard to beat. This interactive, international and ecologically intellectual site will keep you busy. Loaded with gear tips, research findings, bird population tracking, global monitoring and findings and so much more … you have to get involved.

eBird features a hands-on format for you to join the vast birding community, post your sightings and observations and read about what fellow birders are recording. Once you sign up you can begin to add your data in order to “maximize the utility and accessibility of the vast numbers of bird observations made each year by recreational and professional bird watchers…For example, in May 2015, participants reported more than 9.5 million bird observations across the world!”

Because conservation is everyone’s responsibility, you will be able to actively contribute to this project, and that is amazing! The groups are arranged in specific portals with information being gathered by region, project or species. Read about the Franklin Gull population counts or what activity is occurring in your country or region. Here are a few highlighted topics from the View and Explore Data page:

• Explore a Region

This page prompts you to choose from a global location to see what is happening – it is broken down by hemisphere.

• Explore Hotspots

A global map pinpoints where the birds are. Literally. Data on the species observed is posted in real time.

• Bar Charts

This is another interactive feature that allows you to click on a chosen area to learn about what species you will be able to witness. Choose which country, and then which topic, you wish to observe from an entire state, to one preserve or wildlife area. This chart is a phenomenal resource for birdwatchers, as it allows you to expand your field excursions and interests.

• Submission Map

Watch this map light up (yup!) as an individual submits their birding data. A yellow button illuminates the map just as a birder posts! Only one word can describe this page – cool.

Other Favorites

The people who publish the hard copies of our preferred field guides also provide equally useful apps. These apps “one up” the texts as you can receive immediate bird sighting information from fellow birders, as well as quickly access bird calls —all at the handy reach of your smart phone (which most of us ALWAYS have available). If you suddenly hear the melodious whistle of a yellow warbler while leaving the post office, no worries, identify that little guy on the spot!

Here is the list:

Peterson Nature Apps

Available for Apple and Android users, Peterson producers have created a fantastic array of useful identification apps that allow you to instantly compare species by plumage, sex, song and age.  This app collects all 8 guides in one, allowing you unparalleled bird identification. Here is a video displaying the apps user interface.

The screen will present several photos of the birds including their vocalization and location! Link to the sightings published on ebird and fashion your own checklist adding in important information such as season and weather conditions. Peterson also offers a great support network when you hit any technical snags.

The Sibley eGuide to Birds

Get Sibley’s detailed paintings on your phone. Each depiction is superbly crafted and has each bird’s points “highlighted” for unique characteristics such as “black crown and rufous coverlets.” The app is available for 5 platforms including Kindle Fire. With over 6,600 illustrations of over 800 species, their calls (2300 songs) and hundreds of region maps, this is a phenomenal electronic field resource.  Features are similar to those offered by Peterson’s Guide.

• Comparisons of birds and their similar calls
• Variations in plumage by age (weight and size), season (when applicable) and sex
• Maps that reveal sightings by season, habitat, rare sightings and migration patterns
• Personal log feature with the ability to compare annotations with other birders in your area

Other apps are available from premier nature and conservation groups including:

National Geographic Birds

Over 900 species are featured with 3,000 detailed illustrations. The National Geographic app features range, season and migration maps. It has the log application that lets you set in your sightings by day, area and by species sighted (including the bird’s image) with your own personal info recordings. Enjoy real-time birding as well as these extra perks — interactive quizzes and games, a birding tips and gear resource….and must-see birding hotspots assembled by the ornithologists at National Geographic.

Audubon Birds

Visit the webpage for Audubon’s new app. A video is provided to walk you through the features of their popular and top-notch e-birding guide. Audubon provides you with their “new updated library of professional color photographs that show the diversity of birds as you see them, in their natural habitat, by gender, age, and seasonal plumage variations (with over 3,150 completely new, high-resolution images).”

This is a comprehensive birdwatching guide which includes personal log tracking, range maps (including winter and rare sightings), expert resources, comparison features and easy to use identification tools with over 8 hours of bird calls! Audubon never disappoints!

Whichever app you choose, don’t let too much time pass. Get out into the field and find those birds.  And with these handy birding tools, you can begin logging your sightings anywhere and anytime!  Share your favorite app with us and let us know what birds are flying in your neck of the woods!

People love to find a favorite hobby.  Needlepoint, gardening, tennis, golf…while these are well-known past-times, none can compare to the fastest growing interest group in the US and Canada. Yup. Hmmm. So, just what is this hobby?

Birdwatching.

Toss away those penny magazines and turn off your TV. Park the golf clubs in the garage and throw those tennis balls in the locker room. Birds are the new celebrities. Uncover those binoculars and find your favorite walking shoes – there are avians afoot…nope, “there are avians a-wing!”

It’s time for you to become a birder.

If you want to find an activity that embraces conservation, outdoor activity, exercise and self-improvement goals you have found it. Birdwatching can be enjoyed by anyone from the age of 5 to 95, from high-energy athletes to those with specialized goals.  Jump into birdwatching to the level and expense that suits your free time and budget. Hit the stores to find that ideal  “5 grand” camera… or just pull out the lawn chair from the back porch.

Many people get “into” bird watching after setting up a bird feeder or birdbath.  Once we see the amazing variety of birds winging in – it’s no wonder we can’t resist getting hooked on birding.  This is the most fulfilling way to begin your birdwatching hobby.  Purchase reasonably well-made feeders. Chose those that are NOT made of plastic, as squirrels, rodents and weather exposure will degrade your feeder; often within one season.  Buy good-quality seed mix (those without dust, debris, sticks or too much red millet and corn) and sunflower seeds. If you are not sure which seed to use, you can never go wrong by setting out black oil sunflower. These seeds attract nearly every species of bird including many insect eaters like nuthatches and stunning birds such as cardinals and grosbeaks.

Have a good field guide with you as you sit and watch the birds feeding.  Birdwatching becomes more fulfilling as you gain expertise. Follow these tips to find out just what you need to do!

But… birdwatching is all about listening.

Bird Investigation Department

The first step to success is doing… nothing.  Be still and wait.  Observe the environment, being particularly aware of movement and activity around trees and brush. This is crucial to locating the birds.  You need to be very “present.” You are a tracker, aware of your “now.” Listen for leaves moving and branches twitching, watch for moving tree limbs, note any movement in your peripheral vision – you are now a BSI – bird scene investigator.

Sherlock Holmes was right. “The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.”  Once you view yourself as an integral element of nature, the “loudness” of what is happening around you becomes readily noticeable. You will hear birds before you see them. Songbirds are master vocalists. Enjoy the song of the Wood Thrush below.

Ornithologists use bird songs as their primary bird identification tool, and as the most efficient way to record populations. Do what the ornithologists do, focus on one call and notice the uniqueness of its volume, pitch, rhythm, tone and notes.

Birds sing to attract mates, hold territory or to find each other. Songs vary by season, daily conversational needs, time of day and by the bird’s age.  You can learn the distinct calls and begin to understand what each bird is saying! Learning the variety of calls by the birds that frequent your yard is important and

uncovering how and why songbirds vocalize is fascinating. Birds and humans share the FOXP2 gene (the language gene). And just like people, many birds must learn their language in a critical period of childhood…or nestling-hood! The baby birds listen to their parents vocalizing and then begin repeating the song until they have it “down pat.” Listen for those birds that continue to add to their vocabulary by mimicry. We think of parrots doing this, but catbirds and mockingbirds are master impersonators.

When to listen

Early morning and twilight are “hot” times for singing. Cornell Lab of Ornithology offers an easy-to-use, song guide identification search on their website. Peruse through the photos, behavior and location areas to help you quickly locate a species you want to see or have just sited. There is also a link to the Macaulay Library and its internationally renowned archive of animal vocalizations.

Tips

Begin your birding adventure by familiarizing yourself with the birds likely to visit your watching spots. Most of the available bird information pertains to the United States and Canada – so a simple search will yield fast results.  Visit bird club websites and youtube channels top see what birders in your area are discovering.

Learning how to recognize bird species is just like any form of learning – never limit opportunities to pick up information. Nature shows on television, bird journals in local newspapers, and local naturalist groups all ideal resources. One of my favorites resources though is a video blog by Lab of Ornithology. Below is the first video of the series.

Jot down bird physical characteristics

• Feather shape and color, beak shape, leg and foot shape etc.

• Learn the term used for these in the ornithological field guides.

Terms (points of a bird): crown, tufts, coverts, primary feathers, rump, throat, breast, shank or wing bars.

Classifications.

Birds are categorized into groups – this makes field identification easier. Break down your sighting into where and what. Was the bird found at the shore, in the water, in a tee, flying in flocks or soaring? Was it flying alone or in a formation? What was the bird doing… was he scratching in the leaves (Rufous-sided Towhee) or was she eating your blueberries (Catbird)?

Types of behavior patterns and habitats:

1. Bird of prey or scavenger – hawk or owl versus vulture.
2. Perching birds or walking birds – blue jay versus bobwhite or starling.
3. Water or shore bird – hooded merganser or loon versus crane or sandpiper.

Once you narrow these characteristics down, you can identify your subject. If you see a similar silhouette of a bird at your feeder – deduce from that: medium size, crest, black eye ring, red plumage = cardinal and not a blue jay!

Tools

1. Binoculars

Cheapest is never the best! Choose lightweight binoculars that are designed for birdwatchers. Binoculars are a must for viewing birds in order to pick up on details such as feather patterning and color, beak shape and small details. An great value buy for birdwatching binoculars are the Banner Perception HD. They are small and mobile while also being waterproof and really durable.

2. Field Guides

A good birder’s guide is necessary for quick identification. Don’t rely on online sources, as they will not be “handy” or “at-hand” when you need to locate a bird quickly.  This is particularly true if you are in the field. Books offer tips and identification information, delineating species by type/silhouette and similarity – birds of prey, water and shore birds, game birds, swallows, finches, warblers or woodpeckers. This makes finding your recent sighting a snap.

Cornell University’s “Lab of Ornithology” recommends the following books: Birds of North America (Kaufman Focus Guides), Peterson’s Series and The Sibley Guide to Birds.

4. Clubs and Societies

Join a birder’s club! Check out online “clubs” and organizations. The Audubon Society has chapters in every state. Contact the Audubon Society to see what is available in your area. Your favorite birding supply stores have blogs and birders available to answer your questions and offer tips for attracting more songbirds to your yard.

More Resources

Visit some of these websites.  Learning about birds is easy and fun. The Internet is blossoming with fantastic sites that you can enjoy and interact with. It’s time to get birding!

• NationalGeographic Society – http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/backyard-bird-identifier/All About Birds
• Cornell University is All About Birds – http://www.allaboutbirds.org/Digital Atlas
•  Audubon Society – http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/bio/birds/main/ident/bvk6sb.htmAudubon Digital Field Guide

credit – seed-solutions.com

Want to set up a hobby that promises excitement AND  benefits every time you have fun? Well, you have come to the right place! Birdwatching promises to bring you the “goods” every time you gather your gear – which can amount to just you scanning and observing.  It’s that easy to be an ecologist and to do your part to conserve bird species and important wildlife habitat. Birders know that the element of surprise is always just around the corner… or in the nearest holly bush or apple tree. There is a rustle in the branches and an indigo bunting lights up your day. Ever see an albino robin or watch a pair of cardinal fledglings trying their wings? You will, once you take the time to really observe your surroundings with the intent of seeing a bird.

Keep a diary of the following:

1. Species of bird seen. Record these on a still camera, video or by simply jotting down what bird you have observed.
2. Time of day and season (early spring, late spring, summer, early fall, fall and winter) Include any unusual sightings as well. Local bird clubs will want to hear from you!
3. Population count for each bird species.

What to do

Birding is one of those hobbies that requires nothing but a desire and the ability to sit and wait.  The first step is to identify bird habitat – where you are most likely to see the birds in action.  Birding is local, regional, “timely” and seasonal. That means you will see certain species doing certain things (foraging, territory collecting and nesting) during predictable times of the day and year.

Depending on where you live – urban, rural or suburban, coast, desert or mountain – the locale and its available resources and fixtures will dictate what species will be visiting.

Even urban areas provide resources for songbirds, waterfowl and birds-of-prey. A city-dweller can affix a seed tray or nectar feeder to a window and watch for titmice and hummingbirds. Urban park systems are stopover ports for migrating birds and a variety of waterfowl descend to their ponds.  Keep an eye to tall buildings to see soaring red-tailed hawks and dynamic peregrine falcons.

credit – backyardchirper.com

Suburbanites have intriguing options. Set out bird feeding stations including mixed seed, sunflower, suet and nectar feeders. Always provide a water source as well. Avoid large expanses of lawn (and never apply toxic chemicals), and be sure to break up your backyard into resources with islands of shrubs and other plantings.  Here are some bird friendly flowers and plants —honeysuckle, holly, viburnum, crabapple, dogwood, bergamot, hosta and butterfly bushes. Provide nesting spots and cover trees such as yew, arborvitae and other evergreen varieties. Once you set up this “bird” habitat you will be amazed at the variety of songbirds that visit your yard.

If “rural” includes your neck of the woods your birding possibilities expand. This is also true for those in coastal, mountain or prairie areas. You can provide the same resources as the suburban birdwatchers – set out water sources and feeding stations. Rural and wooded zones are home to a tremendous ecosystem. Keep a log of wild turkey, bobwhites and gallinaceous species, birds-of-prey including owls, hawks and eagles, pileated woodpeckers, thrush, warblers, orioles, bluebirds and so many more!

If you are a farmer with a hay field consult your local Audubon center or conservation society. Hayfields are a critical breeding ground for endangered field birds such as bobolink and killdeer. Leave center islands uncut and ensure a large swathe of grass is left along the perimeter of fields.

Coastal homesteaders will categorize a wide variety of shore and pelagic birds. Warmer Gulf zones will see gannets, brown pelicans, frigate birds, terns, albatross, boobies, sanderlings and sea ducks. Other hotspots for shore and ocean birds include stretches of the Pacific, Chesapeake, Eastern shoreline and even central lakes regions. The species recorded will be determined by the migration times. Be sure to check these migration maps to ensure best viewing during peak times.

Credit – windturbinesyndrome.com

Storms, weather patterns and other environmental aspects influence the times and peculiarities of migration tracks. Birds flock into hotspots at irregular moments in varying numbers. These migration tracking websites provide you with the latest updates – you don’t want to miss out on the Whooping Cranes soaring into the Aransas National Refuge!

The United States, and both the North and South American landmasses, are home to four internationally significant flyways. Learn more about them to witness the fantastic flow of birdlife through your area. There is a flyway that passes over every “band” (north south) of the US.

• Atlantic Flyway (sea and shorebird exodus zone – home of the Chesapeake Bay)
• Mississippi Flyway (called the “Sea of Birds”)
• Central Flyway (famous for it’s Sandhill Cranes)
• Pacific Flyway (critical shorebird habitat area stretching from Alaska to Mexico)

Here are a few resources!

• Waterfowl (ducks, loons, geese): Ducks Unlimited offers regularly updated maps that pinpoint what species, population and weather reports are in effect in a specific area. This detailed map is a great resource for birdwatchers recording waterfowl populations.
• The Cornell Lab of Ornithology “Bird Cast”: The ornithologists at Cornell University use good old-fashioned observation and population records with high-tech tracking to get accurate reports of migrating birds. The information is used to provide

scientists with crucial population and conservation information as well as welfare impacts caused by human activity. The records prevent bird suffering by proactively making “decisions for placement of wind turbines and identifying nights on which lighting of tall buildings could be reduced to prevent the deaths of millions of birds.”

• Audubon’s “Flyways of the Americas”: This interactive and detailed online map illustrates each of the four flyways (Eastern, Mississippi, Central and Pacific). Click on each area to learn more about the spring and fall migration patterns, which birds are the celebrities that draw in the birdwatchers and why these habitats are important.

What you can do

Record in your birding log book the species and population of the birds visiting your area. Log into the Audubon, Cornell or conservation departments and organizations in your region. Many of these groups rely on the information provided by local birding enthusiasts. The records you collect are crucial to monitoring habitat, environmental influences and human activity on the preservation initiatives. Join your favorite organization and become a field volunteer.

Birdwatching is a wonderful hobby that inspires us, and that allows each of us to perform a beneficial action to help conserve wildlife! When birders provide the habitat, knowledge and resources to set-up a powerful foundation for conservation, everyone wins!

The Audubon society reminds us that we can make a difference. “We’re in a race against time — to give birds a fighting chance in a changing world.”