Beginner’s Guide To Bird Identification
ByIf you enjoy watching birds, you might want to know how to identify them, too. While it can be exciting to be able to identify birds, it isn’t always a simple task; in fact, it can be downright frustrating much of the time. Having a good field guide is a good way to start. However, you’ll also need to glean some knowledge on your own before you can even use the field guide properly. If you’re a novice bird watcher, read on for a few tips to help you “name that bird”.
What’s the Bird’s Size?
One of the most important factors in identifying a bird will be its size. Is it the size of a robin? A chicken? Perhaps an ostrich? Size is important here, as is the ability to evaluate the body type of the bird you are watching. Also, consider whether the bird is plump, on the skinny side, short, or very long. The entire body should be taken into consideration, including the size of the beak, the size of the tail, and the size and shape of the wings as well.
Note the Colors
What colors does the bird exhibit? Certain birds tend to exhibit certain colors, so you can identify some birds by color or pattern alone. However, colors, too, can be tricky. The lighting can affect the color so that the bird appears a different color than he or she really is. Take the lighting into account and make a mental note of what parts of the bird are what colors. Are the legs of a certain color, or are the wings? Are there any specific and unique markings anywhere on the body that you could use to help identify the bird? With a decent pair of birding binoculars the features of these feathered creatures can be viewed more closely.
What’s Your Location?
Knowing where you bird watch is also going to be a help when you identify birds. Take a look around and figure out where you are. Are you out on the water, deep inside a large forest, or are you perhaps doing some backyard birding? Certain types of bird tend to live in certain types of terrain. If the bird’s in the water, wading or swimming, can it actually climb a tree, too? Does it fly, and if so, where and how? How does it move its tail? These are all questions to ask that can help you out when identifying the birds that you are watching.
Listening to Identify Birds
Beginners at bird watching need to know to listen to birds too. Every bird species has a unique song; if you listen, you may be able to identify the bird you’re watching just by what you can hear. If you are listening closely you may even see some birds that you would have never seen otherwise, and while this won’t always help you identify a bird, it can definitely help.
So, next time you go out bird watching adventure, keep these tips in mind to help you in your efforts. They’ll help you identify the birds you see, and this will make it a much more rewarding and fun experience for you, too.