Bird Watching for Beginners – How To Identify Birds

by William Scott

If you like bird watching, it is a certainty that you’ll want to learn how to identify these birds. It is exciting when you are able to correctly identify a bird while out bird watching. This isn’t as easily done as said, however – it can be very difficult at times. A good field guide can be your friend in this regard. Having some of your own knowledge filed away in your head will make it even easier to use this guide however. If you’re a novice bird watcher, read on for a few tips to help you “name that bird”.

The Size of the Bird

Take a look at the size of a bird if you don’t know how to identify it. Is it the size of a robin, a small sparrow, a chicken, or even an ostrich? Is the bird plump, skinny, short, or very long? Take a look at the entire body and take every feature into consideration, including the size and shape of the wings, tail and beak.

Note the Colors

The colors are another important thing to note when trying to identify birds. Look at the colors and try to match them with the size and shape. As you become more experienced, you’ll learn what colors certain types of birds usually are, which will help you identify them; sometimes you’ll even be able to do this by color alone! Take the lighting into account and make a mental note of what parts of the bird are what colors. For instance are the wings differently colored than the rest of the bird? These details are important in identifying birds. Be certain to look at any markings the bird may have.

Where are You?

Knowing where you bird watch is also going to be a help when you identify birds. Where are you when you bird watch? Are you on the water, in your front yard, inside a large forest? Certain birds stay within one particular habitat. 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? All of these things will help you when you want to identify the birds you watch.

Listening to Identify Birds

One of the most important things to keep in mind when you’re watching birds is that how they sound can help you figure out what they are, 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 listen closely, you might even see some birds that you would never have seen otherwise. It’s not always helpful to listen when you identify a bird, but it’s another piece of information that can definitely help you.

Next time you go on a 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.

About the Author:

William Scott has authored a number of bird watching articles. His website http://BirdWatchingAdvice.com offers further information on selecting the right birding binoculars.

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