Leisure Time News - Your No.1 Recreational Resource!

If you enjoy watching birds, more than likely you are going to want to learn how you can identify them. 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. A good field guide can be your friend in this regard. However, you’ll also need to glean some knowledge on your own before you can even use the field guide properly. If you’re just starting out as a bird watcher, then, there are a few things you can do that will help you identify birds more accurately.

What’s the Bird’s Size?

Take a look at the size of a bird if you don’t know how to identify it. Is it about the size of a large ostrich, maybe chicken size, about the size of a small sparrow, or perhaps the size of a robin? Would you characterize the bird as long or short, plump or skinny? Take the entire body into account, including the beak, tail and wings (both size and shape) when making this evaluation.

Note the Colors

What colors does the bird exhibit? As you learn which colors certain birds tend to be you’ll soon learn how to identify some birds by color alone. However, colors can trick you from time to time. The lighting may affect the color that the bird appears. In addition, make sure you note colors on each part of the body as well. 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.

Where Are You?

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? There are certain birds that live in specific habitats. Is the bird in the water, is it wading or swimming, does it actually climb the tree, how and where does it fly, and does it move its tail? These are all questions to ask that can help you out when identifying the birds that you are watching.

Use Your Ears

One of the most important tips for beginner bird watchers that want to identify birds is to listen. 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.

Next time you go on a bird watching adventure, keep these tips in mind to help you in your efforts. They will help you in identifying the birds you see (and even just hear) out there, giving you a more rewarding and enjoyable outdoor experience.