ted's easy guide to birding

I get a lot of questions related to going birdwatching, so I thought I'd put a little post together with the basics. Keep in mind that you may be in a different geographical region, and migrations/ regional species will be different for you if you are.

What you need: The good thing about birding is that you really don't need anything to do it; it's one of the few truly free hobbies left in today's world. But there are definitely some things that will be useful, such as:

1. Binoculars. If you're going to go out and buy anything for birding, get binoculars. They don't have to be fancy, and you can use pretty much any pair, but keep in mind that some binoculars are objectively better for birding. You'll want 7- or 8-power binoculars. They're bright, and have a wide field of view. The Audubon Society recommends 8x42 binoculars.

2. A camera. Cameras can be used similar to binoculars (and some can even zoom in better), but with the added advantage of getting a picture of what you see! Bird tracking apps like ebird (which I'll cover later) may require you to submit a photo if you see a rare bird, so it's good to take pictures. I recommend a DSLR with a telephoto lens, so you can photograph them from afar.

3. Field guides. Field guides are great for studying up on your regional species. You can get them for your country, region, or state (if you're in the US). I recommend Sibley guides the most, but Peterson and Audubon are just as good.

4. Proper clothes. This one isn't a huge deal to me, I just wear whatever, but be prepared like you would to go hiking. You should wear sneakers or hiking boots, longer sleeves and pants if ticks are an issue where you are, maybe a hat? Basically clothes that prevent you from getting exposed to cold or rain or heat or bugs or whatever the conditions are. You don't want to be uncomfortable while you're out. But I usually ignore this and go hiking and birding in flip flops without bug spray so who am I to talk?

Good apps for birding: One of the best things about being a naturalist in today's world is you don't need to carry around a lot of stuff. Back then, you'd need to carry at least a notebook and multiple field guides, and you'd have to scramble to flip through the pages to find your bird before it flies away. Fortunately for us, we have phones now, making things lighter, faster, and more convenient.

1. Ebird. allows you to track birding trips with your location, time, and species you see, which can be posted. you can search for birding hotspots within a 30 mile radius, search for certain species and see the probability of finding one in your location, see what species are the most common in your area, and get notifications for rare bird sightings. species tracking apps like these and inaturalist are super important to scientists. they can use the data to track migration trends, and identify rare species/ populations, or identify vagrants.

2. BirdNET. When you're birding, you aren't always going to see the bird. But you'll definitely hear it! And most often, you'll hear your bird before you see it. BirdNET lets you record bird sounds, and uses an algorithm to guess what bird you're listening to. Results are given with examples of their songs so you can check, and it also tells you how confident it is about the answer. However, if it's windy, or there are cars driving nearby, it may be hard to pick up the sound, and sometimes the app cannot guess. Obviously it isn't perfect, but it works pretty darn well.

3. Merlin Bird ID. The main function of this app is to identify mystery birds. You answer a short survey, and get a list of possible birds. It's not very accurate, but can help narrow things down. What I like about it is you can search through a list of birds by region. The list is very detailed, and you can use it like a field guide. You can see winter vs breeding plumages, male vs female coloration, and juveniles. You also get basic info, sounds, and range.

Keeping a life list: a life list is a list of all the species you want to see. it's your goal as a birdwatcher. some people keep a list of their own species, while others will seek to see as many species as possible in their region, country, or even the world! It's always a good day finding a new species, especially if it's on your life list. The day I saw my first Brown Thrasher, I was ELATED. Seeing a new species gives you a rush of dopamine, because you have achieved a goal. When we went for birdwatching walks in my ornithology class, our two lab sections would compete to find the most species. My section always won, of course :)

Going birding: Okay, so now that we've gone over all the background stuff, we are ready to go birding! Here's some tips on how to successfully go birdwatching:

1. Go in the spring/ summer. This is mating season, and a prime time to see birds! The males will be in their bright breeding plumage, and will be singing their characteristic songs. Migrants will be back from wintering, and you will see many species! Plus, you don't have to worry about being freezing cold. Early spring is good to start out, because birds will be returning, but the trees will still be bare, so you can easily spot them.

2. Pick a good location. You can find different species in different habitats. Try them all! Here, we have meadows, forests, and marshes primarily. Use Ebird to find spots where people have been seeing lots of species.

3. Pick a good time. Birds are most active in the morning. If you can go before 11 AM, do that! Some species are more active at dusk as well, but afternoons are typically not peak bird activity times.

4. Be quiet, slow, and patient. Birds will hear you coming, and may fly away when they know you're there. Try not to be too loud when you walk, and don't approach a bird too fast. If you want to approach an animal without scaring it, walk slowly, and avoid looking at it. Look away from it. The animal will think you cannot see them, and you can get pretty close, from my experience. If you see lots of bird activity, sit down and chill out for a bit. Sometimes, when you approach an area, birds may quiet down to see if you are a threat. If you remain still, they will soon start to pick up their behavior again.

5. If you are in the US, remember that it is illegal to collect any migratory bird parts, including feathers or bones. This is due to the Migratory Bird Act. No one really will check the average person and penalize them if they've found a feather, but you should usually just leave that stuff be.

6. Read, read, read! Look up facts about your local species. Read as many bird books as possible. I may make a future post with my recommended bird books. Learn their behaviors, and what to look for. The way a bird behaves can tell you a lot about its species!

Okay, that's about it. I may be forgetting stuff, but these are the basics. Hope some of you like it!