Identifying Birds Kent Nickell 1 Birdwatching Ethics Support

Identifying Birds Kent Nickell 1

Birdwatching Ethics • Support bird and habitat conservation efforts. • Exercise restraint when viewing, recording, and photographing birds to avoid stressing them unnecessarily. • Obey all trail signs and respect private property rights. • Keep feeders and nest boxes clean and in good repair. • Offer help to less experienced birdwatchers. 2

It’s simple: Just look at the bird! • Study the bird, not your field guide! • Study the bird systematically from head to tail. • Say what you see aloud…even if you’re alone. 3

Note the shape and relative size of the bill Rod Planck 4

• The bill on this Hairy Woodpecker is proportionally much larger than the bill on a Downy. Earl Orf 5

Face markings are the key to learning sparrows and others. Kent Nickell 6

Be aware of varying plumages and dimorphic species. 7

Pay attention to behavior • How can we easily distinguish this Ovenbird from… Kent Nickell 8

…this Hermit Thrush? Kent Nickell 9

Habitat Matters! • This little wren lives in wet sedge meadows. Kent Nickell 10

And this one lives in your backyard! 11

Study the bird’s flight • Turkey Vultures soar with their wings in a strong dihedral or “V” shape. Kent Nickell 12

Conversely, Bald Eagles soar with their wings held flat. Kent Nickell 13

Unlike a Sandhill Crane, a Great Blue Heron tucks its neck when it flies. 14

SIZE is a dubious field mark!! Kent Nickell 15

Another example of similar species with distinguishing sizes Kent Nickell 16

Learning the gulls will make you a pro… All photos by Kent Nickell 17

…if you can get through the Empidonax flycatchers first! Kent Nickell Earl Orf 18

Learning bird sounds will exponentially increase your ability to find and identify birds! Kent Nickell 19

Tips for learning bird sounds • Once you hear a bird, try to get a look at it as well—this will help you “put a face with the name”. • When many birds are singing, isolate and identify one song at a time. • Describe what you hear in your own terms, including the tone, quality, rhythm, and pitch. • Use phonetic devices. • Start with easier birds like thrushes and flycatchers, then learn more complex songs like warblers and vireos. 20

Use the field guide’s full potential • Browse through the field guide before going into the field to familiarize yourself with local birds. • Don’t just look at the pictures; read the text on the bird you are trying to identify. • Eliminate other possible identifications. Earl Orf 21

Why should we study birds anyway? • Studying and identifying birds is both relaxing and challenging and increases our knowledge and appreciation of the natural world. • Studying birds is the foundation to build bird conservation efforts on. • Birds are important indicators of ecological health. • Birds are beautiful and fascinating creatures! 22

Practice!! The more often you pick up your binoculars and get out there, the better you will become at deciding which details are important and the more you will remember how to identify individual species. 23