Learn to Bird!

You don't have to be an expert to enjoy birds, but there are some pointers that will certainly help.

First of all, to identify birds you need to be observant. "Observant" both visually and auditorally. If you're serious about birding a good pair of binoculars will really make the experience much more enjoyable. Otherwise, as the saying goes, just keep your eyes and ears open.

To identify birds once you've heard or spotted them you need some kind of bird guide. There are many different bird field guides available and you can click on the link in the previous sentence to see list of a few of the more popular ones. Also on the market (and even on the WWW) are a variety of recorded bird sounds. These tapes/cd/.wavs can be quite helpful but it's generally good to first have some sort of idea of which kind you think that the bird is, before you listen to 8 million different cheeps and peeps. (At least narrow it down.)

When looking at a bird and listening to it, it's good to notice and quickly record in your memory as many different characteristics as possible. Then, if the bird flies away after two seconds, you can still check with your field guide and have some sort of idea what the bird is.

To tell an Eagle from a Hummingbird; some of the main points to notice:

• the size and body shape of the bird
  • an Eagle is pretty large; a Hummingbird is pretty small
  • [Their body shapes are fairly similar because they both live on land and are able to perch. Imagine if this exercise were comparing a Flamingo with a Hummingbird; there would be major differences.]
• the main and accent coloring of the bird
  • most species of Eagles have fairly drab coloring; Hummingbirds are generally pretty brightly-colored
  • many species of Eagles have banded or striped tails, dark-colored upper back and wing feathers and light-colored under feathers; many humminbirds are seemingly one color with different colors blending together, many times the colors appear iredescent
• the beak and feet of the bird
  • the feet of an Eagle are not webbed and they have four toes, three pointing forward and one backward; you can't really see the feet of a Hummingbird (significant in itself!)
  • the feet of an Eagle are called talons because they have claw-like toes; you still can't really see the feet of a Hummingbird...
  • the feet of an Eagle are curved, for grasping and perching; are you sure Hummingbirds really have feet? (yes, they do, and they can perch upright, but that's not very characteristic. Observing what you can't observe is as important as observing what you can.)
  • the beak of an Eagle is sharp and curved downward, used for tearing flesh; the beak of a Hummingbird is long and thin, used as a staw like the butterfly's proboscis
• any characteristic actions performed by the bird
  • Eagles soar on thermal wind currents, high up in the air, with few wing beats; Hummingbirds are famous for their ability to hover in one spot, their wings in a blur, for several seconds at a time, they can move backward while hovering as easily and quickly as forward
  • Eagles may dive suddenly into a lake or toward the ground and regain the air with a fish, lizard, bird or small mammal in their clutches; Hummingbirds may hover near flowers or a special Hummingbid feeder and zip away so quickly you can't see where they went
• the geographical setting of the bird
  • Eagles are generally found in large, open spaces, many near lakes and rivers with some trees (for shelter and nesting); Humingbirds are generally found in warm areas, often in gardens, especially those with special Hummingbird feeders or special (sometimes tropical) flowers