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Beach and birds sounds9/6/2023 ![]() ![]() These are the characteristics of a bird that separate it from other species. Using size and shape, find the group or groups in your field guide that contain similar birds.ģ. Owls, herons, hummingbirds, doves and swallows are grouped in very different families. Identifying the group or family will narrow down your choices very quickly. Size and shape will help lead to the next identification clue – bird group.Ģ. For example, is it bigger or smaller than a sparrow? Is it shaped like a hawk or vulture? Is the head a similar shape to a Mallard? Include details such as a long or short tail, a thick or curved bill, webbed or singular toes. It may be helpful to compare what you see to a species you already know. Other clues include its behavior of excavating stags It is the largest of all the woodpeckers with a bright red crest. The size and shape of this Pileated Woodpecker make it easy to identify. This app will ask simple questions about what you saw and generate a list of likely matches. Another option for using technology is a bird identification app, such as Merlin Bird ID. Spend some time browsing the field guide to become familiar with species you may encounter in your yard. If you do not own one, download a field guide such as the Audubon app. Sometimes you only have a moment to gather information before the bird is gone. However, do not get so caught up in taking a photo that you miss the opportunity to really observe the bird and its behaviors and sounds. If you can take photos, they may be the best tool to assist with identification. For example, you may record these details about a Carolina Wren… smaller than a robin, buff brown above, butterscotch below, white eyebrow, signing loudly, pair in a tree.Ģ. Color, shape, size, field marks, behavior, sounds, etc. You may think you’ll remember but once you are presented with several similar options, you will be grateful for the reminders you recorded. Keep a small notebook to take notes on what you see and hear. No crest and a song like a robin, clues that it is NOT a Northern Cardinal.īefore you begin, gather a few items to assist with identification.ġ. ![]() It all started with that adorable Golden-crowned Kinglet, my “spark bird.”ĭon’t be fooled by this bright red Scarlet Tanager! It has black wings and tail, The bird world was so much more than cardinals, blue jays, robins and mallards. On the pond, I identified Lesser Scaup, Hooded Merganser and Ring-necked Duck. Soon I was identifying Dark-eyed Junco, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren and White-throated Sparrow. In my own neighborhood, an entire world of birds came alive. What else was out there that I had never noticed before? Turns out, a lot. I used the Audubon app field guide to identify this new discovery…a female Golden-crowned Kinglet. I had never seen anything like this before. Once I got home and could enlarge the images on a computer screen, I saw a tiny grayish-green bird with a bright yellow patch on its head. When I saw something land on the ground and hop around the ice, I aimed my camera and clicked away. When I first began birding, I didn’t own binoculars, so I took my long lens camera on a walk in my neighborhood on a winter afternoon. ![]() Look for clues to help you identify a bird.īirding is like an ongoing scavenger hunt. Luckily, there are simple ways to narrow down the possibilities. There are over 400 species of birds in Virginia. Identifying birds can be both challenging and rewarding. ![]() Now it’s time to start identifying the feathered visitors. If you have been following my backyard birding series, you have learned tips and tricks to get started, including suggestions for feeding and providing shelter to make your yard appealing to birds. ![]()
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