Let's Go Birding

Birding Basics

Virtually anyone can go birdwatching. At its most basic, all you need are eyes and/or ears and some birds. As a hobby, birdwatching means different things to different people: it could be setting up a feeder or garden in the backyard and looking out the window to find birds, or it could be observing pigeons and other common urban birds at close range in a city park, or it could mean gearing up with a pair of binoculars and a field guide and going to a local hiking trail. There is no wrong way to go birdwatching! That said, there are some common supplies that people do use to observe wild birds

Birding Supplies

Optics

Optics allow you to see birds further away than with the naked eye. This may include binoculars or spotting scopes. Binoculars tend to be smaller and more portable than scopes, but scopes have a longer range and larger lenses that allow a wider image to be seen.

Bird Guides

Bird guides are used to identify the species of bird you are looking at. Most commonly, this is a book: it may be best to look for a book that is dedicated to the particular region you are birding in. A more high tech option is Merlin: this is an app that goes on your phone. It tailors the bird list to your particular area that you are looking in, and has some useful features like sound recordings. Personally, I use both of these.

Bird Feeding

Bird feeders can be useful to help bring birds to a closer range, and are very common to place in backyards. Different types of feeders and food are good for different species, so if you are looking to attract a certain bird, you may want to check what feeders work for it. Native plant gardens are also excellent for attracting birds: I grow echinacea to attract goldfinches. Plants with edible fruit or seeds work best.

Recording Findings

All you really need to record findings is a pencil and some paper. You can write down the birds you see, behaviors, how many youve seen, and maybe add some drawings. E bird is also common for recording species: you can upload it and share it with a broader community of birders, and it helps map out where certain species may be found.

Cameras

If you would rather photograph bird species than draw them , that is also an option. For closer range birds, and ordinary camera or even the camera on your pone may work; but if looking to photograph more distant birds, you may want to get a lens with a longer zoom, or you can macgyver it by holding a camera to a spotting scope (cause those long range lenses are insanely expensive.

Bird Houses

Bird houses can be helpful for nesting birds if you have the space for them: be sure to ensure they are the right dimensions for the bird species you are looking to house.