The art of birding
How to get started in your own backyard
Step outside. Hear that? It’s birdsong, and it seems louder than ever. At a time when we’re all hunkered down, birds seem to be commanding our attention — and getting it. The calls, chirps and trills that might usually go unnoticed are taking people by surprise. “There’s a sudden interest in birds, and for good reason,” said John Fitzpatrick, ornithologist and executive director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York. “It’s a great, hopeful hobby.”
Downloads of Merlin, the lab’s bird guide app, recently doubled over last year, and submissions to its online EBird data project are up 50%, Fitzpatrick said.
Birding may be the ideal pastime we all need right now, said John Rowden, senior director of bird-friendly communities at the Audubon Society. “I think it’s a very challenging time for a lot of people,” he said. “If there are things we can focus on that bring us joy, we should grab onto that.”
Research shows that listening to birdsong relaxes the body and sharpens the mind. Watching birds sends us outdoors and into nature, which benefits humans in many ways, including keeping anxiety, anger and depression at bay.
The best part? You can start in your backyard with binoculars and a newfound curiosity about which species visit and dwell there. There are more than 1,100 species in the U.S. — some are bound to touch down in your backyard.
Here’s how to get started:
Dive in.
Before you head out the door, read up on what birders do and why they love doing what they do. Audubon’s beginner birding site offers an ideal tool kit for getting started, what gear you’ll need, how backyard birding works and more.
Then move on to the Joy of Birds, which Audubon created to help get you through the pandemic. You’ll find photographs of mating rituals (“Nature has way better moves than the Funky Chicken”) and crazy-cute bird moms and baby chicks. Use these stories and videos to get stoked about figuring out what’s flying in your backyard.
Gather gear.
You’ll need something to magnify your view, and it doesn’t need to be fancy. Nicholas Lund writes about options in Audubon’s “How to Begin Birding”: “All you’ve got is a pair of hulking, 14-pound black plastic behemoths from your mom’s house? Use them. Little opera glasses that you hold to your face with a stick? They’ll work. One of those extending telescopes that fit in your pocket? Get ready to run through the woods like some sort of bird-watching pirate.” Once you’re hooked, you can invest in a starter pair of binoculars, often for less than $100.
You’ll also need a field guide to help you identify birds. You can choose ones that feature illustrations, such as the popular “Sibley Guide to Birds,” or photographs, such as the “Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America.” When you’re not outside, flip through the field guide to familiarize yourself with characteristics and ranges of different species.
Pick a bird, any bird.
Go into your backyard or your local park. Start with a common bird you might know, such as an American crow, sparrow or house finch. Check what the field guide or app says
about the bird, and observe. What is the bird doing? How is it interacting with others? Note size, color, shape and distinguishing marks on its body or tail. Then do the same with a bird you don’t know, trying to identify marks that can help you make a positive ID. Ardent birders refer to a “spark bird,” the one they first identified that hooked them for life. “My spark bird was a male American redstart I saw while I was sick at home from kindergarten,” Fitzpatrick said.
Keep a list.
As you get better at identifying birds, write down your sightings and notes. The site eBird (ebird.org) allows you to upload and keep track of your sightings, photos and sounds. You’ll be contributing to a big citizen science project and have a chance to see what people in other parts of the world are doing. Big-time birders rack up 5,000 or 6,000 species.
Explore.
If it’s safe to do so, make plans to visit other habitats and join bird walks to improve your skills. Different habitats mean different species. Go to the beach to see sandpipers and curlews; head to forested areas to see Steller’s jays and owls. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself traveling to scout birds you want to see.
Enjoy birdie pop culture.
Many birders compare the hobby to a scavenger hunt. Once you’re hooked — and there’s a good chance you will be — read “The Big Year” by Mark Obmascik, which chronicles obsessive birders who spend an entire year chasing species around the world. Then binge-watch David Attenborough’s “Life of Birds” BBC series, which offers a fascinating deep dive into bird behaviors.
Admit it, you’re a birder.
Banish the thought of persnickety geezers in sensible shoes. Birding is hip.