Birding Basics

Identifying birds is a great way to become more familiar with your local environment. Contrary to belief, you don't need any fancy equipment to start noticing patterns. Just like a detective all you need to start identifying birds is your curiosity, a notepad, and writing utensil.

Begin by focusing on these four categories:

1. Shape and size
2. Color and color pattern
3. The way they act (behavior)
4. Where they are found (habitat)

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1. Size and shape: Birding can be much easier when you focus on the general size and shape of a bird. You don’t typically recognize friends approaching you by small details, such as eye color or hair style, but by their overall appearance. Applying this same technique to birding can help you quickly identify bird species. Consider comparing the size of a mystery bird in your yard to an identity you're familiar with. Is your mystery bird larger or smaller than a crow? Making these comparisons is key to identifying birds, so it is useful to establish size references to compare with new, unknown birds. Remember to make note of any distinguishing features for more accurate identification later. Your references will be important as you begin identifying a bird to its species.  ​All About Birds, Inside Birding: Size and Shape (VIDEO)
2. Color: ​Focusing on features that can be noticed at a moment’s glance is important to identifying species since birds can fly out of sight at any moment. Focus on the overall color pattern rather than honing in on one small detail to help with identifying a bird.  ​All About Birds, Inside Birding: Color Pattern (VIDEO)
3. Behavior: Recognizing behavioral clues is a key component of bird identification. Like size and shape, it's consistent to species. Posture, foraging and flight style can vary depending on the season so the more observations you can make throughout the year, the more you'll be able to confirm a species identity based on patterns. All About Birds, Inside Birding: Behavior (VIDEO)
4. Habitat: A bird’s habitat is an equally important signature of bird identity as size and shape. All About Birds, Inside Birding: Habitat (VIDEO)

Interested in birding by song? Check out How to Bird by Ear!

To learn more, check out All About Birds' Bird ID Skills series. ​