Birding for Beginners
Drawing of binoculars from Canva.
Freedom, wisdom, spirituality. From the Bald Eagle to the Northern Cardinal, birds have a myriad of symbolic meanings woven into our culture and religions. Beyond their symbolic significance, birds play vital roles in our ecosystems. Raptors work as essential predators, controlling prey populations such as rodents and smaller birds. Along with performing their melodic songs, songbirds serve as prey, control insect and weed populations, and disperse seeds. Without birds filling these ecological roles, our world would likely look much different.
My past semester in college I took an ornithology course, which further cultivated my understanding and appreciation for these animals. During that class, I learned about bird anatomy, classification, identification, and their unique behaviors and adaptations. However, the most valuable thing I took away from that class was an eagerness to learn more about these fascinating creatures. How eerily still and quiet would the world be without their repertoires filling the air or seeing them soar across our skies?
Of course, binoculars and a field guide are useful tools when going out on a “birding” adventure; however, I’d like to share some free resources you could utilize to start your journey as a fellow “birder.” If you have a smartphone, BirdNET and iNaturalist are two useful apps for birding. BirdNET is an app through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology which allows you to record and identify bird vocalizations. Plus, this app automatically catalogs your audio recording and observations, recording the date, time, and location at which each species was found. This is very handy to keep a running record of your bird sightings. Furthermore, with each observation, the app provides a picture, common name, and scientific name of the species, as well as connects you to a wikipedia page to learn more.
Nesting storks on a rooftop in Cleebronn, Germany (Photo by Faith Forry)
iNaturalist, a commonly used app amongst outdoors enthusiasts and those in the scientific community, is a joint initiative by the National Geographic Society and the California Academy of Sciences. Used for plants, animals (birds!), insects, and anything in between, iNaturalist uses your pictures and audio recordings to identify and record your wildlife observations. By using this app, your observations provide quality data which can help scientists better understand and protect our ecosystems and its inhabitants.
Lastly, there are many websites which provide a plethora of bird knowledge. One I would personally recommend is allaboutbirds.org, through The Cornell Lab. This website allows you to search bird species for information on their identification, range, habitat, vocalizations, etc. You can even watch live bird cams from all around the world, from Red-tailed Hawks in NY to Northern Royal Albatrosses in New Zealand. (This is also available as an app called Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab.)
If you are already an avid avian appreciator, I hope this added even more tools to your birding belt. If you have never given birds a second thought, I hope this inspires your curiosity and appreciation for our friends in the sky.
Written by Faith Forry — August 12, 2020
