"Birding" is more than a passing interest in birds; it is a fascination with them that combines appreciation of their aesthetic appeal with intellectual curiosity about their identification, behavior, and habitats. Birding can combine scientific discovery, adventure, and athleticism. Most people know that birding involves watching birds, but there are many refinements to the simple act of raising a binocular.
Many people who watch birds begin at home by putting up a few bird feeders and watching the dozen or so (or in rural areas many more) species that come to visit. Some backyard birders also create habitat for birds by supplying native plants, roost and nest boxes, and water sources. It is useful to purchase a few books on birds and birding, such as field guides, books covering the status and distribution of local birds, and books on such specific subjects as bird feeding, behavior, and bird families.
Most birders find that they learn a great deal when they go out birding with others, whether on an organized group trip, such as with the local Audubon Society chapter or bird club, or just with a few friends. Groups of birders share their knowledge and provide different perspectives, which can help accelerate the learning process. Many local groups offer free or low-cost field trips or guided trips. Professional tour groups offer package birding excursions to all corners of the planet, from Arctic islands to Amazonian rain forests.
Finding a good binocular is a crucial step toward becoming a proficient birder. Reliable binoculars sell for about $200, while the best cost more than $1,000. Many a birder has been stunned to look through a high-quality binocular and see the incredible clarity, color transmission, and image size that the finest glass provides: birds that seemed unidentifiable brown blobs suddenly appear as miniature works of art, with intricate and colorful patterns. To perceive the finest details of a bird’s plumage—whether for the purposes of identification or aesthetic pleasure—a high-quality binocular is a necessity.
Most birders use a 7-, 8-, or 10-power binocular, which means that the bird appears seven to ten times larger than it does to the naked eye. The lower powers are easier to hold steady and provide a wider field of view, which makes it easier to locate a bird and stay with it. Binoculars also are labeled according to the size (in millimeters) of the objective lenses (the larger lenses at the end); a 7 x 42 binocular is thus a 7-power binocular with 42mm objective lenses. In general, objective lenses should measure in the 40—50mm range to provide optimal light for binoculars in the 7- to 10-power range.
In areas where birds may be more distant, such as marshes, beaches, and mudflats, many birders use spotting scopes mounted on tripods to get close-up views. Birding festivals, common in many states, can be good places to compare the different kinds of binoculars and spotting scopes.
It is important to field-test a binocular before purchasing it. A binocular should feel good to hold and to look through (both with and without eyeglasses) and should provide the ability to focus quickly on both flying and close-perched birds.A birding excursion can be a spontaneous junket to nearby woodland, mudflat, or marsh or a carefully planned trip farther afield. In either case, it is important to take along a guide book and a good map of the area, and, as with any outdoor trip, to wear proper clothing for the weather and pack food and water, insect repellent, and an emergency first-aid kit. It is wise not to travel alone to more remote areas.
Time of year — In most places, the greatest variety of birds is observed during periods of migration, when many species are on the move. Spring migration is best for seeing Neotropical migrants heading northward in their bright breeding plumages. Autumn migration provides opportunities for studying the more subtle plumages and for finding vagrants. Summer is the time for nesting birds. In winter, a challenging time for birding in many parts of North America, such boreal species as Rough-legged Hawks, Northern Shrikes, owls, and finches may appear well south of their usual haunts.
Time of day — "The early bird gets the worm" is an adage that can apply equally well to "early birders." Many birds, especially passerines, are particularly active during the first few hours of daylight — probably because they are hungriest at this time of day (birds are often most conspicuous when they are foraging). Often there is another burst of foraging activity in late afternoon after the heat of the day has passed. Many species of birds, however, can be studied throughout the day; these include waterfowl, shorebirds, and many other non-passerines.
Weather — A rule of thumb for experienced birders is "Bad weather often brings ’good’ birds." Birds are deeply affected by weather. For example, migratory birds rely on southerly winds to bring them north in spring and on northerly winds for their passage southward. When birds encounter winds that are contrary to their needs (such as a cold front in spring), they often stop migrating suddenly; during these times large numbers may descend into small areas to wait for more favorable weather, a phenomenon birders refer to as "fallout." Hurricanes are strong enough to drive pelagic birds as far inland as the Great Lakes. It is difficult to predict how bird movements will be affected by weather events, but increasingly scientists are using radar technology to monitor this, and a trove of information on the subject can now be found through the Internet.
Stealth — To identify a bird, one must see it well. As a general rule, birds do not like rapid movements or loud noises and will flush or otherwise avoid them. In order to watch birds closely, it is necessary to keep talking and movements to a minimum. Successful birders avoid shuffling their feet in leaves or gravel and keep as quiet and still as possible. They dress in a way that minimizes their visibility to birds but maximizes comfort in bad weather or buggy environments, avoiding colorful or "noisy" clothing, such as squeaky shoes and ponchos. A portable, three-legged stool is handy in areas where it may be necessary to wait and listen for long periods, and a blind (a concealing enclosure) is helpful for close views in open areas. It is important to be stealthy when approaching birds; on a mudflat, beach, or other open expanse, a sidling or zigzagging, stop-and-start course works better than a direct route, as it allows the bird’s time to adjust to the presence of intruders. In aquatic environments, a small flat-bottomed boat, canoe, or kayak creates minimal disturbance, sometimes allowing for close views of shy species.
Competence and patience — Identification of birds by sight and recognition of them by sound are only two components of what one might call birding "competence." Learning bird distribution by habitat and season, becoming familiar with nesting habits, working out how weather influences birds, and predicting where food resources will concentrate birds are all aspects of basic competence in birding.
Probably the single most important quality in any naturalist, though, is patience. Patient scanning of the sea, sky, or trees may be tedious, especially if few birds seem to be around, but to become a proficient birder, it is necessary to watch the environment carefully over relatively long periods of time, often several hours. The perceptive and patient birder can be privileged to witness phenomena that no one else has seen or described before.
