First, please read our COVID-19 Recommendation.
You don’t need to go far or have a backyard to watch birds. Birds are everywhere! You can watch them from a window or outside if the weather is nice. If you live in an urban neighborhood, you can spot them on fire escapes, light poles, or even perched on an electric wire!
All you have to do is take a deep breath and let your eyes scan over your surroundings. Notice the shapes, beautiful colors, different sizes, and fun behaviors of the birds around you. It can be fascinating to see how different kinds of birds interact with each other. Let your ears help you out – what do you hear? Are there any birds you hear more often? Where do you hear the most birds? What time of day do you hear the most birds? These are all examples of great bird-watcher observations!
If you have access to pair of binoculars this is a great way to watch distant birds or focus on a specific area. Don’t worry if this is not an option! You can use your mobile phone, tablet, or camera to zoom in on birds.
Setting up a bird feeder next to your window or home is also a fantastic way to attract birds. To learn more about how to make a bird feeder click here!
If you would like help identifying the birds around you use the free app, Merlin Bird ID. If you would like to share your observations head over to Celebrate Urban Birds, eBird, FeederWatch, or NestWatch. There you’ll find resources on birds near you and how to record your observations so you can be part of global citizen science projects.
Written by Julia Luna and Ashley Calderón. Edited by Debra Nero.