The Data Scientist’s Guide to Birdwatching
Reflections on bird-watching, data and everything in between.
I love birds. I love that they’re always around, even in the urban jungle, and I also love that birdwatching can take you on an outdoor adventure. But more than anything, I love that no matter how much you plan your quest, birds do their own thing. Birdwatching means being an observer, and potentially a storyteller — just like data analysis.
I often find that my data-driven approach shapes my birdwatching style, and that my birding experiences are reflected in my work as a data scientist at Simply. So I thought I’d share a few of the principles they have in common in hopes of inspiring you to take up one (or both) of them.
1. Keep it Simple
Bird watchers, like data people, need to find their own balance between speed and accuracy. For example, it’s quite common to be out birdwatching, and catch a glimpse of a small and brownish bird, moving between the tree leaves. It’s probably a sparrow — but which sparrow?
Well, as much as they love their taxonomy, experienced bird watchers might actually just call it LBB: Little Brown Bird. Anywhere between bird and Carpospiza brachydactyla is fine, as long as you find your optimal sweet spot.
At Simply, we value this type of focus and prioritization, because we strongly believe in Impact Velocity: moving as fast as possible, while moving the needle as much as possible. In other words, if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.
2. Follow the Rhythm
Birds are highly attuned to natural cycles, such as night and day, or changing seasons. The most well-known example is migration seasons, during which many bird species make the same epic journey at the same time every year, flying to warmer climates during the fall, and back to cooler climates in springtime.
Other patterns are not as dramatic, though. You might notice a flight of swifts fly-catching in the same spot every day at dusk, or a siege of herons always gathering to sleep on the same tree. Paying attention to these patterns can help you better understand birds, and predict the right time and place to watch them.
Of course, seasonality doesn’t just occur in the wild. Many human behaviors follow natural or artificial cycles: we make more pancakes on weekends, buy more sunscreen in the summer, and get stuck in traffic at rush hour every day. Some of these rhythms may surprise you, and you may discover that they vary by segments like age and geography. Being aware of these patterns and detecting them in our data helps us understand the way our product fits within the lives of our users, and make better predictions and decisions.
3. Be Patient
Birdwatching is often an exercise in patience. While they are indeed relatively predictable, birds stay safe by staying out of sight — so you may have to wait quietly for them to wander into your field of view. The uncertainty can be frustrating, but it is especially rewarding when these cautious creatures emerge, and simply go about their day around you.
Of course, patience may not always be enough: some spots are more bird-friendly than others, and you may want to try different locations. But be patient when you do, and don’t expect instant rewards. Data scientists are familiar with this trade-off between exploration and exploitation: just like models converging, there are benefits to trying new points of view, but sometimes perseverance is the answer.
4. Generalists Have More Fun
From an ecological perspective, some bird species are considered specialists: their beaks have adapted to feed on a specific resource, such as flower nectar or fish, and they thrive wherever it is in abundance. Generalist birds, on the other hand, are much more, well, general: they can eat different types of food, and they thrive in a wider range of habitats. Most urban birds, like crows and pigeons, are generalists who have adapted to the big city life. They may not be experts, but they have street smarts.
Adaptability and openness can benefit a birdwatcher, too. If you can appreciate the flora and fauna along the way, and possibly switch between telephoto and macro photography, you’re guaranteed a good birding trip even if no birds show up.
Similarly, while data science has many specializations, data generalists who are proficient in a variety of skills will thrive in environments that present diverse challenges. Being versatile and adaptable allows them to move faster, build their own tools and pipelines, and support each other.
5. Find Your Flock
Birdwatching on your own is an awesome way to focus and get some peace and quiet. But there’s so much to gain from another pair of eyes and ears: birding with other enthusiasts is an opportunity to learn, notice new details, and simply share the joy of birds.
Of course, this is not unique to birdwatching — anyone can benefit from brainstorming, mentoring and knowledge sharing. If you are a data scientist or an analyst, you probably already appreciate the benefits of consulting with others or pairing up to solve a problem, as well as the innovative value of water cooler chat.
At Simply, we work in small cross-function pods, dedicated to a focused task. The pod system encourages open communication, continuous sync and a high level of trust between team members, within and across pods, making it natural to collaborate. Being aligned with others also makes deep work time on your own much more effective. No wonder birds have so many collective nouns.
Even if your favorite trees are decision trees, being a good observer is a constant balance between zooming in and out. It can be difficult to guide your own exploration, between the unique details and the overall patterns that shape them. Observing nature is a great way to go back to basics:
- Keep it simple
- Follow the rhythm
- Be patient
- Generalists have more fun
- Find your flock
If you’ve read this far and want to take your birdwatching to the next level checkout this eBird map to find the best spots around you.
Oh, and if you’re looking for a flock to work with (surprise, surprise) — check out our open positions at Simply.
