Your neighborhood birds might be trying to tell you something
There’s a whole lotta birds out there.
914 to be exact in North America! And each year, birds from across the country embark on a journey called a Big Year. From 12:00 AM on January 1st to 11:59 PM on December 31st, birders try to observe and list as many birds as they can.
I can’t even confidently point out a sparrow! How do birders do it??
It’s not all binoculars and bird feed. Start by breaking birds into categories. Use the area that you’re in and look up birds. You’ll see the range go from 914 to about 25–50.
1- Identify birds by habitat
Just like you wouldn’t expect a camel to live in a rain forest, birds have their own specific habitats and behaviors ties to those habitats. Certain birds need certain habitats. (Think woodpeckers and tall trees!)
2- Identify birds by sight
There are some really, really cool looking birds out there.
One of the easiest ways to identify birds is by size, shape, and color pattern. Some are easier to see in flight, while the other are better to be seen in a still pose.
3- Identify birds by call
Ring-ring-ring. You probably already hear chirping outside your window. What you probably didn’t know is that that symphony of chirps is comprised of sometimes up to 20 different birds! Being able to pick out birds by their call is a great way to track birds for your Big Year without physically seeing the bird.
Start small.
Use an app like FactSumo to start learning the birds of your area by sight and call. (If you don’t see your area, you can request it here). Even though we’re halfway through the year, you can get a head start for the next Big Year!
So what are the birds in your area trying to tell you?
These guys are more than just little brown sparrows and cardinals. They’re the Green-breasted Mango, the Amazon Kingfisher, and the Blue Bunting! And these unique little birds are everywhere… As long as you know how to look!
