IDENTIFYING WILD BIRDS
 The challenge of being able to identify wild birds is one of the thrills of most bird watcher’s. The art can be very overwhelming and, at times, frustrating, but there are some tips to help you with the challenges that come with identifying birds.

The most important piece of advise that I could give any beginning birder, when identifying an unfamiliar bird is to look at the bird and not at the bird identification guide in your pocket. I’m not saying that you should not pack one, you should, but that shouldn’t be the first thing you flip to and the reason is that by the time you get your handy,  bird guidebook out, the bird may be long gone, but you will still have your field guide. Get a quick impression of the bird you are trying to identify

Features you should notice right away are: Appearance (color), Size and Shape.  For an example you could take is the Cardinal. Right away you would see that he is a black, medium tall with a fairly squared top head.  A general impression of the avian visitor you are observing is a great starting point in identifying birds.

Pay particular attention to the birds’ bill. Bill shape and size often indicate to which family a bird belongs.  An example of this would be the sparrow. They have short, thick bills. Mockingbirds have long, thin bills, and typically have a downward curve to them.

Is the back of the bird darker or lighter than the head or the belly? Are there spots, streaks? What is the pattern of the wing notches, and color of the primaries on the upper wing? Wing Bars, which are the pale tips of greater and median secondary coverts on the wing. Are the wing bars present or not?

These  aspects can help a birder enjoy his birding trip .