BIRDING

Birding Basics by Jimmy Ernst

Previously published in the March/April 2003 issue of Louisiana Conservationist

Did you know that over 400 different kinds of birds have been recorded in Louisiana?  Our state is one of the richest states in terms of bird diversity.  They are everywhere!  Can you think of a day that has gone by when you didn't see any?  You may not have taken notice of them, but if you are paying attention, you will see them everywhere you go.  For many of us, birds provide our only daily contact with wildlife.

Birds are fascinating creatures.  Each species has its own personality, if you want to call it that.  Different species have different behaviors and getting to know them can be a fun and rewarding experience.  Watching birds can be very relaxing and a great way to unwind.  It's also a great way to introduce children to wild things and help them gain an appreciation for nature.

So just how do you watch birds?  Do you stand there looking out the window at a feeder for a few minutes and then go back to what you were doing?  Well, that's a start, but let's take it a little farther and get a little more serious.  Whether ou are a seasoned deer or duck hunter or a single parent who has never spent much time in the woods, everyone can enjoy this relaxing pastime.  For that matter, there are plenty of hunters who have a great deal of experience in the woods and know the ways of their quarry well, but don't know half of the birds they see when they venture out.

Two pieces of equipment are critical for getting to know birds.  First is a good field guide or identification manual.  There are several available at local bookstores in the nature section.  The other is a good pair of binoculars.
Let's talk about the field guides first.  Look at several and pick one that you like.  Personally, I like the ones that use drawings or paintings of birds rather than photographs.  The drawings show more detail and give a better representation than a photograph.  I find that many photographs in field guides are at an odd angle and don't give you a good look at the birds.  When  you have to separate one bird from another that is very similar, the drawings can be a big help.
A common mistake with using field guides is to ignore the text of the book and only look at the pictures.  In all good field guides, the beginning of the book gives a great deal on information on how to identify birds.  Read this information.  There's more to it than just looking at pictures.

Another common mistake is not paying attention to range maps.  These maps show where each species occurs and shows the summer, or breeding range, and winter range.  Many of our birds are migratory, so you need to know when to expect to see them in Louisiana.  A good example of how this is useful is to compare the Carolina chickadee with the black-capped chickadee.  They are almost identical in appearance.  The black-capped chickadee does not occur in Louisiana, but the Carolina chickadee is common.  Without knowing this, you wouldn't know which bird you were seeing.  Also pay attention to where you see the bird.  Birds prefer certain habitats and knowing which birds use which habitats will help to identify the bird in question.  You won't find a red-cockaded woodpecker in a suburban neighborhood, but you may see a downy woodpecker, and the two are similar in appearance.

As for binoculars, any good pair will do, but there are some things to consider when choosing a pair.  Prices range from $20 to well over $1,000.  I suggest you get the most you can afford.  Buying cheap binoculars may leave you disappointed.  A good pair of name brand optics can be purchased for less then $200.  They range from pocket-sized to quite large weighing several pounds.  A major factor to consider is how much light it will gather.  Experts recommend that the size of the front objective be five times the magnification, meaning that if the magnification is seven power, the front objective should be at least 35 mm.  The larger the front objective, the more light it gathers, making the image brighter.  Compact binoculars gather less light but are easier to carry.  Larger binoculars may give you a better image but at the cost of being bulkier.  Try several different types and get one that fits your particular needs.

In Louisiana, birds occur in four groups.  First, we have resident birds that stay here year-round.  Some of these that you may be familiar with are cardinals, mockingbirds, crows, egrets and herons.  Second, summer residents are birds that only occur during the breeding season in spring and summer, and migrate south to Central or South America for the winter.  Two examples of these are the ruby-throated hummingbird and the purple martin.  The third group is winter residents who spend the winter in Louisiana and migrate north to their breeding grounds in the spring.  This includes most ducks and geese, goldfinches and many of the sparrows.  The last group of birds seen in Louisiana are the transients.  These birds breed in areas north of Louisiana and migrate through our state in the fall to their wintering grounds in Central and South America.  They pass through again in the spring on their way back to the breeding range.  This includes Baltimore orioles and many of the warblers.

I often get calls from people wanting know what kind of bird they recently saw.  When I ask them to describe the bird, they usually give very vague, general descriptions, and it is difficult to identify a bird using that information.  Since so many birds are similar and confusing, the trick to identifying them is not to look at the whole bird.  Instead of looking at the whole bird, look at the different features of the bird and take note of what you see. 
Notice the different colors and where they occur on the bird.  What color is the head?  Does it have any stripes on the top or near the eye?  What color is the breast and back?  Are they the same color or different?  Does it have wing bars, small white or light colored stripes on the wing?  If so, are they visible when the bird is perched?  Goldfinches have wing bars. 

Look at the bill.  Is it a short, stout bill like that of a cardinal, or is it longer and thinner like a mockingbird?  There are other types of bills, but look closely and see if you can tell what color the bill is.  Look at the legs.  What color are they?  Are they long or short legs?  What about the tail?  Is it long or short?  Is it squared off on the end or pointed, forked, rounded or something else?  Now look at some pictures of different kinds of birds and notice the features on each one.  Pay attention to the details and try to get in the habit of not looking at the whole bird.

So now you've got your field guide and have studied it and you have a good pair of binoculars. Where do you go?  A home is the best place to begin.  Check out the birds in your yard and in your neighborhood.  Put up some feeders and see how many different birds you can attract.  Other places to go would include public parks and nature centers, wildlife  management areas, state parks and federal wildlife refuges.  Explore as many different habitat types as you can and you will see numerous different species.  Contact your local Audubon Society for more locations.  These groups often take birding tours to different parts of the state.  One of the most popular locations for birding in the country, let alone the state, is the southwest coast of Louisiana during the spring migration.  This is where birds first reach land after crossing the Gulf of Mexico on their return trip to their breeding grounds.  Many of the birds are weak after the flight and immediately land to rest which provides some spectacular viewing.  Check the department Web site (www.wlf.louisiana.gov) for information on wildlife management areas.  There is a tremendous amount of information on the internet regarding birding.

These are some of the basics of beginner bird watching.  It is one of the nation's fasting growing outdoor recreational activities and there is much to learn about it.  I hope these tips will get you started.

Jimmy Ernst works as a Biologist Supervisor for Region 6 in LDWF's Wildlife Division.