How to Identify Common Wild Birds
- 1). Use a field guide to local birds to determine what types of birds are common to your area and to learn the type of vocabulary you'll need to use when describing birds. Most field guides include a glossary that can help you become as specific as possible when describing the parts of a bird.
- 2). Find a bird that you want to identify, and position yourself so that you can see it well. If the bird is difficult to clearly see, use binoculars to get a better view.
- 3). Take notes on the bird's size and shape. You do not need to know the bird's exact size, but rather its general size relative to other birds. Is the bird you see closer to the size of a raven, a robin or a sparrow, for example. When determining the bird's shape, consider the size of its head relative to its body, whether it is compact or lanky, if it has any crests, the size and shape of its tail and bill and the length of its legs and neck.
- 4). Note the bird's coloration. It is important to be as specific as possible. Note any changes in color from one body part to the next, and write down any markings that you see.
- 5). Notice the behavior of the bird. Does the bird hop along the ground or scurry vertically up a tree trunk?
- 6). Note the habitat that you saw the bird in. Not all birds can be found in all habitats, so it is important to note whether you came across the bird in a field, forest, near a body of water or at a backyard feeder, for example.
- 7). Compare the notes you took to possible candidates in your field guide to determine what kind of bird you have seen.
