5 Game-Changing Tips for Taking Your Birding to the Next Level

Birding is a great hobby because it can be as simple or as advanced as you would like. However, if you want to improve your birding skills, there are specific aspects that you can focus on to take your birding to the next level. Here are 5 of those tips.
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Birder in cover image and slides by NPS/Adamas (Public Domain, edited)
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[@johnpradarelli9991]

One other tip I’d suggest is to learn and stand in place for awhile. If you’re constantly on the move, you may have less chance seeing some of the more skitterish species. Personally, I like to find a good spot and slowly work the area back and forth, while taking 5-10 minute intervals standing in one spot and observing what comes and goes.

[@JohnCallender]

I found that getting obsessed with my county year list in eBird was a great learning aid. Suddenly the "difficult" species I'd spent decades largely ignoring were potential ticks, so I was highly motivated to learn to ID them and chase them down. 🙂 I've now relaxed about that after a few years, which brings its own benefits. But the knowledge I gained due to the listing obsession remains.

[@robertomacay2563]

Same for me, I neglected ID'ing harder birds like sparrows, shorebirds, and flycatchers when I first got into birding, Now they're the most fun for me cause of the challenges they present haha

[@mr1pearl]

I was watching this video on the tv so I couldn't comment then I went outside and seconds later a turkey flew down to the ground and it startled me ! At first I thought it was a hawk but the size of it made me take a second look 🦃 Yep the squirrels 🐿 scattered and it did this back and forth pace so I backed up to give it room and it jetted off ! That just doesn't happen everyday 🤷 Sorry to stray from what you guys had on the video but how cool was that !!!

[@ignacioloera3967]

One thing I have learned in order to see more birds are, first, the earlier the better, most birds are more active during the early hours, and stay a while and focus, I have seen birders that see 15 species in the same place that other saw 30, this because the second ones stayed longer, were more focused and silent, and because they didn't just walk around quickly but actually stopped every few meters to listen and observe. Great video!

[@garymeredith2441]

You made the point of listening for the Birds there Ryan , for me this is the utmost of importance because I am very impaired , as I like to put it , my birding is 95% hearing and 5% sight .

[@shortypictures]

I am a beginner (since last year October) and I think it is helpful to focus on one spot to go birding. So you get familiar with the area and the birds in that area. Otherwise it can be to overwhelming (information overflow). At least that helped me a lot.

[@Ovenbirder]

Finding a birding group or club is a great way to improve your knowledge and ability. Going birding with others is fun and is a way for all members to share their knowledge with each other.

[@173jaSon371]

I try to learn the calls by just reading the spectrograms as I listen to them on Merlin under the 'explore species' section and finding differences and similarities between species. Don't think that would really work for everyone but it's helped me learn dozens of species in a relatively short amount of time. The apps are the biggest gamechangers in learning ID's so fast. Those little overviews on allaboutbirds are super convenient too.

[@Beryllahawk]

Merlin has been a huge help for me too; I'm just backyard birding right now, very much beginning, but having the app to listen to the calls for birds common to my area AND having the ability to let it record for a minute or two and basically practice identifying have been VERY helpful. I'm sure the fact that I've got musical training doesn't factor in at all! (wink wink)

[@pauraque]

Thats awesome! Although make sure you are getting out in the field when you can. "Explore species" recording are clear and helpful for visualization, but many types of bird noises like whisper songs, song variations, and flight call variations are often not reflected, so being in the field can help with that. The best is doing both, you can learn a ton a species in no time👍

[@Beryllahawk]

@@pauraque Definitely it would be helpful :D My main block to that is a lack of capability, for a few reasons. But I really have noticed already that Merlin can't help tell me which bird happens to be making that specific tiny noise - because it's a tiny noise LOTS of birds make, haha! Still, I am getting to where I can see a bird and get a much better guess as to what it is. Even saw a Chipping Sparrow just this morning, and ID'd it by eye. It was busy eating and didn't make any calls! (They are SO CUTE!)

[@pauraque]

@@Beryllahawk I love chipping sparrows! Always rare in my area so they're a fun treat every once in a while

[@uscameloptics]

Great tips! Love your videos!

[@KyleWithTheWild]

Great tips! I’m having a blast going for the April Challenge!

[@thatsmyjam6065]

I admit that I use Merlin to identify bird sounds. With so many possible sounds from so many birds I get them confused.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Merlin’s great as a tool! Just make sure to verify what it’s telling you

[@thatsmyjam6065]

@@BadgerlandBirding yes, I do make sure my sound also matches the pictures in my books.

[@pauraque]

Worth noting that you could be confused because you rely too much on Merlin. Whenever I go somewhere knew I am tempted to use Merlin, but I force myself to learn the calls either at home or in the field because you turn out a much keener and more knowledgable birder in the end.

[@johnpradarelli9991]

As I am hard of hearing, and wear two hearing aids (which can make certain sounds rather mechanical), I need to rely heavily on Merlin. There are only a few common species that I can easily differentiate. Otherwise it’s pretty confusing for me. So thankful something like Merlin exists.

[@pauraque]

@@johnpradarelli9991 I have heard this from a few people before. Glad that tool helps!

[@GratefulDeb270]

Thank you!

[@m.hernandez1404]

Cool video. Thanks!

[@saublecabin]

Very helpful tips. Thank you

[@RoyceMarcus]

Sound is where I'm really trying to double down. I'm def know many local calls, but this migration I'm getting better at even doing broadstrokes like, that's a warbler vs a vireo. Helpful to compartmentalize since there's so many calls and allows me to narrow down a bit better.

[@suzettecalleja3122]

Merlin has helped thanks to you both.❤

[@torinkyifh5085]

Something I need help with is how to not startle the birds. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but it's as if within a mile they see me and take off. Except Chickadees lol.

[@pauraque]

Wanna improve your birding. One singular tip: *eBird Hotspots' illustrated checklist*. Single handedly encapsulates all these tips and is probably the most invaluable birding tool out there. It's: Where the bird are When the bird are there What the birds are What sounds they make What they look like Abundance at the location

[@johnpradarelli9991]

Great tip. Do you find the hotspots on the website, or can you find them in the app as well?

[@pauraque]

@@johnpradarelli9991 Just the website sadly

[@Beryllahawk]

So I've got a question (and if this was discussed in another video, oops sorry) but If you wear glasses, how on earth can you use binocs? I have a pair (found at a rummage sale) but my eyes are pretty bad without my glasses on. Trying to use the binocs with my glasses on my face is both uncomfortable and ineffective - and of course using them with no glasses on is even worse!

[@jenniford311]

My binoculars (and I think most) have adjustable eye pieces to a “with glasses” position. It may take some getting used to, but I use mine with glasses all the time.

[@Beryllahawk]

@@jenniford311 Thank you! I'll take a poke at mine. They don't have any sort of manual of course, being a found treasure, haha!

[@OspreyFlyer]

👍♥️😊

[@divyanshdas9014]

5:01 Praririe Warbler song is very busy

[@divyanshdas9014]

5:01 Prairie Warbler

[@divyanshdas9014]

Know Your Calls 4:37 House Wren 4:43 Spotted Towhee 4:53 Willow Flycatcher 5:01 Prairie Warbler 5:05 Sandhill Crane 5:14 Whooping Crane 5:19 American Tree Sparrow 5:26 Prothonotary Warbler 5:32 Purple Sandpiper 5:37 Black-billed Magpie 5:45 Least Flycatcher 5:50 Black-necked Stilt 5:54 American White Pelican

[@pauraque]

Ok but you don't need good equipment, and you shouldn't not-go-birding if you cant afford any. Some the best birders I know go crazy with like 3 inch binoculars.

[@AG-6969]

Some good points BUT leave the camera at home!!! birders with camera are a real pain for the most part.

[@quixote5844]

Why?

[@pauraque]

@@quixote5844 Because *most* birders with cameras forget that they are birders, they just become bird photographers. There are loads of idiotic and disgusting people out there flexing their new Z9, but not paying attention to any of the sensitive species/habitats and fixating on only one common species they want to photograph. I love bird photography but I will always be a birder first.

[@quixote5844]

@@pauraque Thanks. I taught bird photography and advised “do no harm”to the birds, other birders or the site. I too am put off by the “get the picture” photographers. Also, the listers who only value the tick, not the bird.

[@pauraque]

@@quixote5844 So true!