Bird Watching

Birds are everywhere. Walk, hike or sit in different natural areas or your backyard and observe. Be attentive with eyes and ears to locate bird species. Birding takes practice. 

Open your senses and sharpen your observation skills. Scan places that birds can perch such as dead branches, tree tops or fence posts. Look high and also look at or near the ground. Be alert for movement. Bird calls and sounds can also alert you to their location.

Birding Basics

• A field guide book, website or smartphone app can help identify birds. (allaboutbirds.org is a great resource).
• A pair of binoculars will help you see birds up close to look for markings to aid in naming the species.
• Keep going. After scanning and observing, move to a new location to cover more ground. When you find a likely space, repeat the observation process to scan, listen and look for perching and other locations birds might be. 
• Don’t forget to scan the open sky for soaring hawks, eagles and birds feeding on insects. Observing during early mornings and evenings can also help you see different species.

Where to Go

• Birds are everywhere, but state wildlife management areas, national wildlife refuges, state parks, forests and water bodies are superb places to look. Especially good are areas with a mix of forests, prairie, oak savannah, and waters.
• Important bird areas and Bird Conservation Areas. Find lists of Iowa Important Bird Areas at iowaaudubon.org -- these locales have premier, ideal birding habitat and attract several hundred different bird species! 

Bird Identification

• Head out with experienced birders to learn tricks and tips to find and identify more birds. 
• Check with county conservation boards, Iowa Audubon, Iowa Ornithologists’ Union and other groups for birding events and activities. 
• Meeting and talking with other birders in the field can really up your skills.
• Study Online! Learn online with birding tips, information about species and behaviors and take online classes to identify birds by sight and even by their songs and calls alone! A superb resource is allaboutbirds.org. They also offer the free bird ID app, called Merlin.