Bird Watching

Birds are the easiest wild animals to watch, because they're everywhere and they're busy all day. The 1911 Handbook for Boys included a birdcraft section from the National Association of Audubon Societies. Some old books also taught children to collect eggs and nests, but today we watch instead, because the nests and eggs of most wild birds are protected by law.

Things to try

In any order, at your own pace. Tick what you've tried if you like keeping track; ticks stay on this device.

1. Sit still and countChoose a spot by a window or in the yard and sit quietly for 10 minutes. Count every bird you see or hear, even if you don't know its name. A good goal: you've done three sits on three different days.
2. Learn the cluesWhen you see a bird, notice its size compared to a sparrow or a robin, its shape, its beak, its colors, and what it's doing. Draw a quick sketch with labels. A good goal: you've made five labeled sketches.
3. Name ten birdsUse a field guide or a bird ID app with a grown-up to identify ten kinds of birds near your home. Write each name, date, and place in a bird list. A good goal: your list has ten birds.
4. Set up a feeder or birdbathHang a simple feeder or put out a shallow dish of fresh water. Keep it clean and filled for at least three weeks, and watch who visits. A good goal: you can name three regular visitors.
5. Learn three songs or callsListen for birds singing and match three of them to their songs using recordings. A robin, a cardinal, a chickadee, or a crow is a good place to start. A good goal: you can name a bird by sound alone.
6. Watch a nest from a distanceIf you find a nest, watch it from far away, through a window or with binoculars, and never touch it. Note what you see each day. If you can't find a nest, watch one bird's behavior for a week instead. A good goal: seven days of notes.
7. Join a real bird countTake part in a citizen-science count with a grown-up, such as the Great Backyard Bird Count each February or Project FeederWatch from November to April. A good goal: you've sent in at least one checklist.
8. Lead a bird walkTake a family member on a short bird walk and teach them how to find birds and use the clues. A good goal: they can identify one new bird on their own.

Read about it in the old books

• 📖 1911 Handbook for Boys: Birdcraft ↗
• 🔗 Handbook of Nature Study lessons: birds