birding for beginners
Grasshopper Sparrow. Photo: Keith Olstad
Curious about birds, but not sure where to start? If you have ever appreciated or had curiosity about a bird you noticed, you are already a birder. In addition to curiosity and appreciation, there are a few basic tools that can help you get out birding. Keep in mind that these are optional and not for everyone. The beauty of birding is that you don’t need anything other than attuning your attention to the presence of birds.
1) A field guide. The Sibley Guide to Birds is a comprehensive text on avian life with lovely and useful illustrations. National Geographic Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America is also excellent and more portable. The Sibley Guide is downloadable as a phone application and there are numerous other bird identification apps, such as Merlin Bird ID. Applications are a good option, since they are free- field guides are also available through the public library.
2) Binoculars. Using binoculars may enrich your birding experience and enhance your powers of observation, leading to accurate bird IDs. A decent pair will set you back about $200, but you can rent a pair for a weekend if you aren’t ready to buy. Some people prefer to bird without binoculars, they may find them overstimulating, prefer to bird by ear, or just don’t want them.
3) An eBird account. This is not necessary, but is a lot of fun. eBird is a good way to store your lists of birds and learn about recent bird sightings in your area. Did you know that scientists will use the lists you submit for their research on birds? Contributing data to scientific research only adds to the thrill and reward of birding.
Hooded Warbler. Photo: Keith Olstad
Once you are set up, you just need an outdoor space that has birds. You can start almost anywhere, including your apartment window, backyard or local park. If you are interested in traveling to a wildlife refuge or state park, but don’t feel comfortable going alone, try connecting with a group. Besides Audubon Chapter Minneapolis, Outdoor Afro and Urban Bird Collective are welcoming and supportive to LGBTQ+ and BIPOC folks who want to experience the outdoors. Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington, MN is a wonderful place to try birding. The visitor center is wheelchair accessible, has bathrooms and a Minnesota wildlife exhibit. It also has an enormous observation window sitting behind several bird feeders attracting multiple species of birds and could be considered its own hotspot. You can get a very close look at birds and ask any questions you have to other birders or one of the park rangers. And when you are ready, you can venture outside on one of several hiking trails.
We hope that you get out birding and find connection with nature and other nature-loving people. We would love to hear your experiences as a first time birder or answer any questions you have via our Facebook page.
Birding has recently surged in popularity and many people are going birding for the very first time. Audubon Chapter Minneapolis is here to support folks who are just beginning to explore the amazing world of birds and we hope to see you out in the field.
Marian Weidner is an Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis board member.
