Bird Watching
Bird watching is the viewing of birds in their natural habitat in the wild, or in their improvised habitats in urban areas, possibly even in your own back yard. Bird watching involves identifying birds and understanding their behavior. This fascinating hobby is becoming increasingly popular as a pastime enjoyed by young and old alike.
To begin bird watching it is important to have a reliable bird watching guide. Bird watching guides are generally region or country specific, so ensure you have the appropriate book for your area. To assist you in spotting the many varieties of birds, a pair of bird watching binoculars is useful. These range greatly in price and quality. Look around to find a pair of birding binoculars to suit your needs and your pocket. A step up from binoculars is bird watching scopes and bird watching telescopes. Spotting scopes and telescopes enable you to see birds over a greater distance and with greater clarity.
Bird watching can be done anywhere, from your back garden to the local park and various other natural areas. There are many places to choose from to go on bird watching holidays. Many birders start a bird checklist and tick off the birds (especially rare birds) that they see. They go on bird watching holidays in other countries to mark off more species. Why not start your own checklist! Remember to have your bird watching guide handy so that you can identify the new species more easily.
When identifying birds, it is important to consider the following: coloration, the general shape of the bird, the beak, the legs and feet, the way it is behaving, the habitat in which it is living, its call and so forth. All these clues will help you in identifying the bird accurately. Your bird watching scope will come in handy in finding out the finer details.
To find out more about bird watching why not visit a book store to see which bird watching magazines they have available. Bird watching magazines will provide information on birds, products, etc in your region.
Your skills as a birder will improve the more you practice. Soon enough you will be identifying your local birds without any difficulty.