Whether you’re fascinated by flight, looking for a new hobby that stirs your imagination, or simply curious about the creatures in your backyard or neighborhood park, you’re joining one of America’s biggest clubs. 96 million Americans engage in birdwatching, and advances in technology make birdwatching more rewarding than ever.

If you're just getting into birding, you're in for a lifetime of joy, curiosity, and occasional binocular-related embarrassment. Here's a solid starting guide for new bird nerds:

1. Start Where You Are

  • Local birds first: Many birders obsess about searching out rare and exotic birds. There’s nothing at all wrong with that, but you can just as easily fuel your passion by learning about the birds in your backyard or local park.
  • Use your ears: Birdsong is a unique form of communication and can even be called a work of art. Birdsong can be used for mating, territory defense, or flock coordination. When you’re just starting, it can be impossible to tell bird songs apart. Apps like Merlin help ID birds by sound!

2. Get Some Gear–But Go Slow

  • Binoculars: A decent pair of binoculars will help you zero in on birds and gain insight into their coloration and behaviors. You can easily drop a lot of money on binoculars–but something like a pair with 8x42 magnification will make a huge difference. Plus you’ll quickly find all sorts of non-birding uses for them, like for hiking, wildlife watching, and even stargazing.
  • Field guide: Either a physical book or an app. Sibley, Peterson, and Audubon are just some of the classics.
  • Notebook or app: Logging what you see helps your memory and ID skills. eBird is super popular.
  • Smart bird feeder: A cheap smart bird feeder like the FeatherSnap provides insight into bird behavior and can capture share-worthy images of birds right in your yard. FeatherSnap’s app helps out with bird ID.

3. Learn Bird ID Basics

  • Shape and size: Compare the birds to ones you already know and check out overall proportions. Is the bird slender? Have long legs? Have a long beak? Is the bill pointed or more round?
  • Color patterns: Focus on standout marks like eyestripes, wing bars, tail tips. These will seem confusing at first but make more sense as you observe more.
  • Behavior: Look at how the bird moves. Is it hopping like a sparrow? Or pecking at a tree like a woodpecker?
  • Habitat: Birds have very specific preferences about where they forage, nest, and socialize. Small changes in habitat might seem insignificant to us but be huge to birds, so take note of habitats like wetlands, forests, and fields.

4. Be a Good Friend to Birds (and Other Birdwatchers)

  • Respect nature: Stay on trails, don’t litter, don’t crowd other birdwatchers, and avoid using “call back” bird calling apps.
  • Don't stress IDs: Not being able to identify a bird can be super frustrating–sometimes you won't know what it was, and that's OK!
  • Don’t be snobby: Some birders will brag about the species they’ve seen, dismiss new birders, and show off their expensive gear. Don’t be one of those guys!
  • Share the love: Birding solo can be great, but being part of a community is extra rewarding. Birders are friendly, so ask questions, go along on walks, or join a local club.

5. Apps and Tools You’ll Love

  • Merlin Bird ID – Sound/photo-based ID tool, with photos, songs, calls, tips, and more.
  • eBird: Use this site to log sightings and see what others are spotting nearby.
  • BirdNET – Another great sound ID tool.
  • FeatherSnapCam App: Pairs perfectly with your FeatherSnap smart bird feeder–this app gamifies bird watching and includes a bird book, fun facts, seed preferences, and more.