Now that you have created some habitat for birds in your backyard, you are ready to start figuring out what those little brown birds (LBBs) really look like up close!
Tools for Observation
Binoculars
Good starter binoculars are 7x35 (or 8x40) with a decent field of view.
What do the numbers mean?
The two numbers on binoculars, such as "7x35," indicate magnification and diameter of the objective (exit) lens. 7x35 binoculars magnify what you are looking at by 7 times, and the exit lens has a diameter of 35 mm. What does that mean to you? The larger the objective lens diameter (second number) the more light is allowed into the lenses, which really helps in lower light viewing.
Field of View
You might think that more magnification is better, but for birding, especially just starting out, this is not necessarily true. The greater the magnification, the narrower your field of view - it will be harder for you to find the birds to look at if you have too small of a field of view. The field of view is usually indicated on the binoculars just below the magnification x objective lens diameter information. My 7x35's have a field of view of 357 ft. at 1000 yards, which is pretty decent.
Size
Size is another factor - if you get super high-powered binoculars, the weight may be a "pain in the neck," literally! The same is true for very large objective lenses, which also add to the weight. I wouldn't recommend compact binoculars for your first pair, either, however. Compact binoculars tend to have a smaller field of view, plus, in my experience, they are generally not as sturdy, at least until you get into the much higher price ranges.
A good basic pair of 7x35's will probably work just fine - I still have my original pair of inexpensive but solid Bushnells!
Bird Books
There are several excellent bird books available to help you figure out what that LBB really is, and that, in fact it isn't even brown! Once you start using binoculars to actually watch the birds in your backyard, you'll suddenly see them anew. The myriad LBBs will miraculously turn into red finches, yellow goldfinches, orange-sided towhees, and they will turn out to have all sorts of interesting field marks, like polka-dots or black and white stripes on their heads that make them look like they are wearing bicycle helmets!
The best bird book(s) for you will be the one(s) you are most comfortable using. So go to a bookstore and flip through some. Take some time to get to know the features of your bird book, read the introduction, look at the maps and other supporting details, and flip through to become familiar with the arrangement of birds. They will be arranged phylogenetically, which, if you are not a scientist, may not make much sense to you at first. It may help to mark pages with good references (like a guide to perching birds) with a bookmark to help you turn quickly to that section.
Key elements to look for are where the information is that will be most helpful - for example, most bird books include range maps. Are they on the same page as the description, or do you need to flip back and forth to find out if the bird you think you've just identified doesn't even live here? Also the sonogram - a visual representation of their song, is another helpful tool that is nice to have on the same page. I recommend steering clear of books that use actual photographs. Drawings are much better at conveying the key information you need to pay attention to in order to "find your bird."
Tips for Observation
Using Binoculars
Getting Things in Focus
- First, if you wear glasses while using your binoculars, fold back the rubber "eye relief" ring around the eye pieces (and if you don't wear glasses while viewing, flip the ring up for best results.
- Then, set the width of the eye pieces so that you aren't seeing double and you don't have anything blocking part of your view.
- Now you are ready to focus: find something far away to look at, then turn the knob or lever located on top center of the binoculars until what you see comes into sharp focus.
- Next, you can customize your binoculars for your vision: close your right eye and make sure the left eye is in sharp focus, then close your left eye and, using the adjustment ring around the right eyepiece, turn only that until your right eye is also in sharp focus. You shouldn't have to adjust that again once you have it set (look at what your setting is so you can adjust it properly if it gets accidentally moved).
- You should now be ready to look for birds!
Viewing Tips
The trick to finding small, moving birds with your binoculars is not to look through the binoculars at first. First find the birds with your eyes, keep watching them, then raise the binoculars slowly to your eyes, and you will usually find the birds are now in your field of view.
Another tip is not to follow the birds with your binoculars when they fly. One reason for this is if they flew in the direction of the sun, you could damage your eyes! But a much more mundane reason is that you'll lose the bird if you try to follow it that way. When a bird flies, take the binoculars down and watch where it goes, then find it again if it's still in range.
What to Look For
Field Marks
Now that you have a good set of binoculars and a bird book or two and know how to use them, you need to learn to look for "field marks." Study the introduction to your bird book, where there should be a nice diagram of these, such as the one below.
This diagram of field marks is similar to the ones in bird books - learn to notice these details.
You need to be able to quickly notice any of these markings, to name a few of the most common:
- Are there stripes on the wings, tail, or head?
- Is the breast plain, spotted or streaked?
- Are there markings around the eye, such as a ring around the eye or a stripe through it?
Field marks are the most important things to look for in identifying birds. Size can be deceptive, depending on distance, and color isn't always clear depending on lighting. Learning to quickly look for and notice field marks is a birder's best skill.
Even this bright yellow Goldfinch can look like an
LBB in shade or poor light
Photo by Jim Wilkins
Size
Size can also be difficult to estimate. Especially for birds in flight - it can be very hard to tell how far away a bird flying overhead is, and with nothing for comparison, even experienced birders are known to mistake crows for hawks at times. General estimates of size to keep in mind are "sparrow-sized," "robin-sized," "crow-sized," and "hawk-sized."
Color
Color can be difficult to see at all times, such as low light, or if the bird is in deep shade, or if the sun is behind the bird, so you can't depend on color alone to identify your bird. Do try to position yourself so the sun is behind you, if possible, for optimum viewing. Even though it can be tricky, noticing coloring, and more particularly, where the color is on the bird, can definitely help in identification.
References
Binoculars
- The Audubon Society's tips on buying binoculars (external link)
- The Cornell Lab of Ornithology (external link) also has advice on how to choose a good pair
- Birding.com's page on buying binoculars (external link) - they name names!
- Bird Worthy Binoculars (external link) from Better View Desired (external link) - a site devoted to birding optics
Bird Books
- Getting the most from your Field Guide (external link), from Audubon's Birding Basics
- Using Field Marks to Identify Birds (external link) from Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- See our Backyard Birding Resources Page for links to the best bird books and more references!
