Birdwatching has increased dramatically in popularity since we’ve been working and schooling from home, according to Jim and Nancy Carpenter, my good friends and founders of Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop, an “everything you need for birdwatching and feeding” store with locations all over the U.S. People have more time to look out their windows and watch our feathered friends. We’re finding that birdwatching with kids can be an especially fun hobby for the entire family.
I’ve loved watching birds since I was a kid. We had a feeder outside our dining room window, North American Birds field guide at the ready to identify birds my family wasn’t familiar with. And my husband loves to tell the story about his marriage proposal atop an overlook at Yellowstone National Park. I was busy admiring a black and white bird while he was down on his knee spilling out his heart.
Birdwatching with kids has tons of benefits – it gets kids outside and into nature (and off electronics); it helps them understand that their actions in the environment can impact other living things; and it can grow into a lifelong hobby. Plus, it is easy to do while being socially distant.
So, how do you get started birdwatching? Jim says that “watching out your window in your yard” is the easiest way to begin. It’s even better if you have a birdfeeder since you’ll attract a lot more birds and varieties. Make sure you either have a field guide or a tablet or laptop nearby for help identifying them. He suggested that the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a wealth of info about birds, and you can even share your bird findings with scientists there.
Watching birds from the comfort of your couch is fun, but it’s even better to do so outside.
We’ve been trying to get out in nature, even when it’s cold, and looking for new birds is a great excuse to brave the frigid air.
We recently drove to Salamonie Lake State Park in northern Indiana because of a tip on a birdwatching Facebook group that said there were at least 50 eagles roosting there for the winter. I don’t know how many are there, but with patience and a good eye (plus binoculars), we spotted five of the majestic raptors. This really en”rapt”ured both me and my kids (OK, mostly me), but seeing a rare or iconic bird is just the thing to get them excited.
Check out your local DNR for bird watching events, too. For example, at Salamonie, they have some eagle viewing programs, done via hiking or car caravan.
A few tips for newby birdwatching with kids:
- What to bring:
- A good pair of binoculars to spy birds;
- A field guide (we love our handy little laminated Indiana Birds, A Pocket Naturalist Guide from Wild Birds – lightweight and small for your pocket or backpack). Be sure to find one that is relevant to your geography;
- A camera or smart phone to capture winged wonders in action;
- Patience – this is the hardest to remember and practice, but it can pay off the most!
- Stay quiet and keep your distance. Remember you are a guest in their home, and being respectful of our feathered friends is the most important part of being a good birdwatcher.
- Record any species that you haven’t seen before by taking a photo, then you can look them up on a birdwatching app or the Cornell Lab website (a tip from Jim Carpenter)
- Find good, bird-friendly spots on your local Nature Conservancy, state park and wildlife refuge, and birding websites and social media. This is how we learned about the eagles roosting in northern Indiana, which made for some epic birdwatching.
- Familiarize yourself with birds that live in the areas where you’re looking. For example, you’ll more easily find woodpeckers in wooded areas; short-eared owls and bobwhites can be found in the prairies; and cranes frequent marshy areas.
- Visiting a local bird rescue center is another way to gain appreciation for birds in your area. We love Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky, and learned so much on our tour there about how to identify raptors, what they eat, where they live and their habits.
Once you start looking for birds, it will be almost impossible to ever ignore them. Driving down the highway, I love spotting red-tailed and Cooper’s hawks high in the trees out in fields, and I love watching bluebirds flit around our yard while sitting at my desk at home. And when you’re hiking and searching for birds with kids, it’s like a great nature scavenger hunt – only the items you’re seeking are constantly on the move.
And, for any new trips we take, we are going to research birds at that destination so that we can keep our eyes peeled to spot new species.
Birdwatching with kids has been a great way for our family to get outdoors, spread our own wings a bit, and learn about our feathered friends. I am very hopeful that at least one of my boys will continue to be interested as it can be a lifelong hobby, and it’s fun to do as a family. I hope you and your crew will be tweeting about it soon!
