Basic Bird Identification Techniques

I think the most exciting thing about backyard bird watching is identifying an unfamiliar species. At this time of year especially, during migration, you’re likely to see different species visit your feeding station. Bird identification can be a real challenge, so here are some pointers to help get you started.

First and most important, really look at the bird. Do not run off to get your binoculars or your field guide. Chances are that by the time you return, your subject will have flown off! If you happen to have your binoculars with you, remember, stare at your subject for a few seconds first, then bring the binoculars to your eyes without moving your head or eyes. Study the bird carefully from head to tail – consider its general size and shape, get a good look at the beak and head markings, and check out the wings, legs and tail. What you are looking for are field marks, those characteristics that will help you differentiate your bird from the others pictured in your field guide.

Size/Shape: The first thing you should notice about the bird you’re trying to ID is its general size. I do this by using a comparison to a common bird. For instance, is the bird the size of a finch, a blue jay or a crow? Is it sleek and narrow like a titmouse or is it stocky and plump like a robin?

Beak & Head Markings: What kind of a beak does your bird have - a conical beak like a cardinal, a tiny, short beak like a chickadee, a fine pointed beak like a gold finch or a long heavy beak like a woodpecker? Look for stripes on the head. Is the head or face an unusual color? Does the bird have a line over its eye or an eye-ring?

Wings: Sometimes the absence or presence of wing-bars is key to making an identification.

Legs: Birds’ legs can be black, gray, tan, yellow, pale, etc. Leg color helped me identify a Louisiana waterthrush in my yard a year ago – they have pink legs!

Tail: Is the bird’s tail long or stubby? Is it forked or a different color than the body? Does the bird hold its tail cocked up or down and does it bob or wag? Again, my waterthrush is a tail bobber, another characteristic that helped me
identify it.

I know this sounds like a lot, but just remember, look for the most obvious field marks or characteristics. Study the bird for as long as you can. After the bird has flown off, open your field guide and try to put a name to the bird you have been studying. Don’t forget to look at the range map. This is often an important clue. For instance, if you have identified a swallow (bluish on top with a rusty throat), and can’t decide if it was a barn swallow or a cave swallow, you would eliminate the cave swallow because, according to the range map, it does not reside in our area. (Note: If you had gotten a good look at the swallow’s tail you’d also have eliminated the cave swallow because its tail is squared off vs. the forked tail of the barn swallow.)

If you misidentify some birds along the way, don’t despair, we all do, whether we’re novices or have a life list of 250 birds. What’s important is you’re learning and you’re adding another dimension to your backyard bird watching – a hobby that you can enjoy for many years to come! I’ve identified 64 different species in my Milford backyard and at least 27 of them are regular visitors at the feeding stations. Fall migration is just getting under way. I wonder how many new species I can identify and add to my “yard list” this year?!