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can help you narrow down the search in your field guide as a new visitor stops at your feeding station. Look for the following identifying characteristics of the bird you want to identify.
An important first step to identifying the bird is to ask yourself “how big is the bird?” The easiest way to do this is to compare it to another wellknown bird. Is it as big as a robin or as small as a goldfinch? Is the bird fat or skinny, long or short?
Observe the overall color and appearance of the bird. For example, is it mostly blue or red? Next, identify unique field marks such as a black head, white stripes on the wing bars, yellow belly or white spots.
Notice the shape and size of the beak. Is it short and stocky like that of a seed eating bird? Or is it long and slender like an insect eating bird. The beak is an important clue to the family and type of bird you are trying to identify.
Organize birds into family groups that share certain structural characteristics. Identifying family resemblances is often helpful in identifying birds you see around here. A good example is the Picidae family, which are quickly recognized as woodpeckers. This would narrow your search.
Behavioral traits also provide some good clues. Is it a perching bird? Is it visiting your birdfeeder? Or is it foraging on the ground? Is it a water bird?
Or is it a hummingbird? Using this general classification will make identifying these birds in your field guide easier.
In my Flint Hill backyard I often hear a bird before I see it. Learning to identify the specific song or call of a certain bird enabled me to become
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