Spring is in the air. As temperatures warm and the days grow longer, the sounds of birdsong grow louder too. Migrating birds are returning, wings busy as they prepare nests and settle into the active spring season.
We are all quite smitten with birds at Bella Luna Toys, but beginning a birdwatching practice can sometimes feel a little overwhelming for newcomers. We reached out to naturalist and photographer Tim Shaw to share a few simple ways families can begin noticing the feathered folk around them and develop a lasting interest in the world of birds.
Photo credit Tim Shaw.
What are some ways to begin to get kids interested in birds in general?
First of all, birds are directly related to dinosaurs. They are still right here among us. They share many of the same traits as their prehistoric ancestors, including feathers, migration, eggs, and talons. That prehistoric connection always seems to grab kids.
What is the best way to encourage kids to get involved in birdwatching?
Birds are an essential part of the natural world and noticing them helps children begin to understand how everything is connected. Every bird fills a unique ecological niche that has adapted to survive in its environment. Learning about those adaptations encourages an understanding of resilience and how living things respond to the world around them. Also, birdwatching allows you to be in sync with seasonal cycles and more in tune with the natural world. Plus, it’s just really fun!
What are some ways to get started with the practice of birdwatching for beginners?
It depends on the age of your kids, but a great way to start is by downloading the Merlin App on a parent’s phone. Then go for a walk right around your house. You will be amazed at the number of different birds living nearby. As you listen to the birdsong, you and your kids can guess which bird might be making the call and then check the app. Over time, you will begin to recognize the birds that share your neighborhood.
You can also go out at different times of day and notice which birds are around in the morning or later in the afternoon. This helps children learn to use their ears first and then their eyes. Once you learn ten or twelve birdsongs, you will really be on your way. It is a bit like learning the notes when you are playing music. You begin to build a repertoire. Once you know those songs, you will never feel alone in the woods again. You will always have a sense of what is happening around you.
Another wonderful resource is the Cornell University All About Birds website. It offers many free resources and family activities for ages kindergarten through 12th grade.
What is your favorite thing about a life of birdwatching?
If you become interested in birdwatching, you begin to learn about the entire ecosystem. Every bird eats specific foods such as seeds, berries, insects, or fish. You can often tell what they eat just by looking at their features, including the shape of their beak or their talons. It is like a detective story. You use your powers of observation to figure out where each bird fits in the ecosystem and the food chain. Take a cardinal, for example. They eat seeds, and you can see how their beaks are adapted for crushing them. A heron, on the other hand, has a long, scoop-shaped beak designed for catching fish.
Photo credit Tim Shaw.
Do you have a life list, a list of all the birds you hope to see and the ones you have already seen?
I personally don't but I keep it in my head. There is another great resource called eBird, where you can enter your region, even down to your county, and see what birds' people are observing nearby. When you visit those places, you can also look at the surrounding habitat and begin to understand why certain birds live there. A meadow attracts different birds than the shoreline.
Again, it becomes a detective story. You start to learn where birds live, what they eat, and where to look for them. Some stay close to the ground while others remain high in the trees. Over time, you also begin to notice their migration patterns, where they travel and when they return each year.
If a child wanted to start a list of observed birds, a parent or educator can set up a free shared group ebird account to record the observations. If the child is over 13 they can set up their own free account. It's also a great way to participate in a citizen scientist activity.
Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us, Tim, and for sharing your knowledge and love for birds and the environment. We hope you and your family will embark on this enriching hobby that has a wonderful way of turning even an ordinary walk into an adventure. Whether it is spotting a bright flash of feathers in the garden or learning the familiar call of a bird that returns each spring, these small acts of noticing can engage a lifelong curiosity about our amazing feathered friends.
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