How to Identify a New Jersey Shore Bird

The New Jersey shoreline is the home of a multitude of bird species, with no better place to see them than the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Birdwatchers have the opportunity, especially during the spring and the autumn, to view shore birds that live in New Jersey or are in the process of migrating north or south. You can go to this 40,000-acre expanse and identify a number of these bird species if you are aware of some of their features and habits.

Instructions

    • 1

      Listen for the telltale call of the laughing gull. This seagull species has an unmistakable cry that echoes human laughter, sounding like "ha-ha-ha." The bird has a gray back, a white belly and neck and a black head that makes it appear as if it wears a hood.

    • 2

      Recognize the snowy egret from its white plumage. An egret can be as tall as 32 inches and will walk along the shore and inland ponds looking for fish, crustaceans and other edible creatures. The snowy egret is all white except for its yellow bill, long black legs and yellow feet. Note the long plumes that emerge in the head area during the bird's breeding season.

    • 3

      Distinguish the osprey by its behavior. This 2-foot long predatory bird, called a fish hawk, lives up to its nickname by diving from the air into the water to scoop up fish. Ospreys are often seen carrying fish away to their nests, with the fish always positioned headfirst to make the flight aerodynamic. An osprey nest is very large; it is a collection of sticks typically built on telephone poles and man-made platforms in or near the water.

    • 4

      Discern the common tern from similar shore birds by the black "cap" on the top of its head. Both the male and the female possess this trait---a black area on the head that extends down the nape of the bird's neck. The typical common tern will be a little over a foot long and have darker gray on the back, lighter gray on the underneath parts and a reddish bill.

    • 5

      Identify the sanderling by the way these birds congregate in numbers. You may often see dozens of them together, but chances are that when you do spot a sanderling it will be running along the shoreline in groups of three to six birds. A sanderling is a type of plump sandpiper and has a brownish upper body with many spots. The wings have white stripes on them that you will easily notice when the bird flies.