How to Identify Birds at a Birdfeeder

Attracting birds to a birdfeeder in your yard is not difficult, but correctly identifying each bird that comes to eat there requires some level of expertise. With little or no knowledge about bird species, a person can still become adept at recognizing one bird from another by following a few simple rules. With the aid of a comprehensive field guide and by knowing what features to key on, you can satisfy your own curiosity and identify the birds that utilize your feeders.

Things You'll Need

  • Guide to birds in your area
  • Binoculars
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Instructions

    • 1

      Purchase a comprehensive guide to the species of birds that live in your region of the country. Make sure to get a region-specific guide, as this will save you loads of time when thumbing through it; you will not have to eliminate species that do not exist in your area. Invest in a pair of binoculars to get a better look at birds. Keep a pad and pen handy to take notes for further study after the bird leaves.

    • 2

      Note the overall appearance of the bird. A bird at a feeder normally will give you a lengthy look at it as it picks through the seeds. Focus on the major colors of the bird and then look at the colors of the head, under parts, tail and wings.

    • 3

      Observe the bird's behavior. Some species will act the same at a feeder. A tufted titmouse, for example, typically grabs a seed and then flies off to a nearby perch in a tree or bush before returning. By observing behavior, you can have an extra tool to help identify the bird.

    • 4

      Judge the size of the bird. This goes quite a ways when determining between similar birds in a bird guide. Judge an unknown bird against species with which you are familiar. If you are acquainted with how big a robin is, you can employ this information when identifying a bird the same size or when looking in the guides for birds you feel are slightly larger or smaller than a robin.

    • 5

      Focus on the size of different body parts of an unknown bird at your feeders. The size of the head compared with the rest of the body, the length of the neck, legs, wings and bill and the shape of the bird are all clues to its identity.

    • 6

      Keep in mind the habitat where your bird feeder is and the time of year when you observe the bird. You would not expect woodland species in a backyard urban setting, for example. By knowing what species are in your area at the time you see them you can eliminate others as a possibility. Bird guides will include this information about whether a bird is a year 'round resident or whether it migrates south when cold weather creeps in.