Birding Basics

Birdwatching

If you're a first time bird-watcher looking for information on your new hobby, these tips and facts come compliments of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries. They will be a great starting point!

1. Over 400 species of birds have been recorded in Louisiana.

2. Two things are necessary for first-time birdwatchers - a good field guide and a decent pair of binoculars.
The field guides with drawings or paintings of birds are usually more helpful than those with photographs, as the photographs can be at odd angles. It is important to read the beginning of a guidebook as well as looking at the illustrations, since the first pages can offer useful information on how to best identify birds. Also, pay attention to the range maps in the book so you can use season and habitat-based clues to best identify the bird.
As for binoculars, a cheap pair can leave you disappointed, and a good pair can be purchased for less than $200. Important things to consider are the magnification and weight of the pair.

3.  There are four groups of birds in Louisiana. They are:
A) Resident birds - stay here year-round, as residents of the state. Examples are cardinals, crows and egrets.
B) Summer residents - only here during the spring and summer mating season, and then they migrate to Central or South America for the winter. Examples are the ruby-throated hummingbird and the purple martin.
C) Winter residents - spend the winter here and migrate north in the spring. Examples are most ducks and geese.
D) Transients - breed north of us but pass through Louisiana on their way to their wintering grounds in Central and South America. Examples are Baltimore orioles and warblers.

4. When you spot a bird, the best way to identify it is not to look at the whole bird, but to take note of the unique features. Pay attention to wing bars if there are any, the presence and location of stripes, the color of the head, the shape of the bill and the length of the legs and tail.

For the complete article, as written by Biology Supervisor Jimmy Ernst and published in Louisiana Conservationist, click here.