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It's been a while since I last posted, so here goes nothing.
Disclaimer: I am pretty unsure if I tagged this in the right category. Like, I know most people blog about they're own personal lives in this tag, and no one expect to see like -- an essay on birdwatching?? but my train of thought was that, hey, this is a hobbie. It's part of life. It's been a big part of mine anyway. That's life, right?
If you've ever thought that birds were cool, you might have considered birdwatching as a hobbie. If, for some reason you decided to not get into it, this blog aims to change your mind. I'll list four excuses as to why you actually SHOULD do birdwatching, and why its so interesting.
1. Living in the moment
I mean, it's in the name: it's birdwatching, not bird-looking (that’s supposed to be a joke). The thing is, birds won’t just come to you. They won’t scream, “Hey, I’m over here in this treetop on your right—look at me!!” They’re just going to do their thing, and even avoid you if possible. It’s not personal; it’s just how they are.
So, to find birds to watch, you have to pay very close attention to your surroundings. Look around, sit in silence, and marvel at the beauty of nature around you.
Birdwatching also requires a lot of concentration. If you want to identify a bird correctly, you’ve got to pay close attention to what you're looking at. There are many species that look alike, with only a few small nuances distinguishing them. Some birdwatching guides include warnings to avoid mixing up similar species, and—if the author is nice enough—they’ll include the key differences as well.
So if you want to ID a bird the right way, you need to notice the details. Look at the shape of the beak, the patterns on the wings, the movement of the tail. Without even realizing it, you’ll start paying closer attention to everything in your everyday life.
Figure 1: Zenaida auriculata - the first bird I ever logged on my lifelist. We all start small. (Picture taken from this pinterest post).
2. Going out more
Staying at home has become the norm. As time passes, there seem to be fewer and fewer reasons to go outside—sometimes even to leave your bedroom. But guess what? Birds are outside. They’ll always be outside.
Birdwatching motivates you to move more, to explore, and to enjoy nature. It may start as just a quiet trip to the backyard, listening to some calls and trying to spot a wren or two. Then you’ll start noticing the sunrise, the wind, the colors. Over time, your backyard won’t be enough. The coolest birds are outside the urban areas—in farms, parks, nature reserves, and out along the road.
3. Versatile and easy to get into
All this might give you the impression that only people with a certain lifestyle can get into birdwatching, but nothing could be further from the truth.
I live in a polluted, big city, where pigeons rule the sky and there are only a few trees every block. Yet, I have seen a wide variety of birds over the years I've lived here. Even when I lived in my hometown, which is arid and has more cacti than trees, I still managed to birdwatch. There’s always a workaround. If there’s a park in your neighborhood, then there are birds. If you live in a desert in the middle of nowhere—trust me—there are birds. It might be harder to find them, though.
Figure 2 - My most recent find - An anhinga bird!! I really like the big ones 'cause they're always so impressive to look at! (Again, picture taken from this other pinterest post)
4. Birds are dinosaurs.
Birds are, in fact, dinosaurs! The phrase “The dinosaurs became extinct after a meteor hit” is factually wrong! Remember that for your next party when you want to impress someone.
Obviously, it’s not exactly the same—so technically, you're not watching dinosaurs in the traditional sense. And yet, it’s impossible not to see the resemblance. Truthfully, there’s not much more to say. The rest speaks for itself.
So whenever you hear a wren, remember Archaeopteryx. Remember all the Neoaves. And appreciate the wonder of evolution.
Figure 3 - Archaeopteryx - The holotype fossil. Isn't she a beauty? (This picture was taken from, you guessed it, yet another pinterest post).
Anyway, that's it. Hopefully this changed somebody's mind out there. Next up on my blog, dino facts. I'm still researching that, but when I finish it's going to be EPIC.
Comments
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Ser4fIsTired
Yes! As a fellow birdwatcher, I applaud your effort to convert more people to our side! :)
My favourite part of birdwatching is finding a bird that's not supposed to be in the area. While invasive and non-native species are one thing, migrating birds are another. One time I saw a cormorant flying by a lake they'd be unlikely to live in, but I assumed it could fly by from another lake in a not-so nearby area known for having a large population of them.
It really makes bird identification feel more alive than the textbook approach of "there are 10 birds in the area". Which is a valid and useful approach! I just like when life stirs the pot sometimes.
Thank you so much!!! Also thank you for sharing!! That's what makes it fun, I think. The fact that things are always changing, and even if you visit the same spot many times, you'll see species that weren't there before! It's what makes every encounter truly special (´ω｀*)
by MeraxesG; ; Report
Agreed, but my favourite part is trying to identify little gray birds xD There's so many species of them, and it's funny to figure out what kind of bird it may be. Here's the one of mine that I couldn't solve yet: https://ibb.co/tMHZQ5xq https://ibb.co/PsdTYXqF
by umerbruh; ; Report
The image link died, unfortunately. :<
Recently I found a pair of young blue tits! I've never seen a juvenile blue tit before, and I was confused as to why 'chiffchaffs' were now living in the nest that was occupied by blue tits for a really long time. My sister and I also found a juvenile African collared dove recently, and it's the first time I saw one, too. Poor thing got scratched by something, and we had to call animal rescue, but we were told that it's probably just pained and not badly injured. Hopefully! But that gave us an opportunity to take a very good look at it, especially its plumage.
by Ser4fIsTired; ; Report
Oh, I saw many young blue and great tits. They make very funny sounds :D
I hope the dove you've seen is okay now. Pigeons are extremely underrated imo, I really love them ^^
About the pics, they are working. There are two links, maybe you pasted them as one whole?
by umerbruh; ; Report
Yes I copied them as one link, my bad. It depends on where you took the photo, but if I was to say, but to me, it looks like a female blackbird or juvenile starling.
by Ser4fIsTired; ; Report
whoops, my bad. It was took in European Russia (Moscow oblast to be more precise) in august. I was in fields or meadows, so that's not a blackbird or a starling. I think that's someone of Sylvia or Phylloscopus genera, but idk who \_(:D)_/
by umerbruh; ; Report
munchlax
any tips on how to start other than just going into my backyard and looking for them?
UH, okey! Firstly, I'd recommend you find a list of common birds in your area. Pay close attention to the patterns and the main colors of the feathering and beak. Once you have a good mental image, (or bring some references with you), try spotting them during your everyday life. Look for them on trees, on wires or fences, or up in the sky! If you're not sure about what you saw, take a picture of it to ID later at home. You can also try using apps like Merlin ID, which can identify birds by photo, sound or a quick survey! Of course, joining a local birding group might accelerate your learning! But if that's not your cup of tea, thats fine too! It may seem a bit slow at first either way, so don't give up! The key is to take your time! I hope this helps, feel free to reach out if you have any more questions. Good luck!
by MeraxesG; ; Report
Thank you!!!
by munchlax; ; Report