Bird Watching
for Kids 

Do you love birds? Have you ever been on a nature walk with your kids or grandkids that led to observing and watching birds?

There is something special about birds—their striking colors, amazing flying abilities, and melodious singing voices—that make them incredibly unique.Author and naturalist, Julie Zickefosse said, “The presence of a single bird can change everything for one who appreciates them.” (“Saving Jemima: Life and Love With a Hard-Luck Jay.”)I agree. I appreciate birds and to encourage my grandkids’ interest in and appreciation for birds, we’ve taken them “birding,” and engaged in bird watching activities and games. It’s paying off…

Before I share our bird watching activities for kids and grandkids, here is a yearly bird activity to mark on your calendar; a wonderful website for more ideas and activities on bird watching for kids and a book filled with fabulous bird information

Audubon Society for KidsA great site that is filled with information about birds. Click here to learn more

Nature Anatomy by Julia Rothman

If you and your kids/grandkids are nature lovers—I highly recommend this book. There is an in-depth chapter on birds and includes detailed pictures and topics on birds such as:

• Anatomy of a Bird

• A Bevy of Birds—pictures and information on 24 birds

• Kinds of Bird Feathers

• Birdcalls

• A Variety of Bird Nests

• Different Kinds of Bird Eggs

• Bird Behavior

• Birds of Prey

• A Variety of Beaks

Now, get ready for some amazing activities, games, books, and DVDs all about birds and bird watching for kids and grandkids!

Bird Watching for Kids:

An Educational & Fun Activity

The best way to teach your kids/grandkids about birds is to take them out birdwatching because kids learn best by doing…There are a few supplies you’ll need. Click here for my comprehensive bird-watching supply list.Most importantly, you need binoculars purchased in a variety of colors. Each child/grandchild should have their own binoculars.

Choose different places to go to look for birds—your backyard, neighborhood parks, hikes in the mountains, or by the ocean—the places are endless because birds are everywhere!Every season of the year is good but the best times to see birds are dawn and dusk.

The 5 S's for birdwatching are a beginner-friendly identification framework:

Using this method, especially during early morning at edge habitats, helps identify birds effectively. 

• Size: How big is it compared to a common bird like a sparrow or robin?

• Shape: What are its proportions? Is it tall with long legs, or round with a short tail?

• Shade: What is the overall color and are there markings like stripes, spots, or eye rings?

• Sound: What does it sound like? Is it a quick note or a long song?

• Space:  Where is it? (e.g., swimming, in a tree, or on the ground) 

Pro Tips for Using the 5 S's:

• Use the "Merlin Bird ID" app: This free app helps with Identification in the field.

• Compared to Regulars: Focus on knowing common neighborhood birds first to spot unusual ones.

• Check the Edges: Birds often appear where two habitats meet, such as a forest edge and a meadow. 

Here are some extra things to watch for when bird watching:

• Look for feathers on the ground (birds are molting and feathers indicate species)

• Birds singing or bird calls (sometimes you hear birds before you see them)

• Look for bird nests—some are high in the trees, others on the ground

• Check out anthills—you may see birds lying near because ants leave traces of formic acid on their wings which repeals parasites

• Look by water—the birds may be bathing

Grab your kids/grandkids and get going for the experience of a lifetime!

Free Bird Watching Resources

A great way to stay in and enjoy nature is by bird watching! It is a year-round activity, bird watching can be done all over the world even in your own backyard. People of all ages and “skill” levels can learn and enjoy learning about birds and bird watching.

•  Winter is especially a great time to learn about migratory birds since they may be in your area for only a short time. It just so happens that the Great Backyard Bird Count happens each year in February! What a great way to learn about birds or get started in bird watching.

Bird Watching Supplies

• What will you need? The cost of equipment can often be a concern when seeking to start a new hobby. Do not be afraid of bird watching since very little equipment is needed. You will need binoculars, bird guides, and a comfy place to watch birds. If you need to attract birds to your backyard then birdseed, peanut butter, suet cakes, meal warms, and a water source should be included in the list of supplies.

• Child sized binoculars come in many shapes and sizes which you can read about the ones we own here- Binoculars: Which Ones are For You?

Bird Watching Resources

• All About Birds Online Bird Guide

• The Association of Field Ornithologists encourages students at all levels to become involved with the AFO and ornithology.

• The American Birding Associationrepresents the North American birding community and supports birders through publications, conferences, workshops, tours, partnerships, and networks.

• Bird Cams free ways to watch birds from the comfort of your home or school.

• Birding in Ohiotons of free resources

• A Robin Cares For Her Baby Birds from HoneysLife

• Bird Sleuth K-12 creates innovative resources that build science skills while inspiring young people to connect to local habitats, explore biodiversity, and engage in citizen science projects. WARNING: there are Evolutionary videos and curriculum found here.

• Bird-Watching Project Planner great pdf to print and use to plan or track what you have learned while exploring birds and bird watching.

• Bird Watching Resource Guide

• Celebrate Urban Birds is a year-round project developed and launched by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Its primary purpose is to reach diverse urban audiences who do not already participate in science or scientific investigation

• Common Birds of Ohio Field Guidefrom Ohio DNR

• CREATING A HEALTHY YARD– great article about preparing your yard to provide a year around place for birds.

• Courses for the Public-eCornell offers a variety of free bird resources and videos.

• Feathered Friends– a curriculum with nine monthly activities covering a new topic about birds each month. We also offered free webinars for educators to help them improve their personal knowledge about feeding birds and how to incorporate feeding birds into their education program. FEATHERED FRIENDS LINKS AND RESOURCES

• The Homeschooler’s Guide to Project FeederWatch is a FREE eight-page document that contains ideas for families participating in Project FeederWatch.

• FIRST-TIME BIRDING:  How to take someone on their first bird walk

• Live FalconCams-Ohio’s live, Web-based video streams of active peregrine falcon nests located on the 41st floor ledge of the Rhodes State Office Tower in Columbus, the bell tower of the Bowling Green Courthouse in Bowling Green, on the Chase Bank tower in Canton, and the University of Toledo Bell Tower

• Identifying Birds in Your Areafrom Celebrate Urban Birds

• NETWORKING WITH OTHER YOUNG BIRDERS– look for a Young Birders Club near you for ages 12-18. Offering camps, workshops, and events.

• San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory pays close attention to impacts on birds and their habitats and gathers crucial data specific to local bird populations. We also actively provide opportunities for people to be directly involved in the nature and science of the San Francisco Bay Area.

• YardMap is a citizen science project designed to cultivate a richer understanding of bird habitat, for both professional scientists and people concerned with their local environments.

• YBN Photos– This group is for young birders to share photos of interesting sightings with eBird’s Young Birders Network.

• All About Birds :Your online guide to birds and bird watching

• Birds: April Unit Study Reading List

• Nifty-Fifty Bird Guides

• Nature Journaling for Kids

Backyard Bird Walk teaches kids how to find and observe birds' nests without harming them. It shows how to tell what a bird eats by looking at its bill and tells how to help an injured bird.

Books, Magazines & DVDs about Bird Watching for Kids

Here are some fabulous books, magazines, and DVDs about bird watching for kids & grandkids.“Birds & Blooms” is a subscription magazine. Getting a monthly magazine is a great way to spark continual enthusiasm for birds with your kids/grandkids!

• A Backyard Birding Adventure: What’s in Your Yard by Kermit Cummings

• The Big Book of Birds by Yuval Zommer

• The Most Popular Birds in North America: Bird Watching Guide for Kids by Nona Kid

• Why Should I Walk? I Can Fly! By Ann Ingalls

• Bird Builds a Nest: A First Science Storybook by Martin Jenkins

• Backpack Explorer: Bird Watch: What Will You Find by Editors of Storey Publishing

• Exploring Birds Activity Book for Kids by Kristine Rivers

• The Little Book of Backyard Bird Songs by Andrea Pinnington

Your Guide to the Audubon Bird Guide App

Tips, tricks, and links to download!

Audubon Bird Guide app. Photo: Sydney Walsh/Audubon

Your tool for unlocking the world of birds, wherever you are

The Audubon Bird Guide is a free and complete field guide to over 800 species of North American birds, right in your pocket. Built for all experience levels, it will help you identify the birds around you, keep track of the birds you’ve seen, and get outside to find new birds near you.

Quick Links

Help & Support

Download the Audubon Bird Guide App

With over 2 million downloads to date, it is one of the best and most trusted field guides for North American birds.

What's New

Our most recent update features a home screen that's easier to use, an improved Explore section, and look and feel upgrades throughout. Check out a preview of the update here.

Key Features

Audubon Bird Guide App

Bird ID

It's now easier than ever to identify a bird you just saw. Enter all you were able to observe—what color was it? How big? What did its tail look like?—and Bird ID will narrow down a list of possible matches for your location and date in real time.

Learn about the birds you love

Our field guide features over 3,000 photos, over eight hours of audio clips of songs and calls, multi-season range maps, and in-depth text by leading North American bird expert Kenn Kaufman.

Keep track of all the birds you see

With our completely redesigned Sightings feature, you can keep a record of every bird you encounter, whether you're hiking, sitting on the porch, or simply catching a glimpse of birds out the window. We'll even keep an updated life list for you.

Explore the birds around you

See where the birds are with nearby birding hotspots and real-time sightings from eBird.

Share photos

Post your photos to the Photo Feed so other Audubon Bird Guide users can see your best bird shots.

Download the Audubon Bird Guide App

Getting Help & Support For Your Audubon Bird Guide App

Find our newly updated frequently asked questions, and instructions for how to contact customer support

10 Ways to Take Better Smartphone Photos

How to make the most out of the camera that you always have with you.

How to Use eBird

A powerful tool for tracking sightings can change the way you bird.

Birds are all around us.They’re huddling in the shrubs outside of our apartments, bopping around our backyards, and foraging at local parks and lakes. No matter where you live, birds are nearby, just waiting for you to notice them. And once you do, you might find it hard to stop. That’s because birding—the act of appreciating and observing birds—not only provides a new perspective on the natural world, but it also delivers an immense sense of joy and satisfaction. So what are you waiting for?

Explore More with Audubon

How to Start Birding

ID Tips and Skills

In the Field

 Going on a Bird Walk
or Birding Adventure:

Grab your nature study supplies and head outside on a bird walk to practice identifying birds by sight or sound. You can also try one of the fun bird scavenger hunt ideas below. Alternatively, plan an adventure to a nearby area known for bird-watching, such as a large outdoor park or nature reserve.

Wondering what to bring for bird watching? At the very least, we recommend beginning with a good pair ofbinoculars (or a cell phone or camera with a telephoto lens) to observe birds. (Choose from the birding basics on the list of recommended bird-watching supplies at the top of this list of beginner birdwatching tips.)

Investing in at least one birding field guide or field journal can also help you identify the birds you see and hear. I also recommend bringing water, snacks, sunscreen, and a few other helpful nature study supplies with you on birding adventures in the great outdoors.

Birding Scavenger Hunt Ideas:

Go on a bird scavenger hunt to give your birding adventures a purpose. Here are a few bird scavenger-hunt ideas my daughter and I invented together on our daily forays into nature. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Find That Bird Scavenger Hunt:

Is there a bird you would love to see but haven’t yet? Then, head out on a scavenger hunt to find the bird, or birds, that continue to elude you with this fun bird-seeking activity:

1. First, research the bird’s favorite habitat, food, bird call or sound, and waking and sleeping patterns.

2. Next, head out on an adventure in search of that bird!

3. Once you find it (hear it or see it), take a picture of it if you can, and add the new bird you found to your printable bird life list!

Bird Feather Scavenger Hunt:

Here is another fun birding scavenger hunt idea. Invite children on a scavenger hunt in search of bird feathers! Follow the step-by-step instructions below to try this fun bird scavenger hunt activity for kids:

1. Go outside to search for feathers in your backyard, neighborhood, or local park.

2. Challenge the kids to use one of the bird field guides recommended above, or a book titled Bird Feathers: A Guide to North American Species, to identify which bird each feather came from.

3. Record the types of bird feathers you find, put them in a pocket or pencil pouchdedicated to bird feathers in your nature journal.

4. Take a few of your favorite bird feathers to keep in avase on your nature table.

Related: Nature Sensory Bin Scavenger Hunt

Draw or Paint Birds:

Another fun birding activity for kids and a great way to learn more about birds is to draw or paint them. Use colored pencils (or watercolor pencils) to draw birds or watercolorsto paint birds onto cardstock, watercolor paper, or directly into a nature journal or birding log book. Drawing and painting birds can help anyone learn more about them. Try any of the “How to Draw Birds” books below. I love and recommend “The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds,” which is a favorite in our homeschool art room.

Best Books About How to Draw Birds:

• The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds(Our favorite bird drawing book.)

• How to Draw Amazing Birds fromSongbirds to Birds of Prey

• How to Draw Birds: A Step-by-Step Guide for Realistic Drawing Projects

• Drawing: Birds: Learn to draw step by step (How to Draw & Paint)

Learn to Draw a Bird on the Internet:

• How to draw a bird: Learn to draw birds with David Sibley on Audubon–> HERE.

• Drawing birds with John Muir Laws–> HERE.

• How to draw a bird step-by-step tutorial–> HERE.

Taking Pictures of Birds

Many birding enthusiasts worldwide carry a cell phone with a telephotolens attachment or aDSLR camerawith a telephoto lensinstead of binoculars to observe a bird and capture its photo! Taking a picture of a bird makes it possible to use a birding field guide to identify it later, rather than trying to look up an unfamiliar bird in the wild.

If birding is an activity you or your children enjoy, consider investing in photography lessons and a good camera with a telephoto lens or a cell phone camera lens. You may find yourself wanting to capture pictures of your bird friends, the birds you meet along the way, and rare captures worthy of the birding photography wall.

Make a Bird’s Nest: A STEAM Birding Activity for Kids

Creating a bird’s nest is a fun STEAM challenge for kids of all ages. Invite children to make a bird’s nest as an entertaining, educational birding activity. To do this birding activity, first encourage children to head outside and search for items a bird would use to build a nest.

Remind children that many birds don’t build their nests in trees. And some don’t build a nest at all! Please encourage them to think creatively before starting this nest-building activity. Look through this fun, informative Birds, Nests, and Eggs birding book with children to help them learn how and where birds build their homes and all about their young. If you are curious and want to learn more about the fascinating variety of bird nests, check out the Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests.

Next, invite them to use natural materials they collect to make a bird’s nest. Nest building is a self-motivated activity for our daughter; she has been making bird nests from nature’s scraps since she was a toddler. One of her many nests is pictured below. She has also fashioned a few nests in hollow logs, a clay mud nest on a wall, and some great ground nests in clumps of tall grass over the years.

 Play Bird Games to
Learn More About Birds:

Playing games with and about birds is a fun and interactive way for children and adults to learn more about them. Try the bird games below. These fun birding activities for kids can help teach children about birds from toddlers to teens. (They are listed in order of age recommendation, with the more advanced bird games for older children and adults towards the bottom of the list.)

Best Games About Birds for Kids and Adults:

• Bird Families: A high-flying card game based on Happy Families and Go Fish for players ages two and up. In Bird Families, the aim is to get as many sets of birds as possible. Collect four of each bird species before your opponents. This beautiful game comes with a booklet that describes each bird species featured.

• Sibley Backyard Birds Matching Game: A memory game with 20 matching pairs for children by Sibley Birds. With beautiful watercolor bird illustrations from leading ornithologist David Sibley, this 40-piece matching game for children ages three and up will surely charm both kids and parents.

• What The Flock: A hilarious game of words and birds, perfect for word enthusiasts and bird lovers agesthree and up. Through skill, chance, and strategy, be the fastest to assemble your bird by playing various word games—an ideal addition to game nights and family gatherings.

• Wingspan (Base Game): A relaxing, award-winning strategy board game about birds for birders ages fourteen and up. In this educational birding game, players are bird enthusiasts, researchers, bird watchers, ornithologists, and collectors seeking to discover and attract a diverse array of birds to their wildlife preserves.

• Bird Brains: A trivia card game for bird lovers. Test your knowledge about Birds with this fun game for birders ages fourteen and up!

• Sibley Birder’s Trivia Card Game: Here’s a bird trivia game for players ages fourteen and up with 400 questions to test every birder’s knowledge from the bestselling author and ornithologist David Allen Sibley.

• What Bird Am I?: A bird identification game for birding fanatics ages fourteen and up. This game is perfect for novice, intermediate birdwatchers, and truly serious birders. Test your species identification skills with this educational bird game!

 “When we follow our children’s interests, they are much more interested in learning.“

For example, hatching chicks and tending a small flock of chickens is a great educational birding activity for homeschoolers. As a toddler, and today at eleven, our daughter is highly fond of her fowl friends. She loves tending to and playing with the chicks and hens we keep in our coop and free-ranging in our backyard. Collecting eggs, feeding, and watering them are also jobs she thoroughly enjoys. She is even known to herd them toward the vegetation they like best and find insects for them to eat. That’s the definition of hands-on learning! Look at how happy she is as a toddler in the picture below, holding the chicken.

My daughter is holding one of her many fowl friends.

Try a Few Bird Science Activities:

Another fun way to learn more about birds is with the standards-aligned science lessons on Mystery Science. Captivate your children or students with engaging bird lessons and assessments that deepen their understanding of birds.

Best Bird-Watching Printables for Kids and Adults:

If you haven’t already, get this fantastic bird-watching printable bundle on the list below for one low price–> HERE! Or purchase your favorite printable birding journal from the list below:

• Printable Bird Life List

• Bird Watching Log Book Observation Sheet

• Printable Bird Watching Journal Sheet

• Bird Watching Tally Chart

• Parts of a Bird Printable Bird Anatomy Worksheet

• Bird Watching Checklist

Related: Spring Books for Kids

Get To Know Your Backyard Birds:

How to Create a Bird-Friendly Backyard with Simple Tools

Turn Your Garden into a Bird-Friendly Retreat 🕊️

Simple touches that attract beauty and movement

Creating a bird-friendly backyard doesn’t require a lot of effort or expensive equipment. With just a few simple tools and thoughtful additions, you can turn your outdoor space into a welcoming environment for various bird species. Start by providing essentials like food, water, and shelter, which are key to attracting birds year-round.

Native plants, bird feeders, and water features like birdbaths or small fountains can make your garden irresistible to them. Birds bring life and beauty to your garden, and with the right steps, you’ll attract an array of delightful visitors while contributing to their survival and well-being. Here’s how to create a haven for birds in your backyard.

Choose the Right Plants for Your Space

One of the easiest and most effective ways to attract birds is by planting native shrubs, trees, and flowers. These plants provide food, shelter, and nesting sites for birds, making your backyard more inviting. Focus on planting species that produce seeds, berries, or nectar, as they are particularly attractive to birds. Consider adding a mix of evergreens for year-round coverage and deciduous trees for seasonal variety.

When selecting plants, research which species are native to your area. Local plants will thrive in your environment and offer birds the most suitable food sources. Popular bird-friendly options include sunflowers, coneflowers, and holly shrubs. Not only will these plants provide a natural food source, but they also create a visually appealing landscape.

Install Bird Feeders for Easy Access to Food

A bird feeder is one of the simplest tools to attract feathered friends. There are a variety of feeders to choose from, each designed for different types of birds. Tube feeders are ideal for smaller birds like finches and chickadees, while platform feeders can accommodate a wider range of species, including larger birds like cardinals and jays.

When placing your feeder, choose a location that’s easily visible to birds but safe from predators. Place it near trees or shrubs that offer cover but not too close to areas where squirrels might interfere. Remember to fill the feeder regularly with high-quality birdseed, such as sunflower seeds, millet, or safflower seeds. You can also offer suet during colder months to provide additional energy.

DIY Building Birdhouses

Provide Fresh Water for Drinking and Bathing

Just like humans, birds need water to survive, especially during hot summer months or winter when natural water sources may be frozen. Adding a birdbath to your backyard is a simple yet effective way to provide water. Birdbaths don’t need to be complicated; a shallow dish with clean, fresh water will suffice. Make sure to change the water daily to keep it free from contaminants.

Consider adding a fountain or dripper to your birdbath to keep the water moving. The sound of flowing water can attract more birds, as it mimics the natural sound of streams and rivers. Additionally, moving water prevents mosquitoes from breeding and keeps the water fresh.

Offer Nesting Materials for Comfortable Homes

Birds often look for safe spaces to build their nests, and your backyard can be the perfect place. You can help by offering materials that birds can use for building their homes. A simple way to do this is by setting up a nesting box. These boxes can be found at most garden stores and are designed to accommodate specific bird species.

If you prefer a more natural approach, you can leave out materials such as twigs, feathers, and strands of yarn. Birds will appreciate these resources and use them to create a sturdy nest. Be mindful of the types of materials you offer, as some, like plastic or synthetic fibers, can be harmful to birds. Instead, focus on natural materials that won’t pose a risk to their health.

Create Safe Spaces with Shelter and Shade

Birds need shelter from the elements and protection from predators. You can help by creating areas in your backyard where birds can seek refuge. Tall trees, shrubs, and hedges offer cover and help birds feel secure while they feed, bathe, or rest.

Consider planting a mix of shrubs and trees that offer varying levels of height and density. Dense foliage protects from predators like cats, while taller trees offer safe perches for birds to observe their surroundings. Additionally, providing shaded areas during hot weather helps keep birds cool and hydrated.

Minimize Hazards in Your Backyard

While making your backyard bird-friendly, it’s essential to reduce potential hazards that can harm or scare away birds. One of the most common dangers is window strikes. Birds often fly into windows because they can’t see the glass, especially when the reflection of trees or the sky is visible. To reduce this risk, consider applying decals or netting to your windows, or use curtains that block the view of the outside.

Cats are another threat to birds, so if you have cats, make sure to keep them indoors or in enclosed outdoor spaces. You can also limit the use of pesticides in your garden, as harmful chemicals can poison both birds and insects. Creating a safe environment means taking steps to minimize any potential dangers.

Add a Variety of Birdhouses to
Encourage Nesting

In addition to offering nesting materials, providing birdhouses is another way to make your backyard more appealing to birds. Birdhouses come in various styles, each designed to accommodate specific bird species. For example, a small hole will attract wrens, while a larger entrance is ideal for species like bluebirds or woodpeckers.

Place birdhouses in quiet, sheltered areas away from high-traffic zones in your backyard. Ensure they are mounted securely, with a stable perch for easy access. If you’re handy with tools, you can even build your birdhouse using simple materials like wood and nails.

Monitor and Maintain Your Backyard Habitat

Once your backyard is set up for birds, it’s important to monitor and maintain the space regularly. Keep your bird feeders and baths clean, and refill them as needed. Check the nesting boxes to ensure they remain intact and safe for birds to use. During colder months, provide extra food and shelter to support the birds as they face harsher weather.

Birdwatching can be a rewarding activity, and it’s fun to observe the different species that visit your yard. Keep a journal or take photos to track the birds you see. Over time, your backyard will become a vibrant and welcoming space that attracts a wide range of birds.

Final Thoughts

Transforming your backyard into a bird-friendly sanctuary is easier than it seems. With the right plants, feeders, water sources, and shelter, you can create a space that not only benefits birds but also brings beauty and life to your garden. By using a few simple tools and being mindful of the needs of local birds, you’ll enjoy watching your backyard thrive with the vibrant presence of feathered friends.

How to Create a Birdscape for a Small Yard:

Tips and Tricks

Bird populations have declined by 54% in North America since 1970, largely due to habitat loss. This alarming trend highlights the need for sustainable solutions. One powerful idea is transforming traditional lawns into thriving habitats using native plants.

Research by Doug Tallamy shows that replacing half of U.S. lawns with native plants could create a 20-million-acre wildlife habitat. This space would be nine times the size of Yellowstone National Park. Such changes benefit not only birds but also bees, butterflies, and bats.

Traditional lawns consume 9 billion gallons of water daily and contribute to 5% of urban air pollution. By embracing birdscaping, you can create a climate-resilient backyard that supports nature and reduces environmental impact.

• North American bird populations have declined by 54% since 1970.

• Native plants can transform lawns into massive wildlife habitats.

• Birdscaping benefits entire ecosystems, including pollinators.

• Traditional lawns use 9 billion gallons of water daily.

• Birdscaping is a sustainable alternative to traditional landscaping.

Introduction to Birdscaping

Birdscaping transforms ordinary spaces into vibrant wildlife sanctuaries. It’s about designing your backyard to support bird species by providing food, water, and shelter. This intentional approach mimics natural habitats, creating a haven for North American birds and other creatures.

Traditional lawns often lack the diversity needed to sustain nature. In contrast, birdscaping focuses on native plants that attract insects, which in turn feed birds. This approach not only beautifies your space but also supports regional biodiversity.

Programs like the National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitat initiative encourage homeowners to create bird-friendly yards. These certified spaces serve as mini-reserves, offering essential resources like water drinking stations and nesting sites.

Birdscaping also plays a crucial role in supporting migratory species. By connecting these spaces, we create corridors that help birds travel safely. This interconnectedness benefits entire ecosystems, from pollinators to larger wildlife.

Embracing birdscaping is more than a trend—it’s a commitment to preserving nature in our own backyards. By making small changes, we can have a big impact on the environment and the creatures that call it home.

How to Birdscape a Small Yard: Key Principles

Creating a bird-friendly space starts with understanding the essentials of habitat design. By focusing on native plants, water features, and shelter, you can transform your outdoor area into a thriving ecosystem. These elements work together to attract and support a variety of bird species.

Go Native with Plants

Native plants are the foundation of any bird-friendly yard. They provide food and shelter while supporting local insects, which are a crucial food source for birds. For example, native evergreens like juniper offer year-round cover and protected sites for nesting. Choosing plants native to your region ensures they thrive with minimal maintenance.

Incorporate Water Features

Water is essential for birds, especially during hot summers or dry seasons. Adding a birdbath, shallow pond, or even a small fountain can make your space more inviting. Ensure the water is clean and shallow enough for birds to drink and bathe safely.

Provide Shelter and Cover

Birds need safe spaces to rest, hide from predators, and build nests. Brush piles made from 3-foot base logs and loose branches create excellent ground cover, hosting 78% more ground-foraging species. Dead trees, or snags, are also vital, as 63% of nesting birds use cavities in them. If natural cover is limited, consider alternatives like roost boxes.

Leaving leaf litter in your yard supports 93% of moth larvae, which are a key food source for birds. These small changes can make a big difference in creating a welcoming habitat. For more tips, check out the Sierra Club’s guide on birdscaping.

Year-Round Birdscaping Strategies

Supporting bird populations throughout the year requires thoughtful planning and strategic choices. By adapting your backyard to meet their needs in every season, you can create a reliable food source and safe haven for birds.

Seasonal Plant Selection

Choosing the right plants for each season ensures your yard remains vibrant and inviting. In spring and summer, focus on flowering natives that attract insects, a crucial food source for birds. Fall and winter plants, like evergreens and berry-producing shrubs, provide shelter and sustenance during colder months.

Winter Feeding Tips

Winter can be challenging for birds, but high-fat diets boost survival rates by 40%. Offer suet cakes and seed mixes to provide essential energy. Avoid cheap filler seeds like milo, which are less nutritious.

• Black-oil sunflower seeds are a universal favorite, attracting a wide variety of species.

• Nyjer seeds are ideal for finches and other small birds.

• Use squirrel-proof feeders, like the Brome Squirrel Solution, to keep food accessible to birds.

• Place suet cages on the north side of your yard for shade and freshness.

• Avoid bread and rice, which can expand in birds’ stomachs and cause harm.

• Offer mealworms for bluebirds and insectivores, especially in colder months.

By implementing these strategies, you can ensure your backyard remains a thriving habitat for birds all year long.

Maximizing Small Spaces for Birdscaping

Even in limited areas, creating a bird-friendly environment is achievable with smart design. Small yards or patios can still become thriving habitats for diverse bird species. By focusing on strategic elements like container gardening and vertical space, you can maximize every square foot.

Container Gardening for Birds

Container gardening is an excellent way to bring nature into compact spaces. Use large pots for native shrubs like serviceberry or viburnum, which provide food and shelter. Pair them with groundcover plants like sedges for a layered effect. Wall-mounted planters are perfect for ferns or coral bells, adding greenery without taking up floor space.

Creative Use of Vertical Space

Vertical space is a game-changer for small yards. Ivy-covered trellises host 22% more nesting birds, while repurposed ladders can serve as plant stands. Install nest boxes at heights of 5-15 feet, with east-facing entries for optimal placement. Purple martin houses, mounted on 15-foot poles, are ideal for attracting specific bird species.

• Tiered planting: Combine tall trees, mid-height shrubs, and groundcover for a multi-layered habitat.

• Wall-mounted planters: Perfect for ferns, coral bells, and other shade-loving plants.

• Nest box placement: Ensure boxes are 5-15 feet high with east-facing entries.

• Repurposed ladders: Use as plant stands to save space.

• Fire escape gardening: Check local laws for urban gardening opportunities.

By leveraging these strategies, you can transform even the smallest backyard into a haven for birds. Every detail, from plant selection to nest box placement, contributes to a thriving ecosystem.

Conclusion

Transforming your outdoor space into a certified wildlife habitat is a powerful way to help birds and support local ecosystems. By focusing on the five pillars—native plants, water, shelter, seasonal food, and space optimization—you can create a thriving haven for birds and other wildlife.

Consider certifying your yard through the National Wildlife Federation. This recognition ensures your space meets essential criteria like providing food, water, and sustainable practices. It’s a meaningful step toward making a difference in your region.

Attracting Birds to Small Spaces

Bird-friendly landscapingNative Plants for Birds

Small Yard Birdscape

Urban Birdscaping

How do I know what birds are in my area?

Check for local birding guides or apps to find species common in your area.

Pay attention to habitats like forests, wetlands, or urban spaces nearby, and use seasonal migration patterns to narrow down possibilities.

Is there a free app that identifies birds?

Over 70 million Americans enjoy birdwatching, and apps like Merlin Bird ID are free and fantastic.

Just upload a photo or describe the bird, and it’ll help you identify species based on location and traits.

Conclusion

Spotting bird habitats is like solving a nature puzzle—each clue, from a heron’s long legs to a sparrow’s field preference, reveals their secret homes.

By observing landscapes, food sources, and seasonal patterns, you’ll sharpen your skills in how to identify bird habitats.

Don’t forget tools like eBird and range maps, which simplify the process.

With practice, you’ll decode these avian mysteries, turning every walk into an adventure filled with discovery and connection to the natural world.

Nighttime Adventures For The Whole Family

 Try Birding After Dark

It can be a challenge, but it can also be highly rewarding. Night birding, or nocturning, focuses on hearing specialized nocturnal species like owls, nightjars, and rails, alongside monitoring migratory "nocturnal flight calls" (NFC).

Best during late spring/early summer, it requires preparation for dark, often wooded areas, utilizing tools like flashlights, apps for calls, and sometimes night vision gear. 

Key Species and Sounds

• Owls: Listen for the "who cooks for you" of the Barred Owl, the screech of the Barn Owl, or the "too-too-too" of the Northern Saw-whet.

• Nightjars/Nighthawks: Whip-poor-wills and Chuck-will's-widows are often heard in late spring/early summer.

• Wetland Birds: Listen for the "kidik, kidik" of the Virginia Rail or the whinnying of the Sora.

• Migrants: Spring and fall migrations often involve birds making contact calls as they fly overhead in the middle of the night. 

Birding after dark focuses on hearing calls and spotting nocturnal species like owls and nightjars, best done by scouting locations during the day, using All About Birds recommended gear, and learning calls in advance. Focus on late spring/early summer for activity, using Audubon tips on finding nightjars. Use AGM Global Vision to learn about using night vision monoculars for visual spotting. Safety is paramount: go with a group, bring essential gear like, flashlights and, headlamps, and, tell someone your plans. 

This video provides tips on how to prepare for a night birding trip:

Bird Walkz (QLD Australia and beyond)

YouTube• Apr 4, 2025

Key Tips for Night Birding

• Locate by Sound: Many nocturnal birds, such as Barred Owls and Whip-poor-wills, are identified by call, as highlighted by, Experience Our Adirondacks.

• Use Proper Lighting: Use a headlamp to look for eyes, keeping the light source close to your eyes to catch the reflection. Do not shine bright lights directly at birds for extended periods.

• Optics & Gear: Use binoculars to spot birds and consider night-vision devices (NVDs) or monoculars for better visibility.

• Scout in Daylight: Visit the area during the day to identify potential hazards, trail routes, and suitable habitat, according to, All About Birds and, Birding with Arjun.

• Timing: The best time for birding is often dusk, dawn, or during, nights with a full moon, 

This video demonstrates how to use night vision binoculars for birdwatching:

 Nighttime Birding

YouTube• May 13, 2022

Safety Precautions

• Bring a Buddy: Avoid going alone, as suggested in this YouTube video.

• Tell Someone: Inform someone of your location and expected return time.

• Watch Your Step: Be aware of uneven terrain and potential hazards in the dark. 

Nighttime Adventures For The Whole Family

What to Look For

Owls: (video)

Listen for Barred, Great Horned, and Saw-whet owls, and look for their silhouettes or their renown  eye-shine.

Tips for Night Birding

• Listen Over Sight: Focus on audio identification. Use apps or recordings to familiarize yourself with calls before going out.

• Safety First: Always carry a flashlight (and a backup), tell someone your location, and be cautious when moving in dark, uneven terrain.

• Timing: The best time is during late spring and early summer.

• Tools: Bring binoculars, as they can still be useful, or consider night vision devices (NVDs) or thermal imaging for spotting.

• Listen for NFCs: During migration seasons, you can record or listen to calls of migrating birds. 

Where to Bird

• Roadside marshes.

• Deep woods.

• Areas near water for shorebirds.

• State natural areas or forests. 

Think a Snowy Owl is impressive in the daylight? Wait until you spot their ghostly figure at night.

Birding at night is a much different experience than birding during the day. Mostly because, you know, you can’t see anything. You’ll never see as many species as you will during the day, but it’s a new way to experience birdlife. You’re out there looking and listening for species you don’t really go after during the daytime, and you’re developing new birding senses. It can be extremely rewarding.

Owls are a favorite prize. Owls! I don’t appreciate them enough. They’re ninjas of the bird world, silently stalking their prey under cover of night. Fortunately, they’re not always silent, and getting out at dark to listen for calling owls is the most common nighttime-birding activity.

How does a beginning birder start owling?

It’s as easy or as challenging as you want it to be. Start by figuring out what owls live near you and what their calls sound like. Audubon has a good primer on common owl calls, and you can also check the incredible Xeno-canto for pretty much every other call you would ever need. 

Once you know what you’re listening for, head to some woods. Owls generally breed earlier than other birds, so they’re actively hooting when many other birds are silent. For example, Great Horned Owls and Barred Owls nest as early as December and can be heard hooting through the fall and winter. So, what I'm saying is, go out there now. 

You can check eBird for owl sightings nearby, or you can just find a patch of woods and start hooting yourself. You might be surprised to get a response! Believe me, the sensation you feel when you first hear an owl hooting off in the darkness—especially if it’s closer than you expected—is something you’ll never forget. (Don’t play tapes though, please, especially during nesting season.) Also, make sure to bring a flashlight, both so you can try to spot the owl if its close and also so you can see where you're going. 

Owls aren’t the only birds calling at night, of course.

There are other species that you’re unlikely to see during the day and are best heard after dark: the cooly-named nightjars, also known by the even cooler name goatsuckers. (Quick aside: They were originally referred to as goatsuckers because of they’re weird looking, and people long ago thought that they came into pens at night and drank milk from goats. They don’t.) This group includes whip-poor-wills, Chuck-will's-widows, nighthawks, Common Poorwill, pauraque, and more. For the most part, each of these birds stays largely motionless and perfectly camouflaged during the day, but they can really raise a ruckus at night. NIghtjars aren’t around during the winter in most of the U.S., so you’ll have to go out during late spring and early summer to hear them singing. I highly recommend it.

Whooo else is out there?

Now, this isn’t a complete list of birds who make noise at night. Other species reported in Hamilton County that have a nocturnal presence are: Great Horned Owl, Eastern Screech Owl, Common Nighthawk, and Eastern Whip-poor-will. Also, during spring and fall migration times, it’s likely you could hear the flight calls of many migrating songbirds who make their long journeys at night.

Things to keep in mind

Of course, the most notable difference between nocturnal birding and daytime is that you can’t see the birds! It’s all about knowing what you are listening for. The best way to prepare for nocturnal birding is to listen to bird songs at home before you head out. The Merlin app and or the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds website are both great resources to learn about all birds of the world!

Being out in the dark poses different challenges than may be experienced in light. Remember, your safety is important! Have headlamps at the ready and if you’re staying roadside, make sure you are visible to traffic. If you’re visiting new locations, hike them during the day so you know what the habitat is and what access and parking is like.

Day or night, there is no shortage of new adventures . But before you retreat back to your nest after a night of birding, be sure to grab some breakfast! The early bird gets the worm.

Owls are some of the coolest birds on the planet. They’re known for being incredibly stealthy nocturnal predators with highly efficient hunting skills.

Yet unlike a lot of other sneaky predators we hear about in storybooks & nature shows, owls are actually surprisingly easy to find in real life (when you take the right approach).

In my personal experience, the easiest way to find owls is by following alarm calls made by songbirds around dawn or dusk.

It simply requires knowing a few basics about owls & how songbirds react to owls, combined with searching in the right location, at the right time of day.

So today I’m going to share everything required for you to actually do this successfully in your local area.

Most people think seeing owls is a random occurrence, but when you take the right approach, it is actually possible to find owls pretty much anytime you want.

So let’s break this entire process down into 7 steps that will help you find owls in your local area!

1. Learn About Your Local Owl Species

If you want to be able to find owls, it’s helpful to know what types of owls are actually living in your area.

This is useful because owls come in various different size categories with behaviors that adapt to specific habitat types.

We need to answer two basic questions about your local owls:

1. Does your area have large owls or small owls or both?

2. What’s the habitat type where owls in your area live? (Deep forest vs open farmlands vs desert, etc.)

Luckily, most places only have a few different types of owls, so this is just a matter of knowing which ones live in your bio-region.

For example:

• If you’re in farmland with lots of open fields dotted with tree islands then you’re probably looking for something like a Great Horned Owl.

• If your area is more forested with miles of trees covering the landscape, you’re more likely to find large forest owls like Barred Owls, or small forest owls like Pygmy Owls.

• There are also small desert owls like Burrowing Owls, and owls who live in the suburbs right around people like Screech Owls.

These differences in size and habitat all play into knowing where to look when you actually get outside to track and find owls.

You can easily find out what kind of owls live in your area by checking local bird resources like field guides or local government species lists.

A quick google search for “owls + your location” should bring up everything you need for this step.

In a later step, I’ll share an amazing resource to help you identify not only what types of owls are most commonly seen in your area, but also the exact locations where they’ve been positively identified.

2. Find Owl Habitat Near You

The next step is to find out where owls are most likely to be living in your local area – Where should you actually go to find owls near you?

Luckily, owls occupy a huge variety of ecosystems. They can survive in deep forests, meadows and farmlands, even in urban & suburban backyards.

This is great news for locating owls because it usually means you never have to go far in order to find active owl territories. 

However, the tricky part is that owls are also predatory birds, which means they do have fairly large territories.

This is a VERY important thing to account for on your quest for owls – you need to find an area that has enough range for owls to hunt a variety of small prey animals like voles, squirrels, snakes & even large insects.

In my experience, the easiest way to find these places is by looking at google maps in the satellite view.

Check for local parks, nature reserves, forests, agricultural areas, beaches, or anywhere that has a diversity of trees & plants providing habitat for owl food.

Study these natural areas on the map and pay attention to the overall size of the area it covers.

Pretty much any decent sized natural area that isn’t completely choked off with human development will have owls, especially if it includes a good mixture of trees & open landscape.

Simply make a list of several potential owl spots near you, and we’ll be investigating these places more closely in an upcoming step.

3. Use eBird To Find Actual Owl Sightings

If you get stuck on looking for owl habitat, a great trick is to go over to eBird.org and explore the species maps for owl species in your area.

You might have to create an account with eBird to see some of this data, but it’s pretty amazing how much information is available there.

The recorded data will show you exactly where owls have already been seen nearby.

This can help you identify trends that tell you which species are most common in your area, and where they’ve actually been spotted.

When you find reports of owl sightings in your area, it’s worthwhile to go back over to google maps and use the satellite view again to study the vegetative patterns associated with these sightings.

Focus on big picture patterns, and you’ll be able to get a sense for what types of ecology support the highest owl populations in your area.

Pay attention to where owl sightings are most common in your area:

• Are they all in the middle of a big forest?

• Are they in farmlands?

• Are they mixed landscapes?

In the future, we can use this information to know whether you should be looking in deep forest habitats or old farmlands, or even in city parks.

4. Search For Owls At Dawn Or Dusk

The next important question to ask is – when is the best time to see owls?

It’s important to search for owls at the right time of day if you want to maximize your results.

While it is possible to find owls at any time of day or night, usually you’ll have the best results at dawn and dusk.

This is because it’s light enough for you to navigate the forest and see what’s happening around you, but dark enough that owls are still actively hunting & doing interesting behaviors.

Owls are mostly nocturnal, but the transition between light and dark holds a special window of opportunity when owl activity overlaps with animals that are mostly active during the day. (see also – where do birds go at night?)

This is a time when songbirds are most likely to be directing alarm calls towards owls, which can be heard from very long distances & tell you exactly where the owl is located (we’ll discuss this next).

I would also say that spring & summer are usually easier seasons to find owls than autumn & winter. This is because owls are very actively nesting & hunting to feed the young. 

Although winter can be a great time of year to hear owls hooting through the starry nights, which could be your best bet of finding owls at night.

Birding at night is fun, but stay safe, you know? All the precautions you might take for birding during the day—letting people know where you’re going, not going by yourself—apply doubly during the night, when you can more easily get turned around in the woods or run into a shady stranger. I wish I had better advice for this part, but I don’t really know what to say other than keep your wits about you, and be careful.

Then, when you’re home, feel free to sleep in. 

• Bird Feeding and Care

• Search for Native Plants

• Audubon Birdseed, Houses, and More

• Visit Our Guide To North American Birds

• Download the Audubon Bird Guide App

• Birding Hub

• How to Get Started

• Tips For Identifying Birds

• Bird Photography Hub

• Tips for Photographing Birds

• Camera and Equipment Advice

• Audubon Photography Awards

• Gear and Resources

• Binocular Guide

• Spotting Scope Guide

• Nighttime Adventures For The Whole Family

How to Photograph Birds With a Smartphone

April 21, 2016 — You already own a powerful tool for snapping birds. Here’s how to make the most of it.

10 Tips for Photographing Birds

January 16, 2014 — A professional photographer, and past Audubon Magazine Photo Awards winner, offers advice for capturing stunning bird shots.

Six Tips for Photographing Birds from Boats

June 05, 2018 — For stunning shots of alcids and other ocean-loving species, get in their element.

Zoom Out: Tips for Photographing Birds in their Landscapes

Put down the telephoto lens, and you might just enhance your art.

Photographing Birds From a Boat:
A Guide to the Basics

For a whole new perspective, try a trip where you float.

How to Get the Right Exposure for Photographing Birds

July 07, 2016 — Mastering basic DSLR techniques like f-stops and shutter speeds will make your images stand out.

Why Closer Is Not Always Better When Photographing Birds

February 03, 2017 — The impulse to shoot your subject at close range can be powerful, but there are several reasons why that's not best for the animal—or the image.

10 Ways to Take Better Smartphone Photos

 How to make the most out of the camera that you always have with you.

How to Share Your Kids’ Photographs

These apps, tools, and tips will connect your budding photographer to a broader community of bird enthusiasts.

Maybe your child took some great shots of neotropical migrants during your family birding vacation in Costa Rica. Or she’s successfully captured the story of the robins hatching and fledging in your backyard. What do you do with the photos now, so that they don't fade into obscurity on your home computer? Here are some ways to preserve and present them, either to your friends and family or to the broader community or birding world. 

Preserve for Friends and Family

• Print and frame the favorites. You can do this on a home printer using photo paper, or order prints in any size from an online service. Or you can turn a particularly vibrant image into something even more creative. The website Big Huge Labs lets you design all kinds of products, such as trading cards, jigsaw puzzles, and magazine covers (you can produce your own Audubon cover!).

• Kodak Fun for Kids features DIY projects, such as a memory card game, that parents and children can make together using printed photos. Along with instructions, the site lists suggested skill levels, materials needed, and time requirements. 

Share With Your Local Community  

• If your child has photos that tell the story of a birding trip, or a portfolio of images of local birds that they're excited about sharing with others, consider encouraging him or her to put together a slideshow. Google Slides is free to use and fairly intuitive. Venues such as a local school, public library, or Audubon chapter will likely welcome the presentation and provide the projector and screen.

• Alternately, Animoto enables you to turn photos and video clips into stunning HD videos; you can even set them to music. Smilebox offers another way to create animated slideshows (and greeting cards, too). Your creations can then be emailed, posted to Facebook, or burned onto DVDs. Both sites offer a free trial period if you want to check them out before purchasing a year’s subscription.

• Consider putting together a photo display that could be mounted at a local community center or as part of an event, like an Earth Day celebration. Are there nature centers in your area that could use photos to promote education and awareness about local wildlife? 

• Establish a school photography club to help your child and others link up to share their photos. Inquire at the school to see if there’s interest; the art teacher is often a good place to start. eBird also offers some tips on How to Start a New Club. Though aimed expressly at birding, its “Young Birders Club Toolkit” can be tailored to form a club that focuses on bird photography as well.

Share With an Online Community

• Contribute to science and conservation by sharing photos of birds while also reporting sightings to the eBird database. eBird is both a real-time, online checklist program and a global citizen-science project. The observations provide scientists, educators, and conservation biologists with data about bird distribution and abundance around the world. The data have been used in a wide variety of applications, from highlighting the importance of public lands to studies on evolution. Plus, eBird is a great way to kickstart a conversation with your child about conservation and maintain his or her own individual checklist.

• There are a number of blogging sites geared specifically toward kids. Kidblog, Doodlekit, and Edublogs are three good options. These all enable parents or a teacher to control who can view and comment. The website Kids Learn to Blog offers resources for both children and parents to lead them through the process, with helpful guides such as How to Start a Blog for Kids Under 13 and videos on how to blog for those more visually oriented. You can find a great collection of blogs maintained by young birders at Ebird’s Young Birders’ Blogs. 

• While social media may give some parents pause, developers have created a couple of photo-sharing apps explicitly for young users. PopJam, otherwise known as ‘Instagram for kids,’ allows children under the age of 13 to comment and share photos, as well as draw doodles in response to each other. With Kuddle, kids can add captions to their photos but can't comment or tag in order to prevent bullying. 

• If your child is 13 or older, he or she can create Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter accounts to share images and network with other young photographers. Instagram is a particularly good platform for highlighting bird photography; tagging the species and location will help catch the attention of like-minded Instagrammers.

How to Keep Your Hummingbird Feeder Free From Pests

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A busy high schooler shares how he got hooked on birds at an early age and what they mean to him.
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Attracting Nature to Your Yard

Aren’t those baby ducks precious? Our previous home was down the street from a park with a pond. The momma duck would bring her babies to our front porch each morning to be fed. One of our favorite memories! 

An easy way to study nature is to attract wildlife to your yard. These tips will have your yard looking like a nature preserve in no time!

Birds

• offer them nesting materials

• make a birdseed wreath

• hang a bird feeder

• build a barn owl box

• the ultimate dining guide for hummingbirds

Toads & Frogs

• make a toad habitat and house

• or a little Hobbit house (!!!)

• build a frog pond

• neglect your swimming pool (not recommended, but effective!)

Worms

• search the sidewalks after a heavy rain

• use two sticks to call them to the surface

• make a worm farm out of a 2 ltr bottle

Butterflies

• make a butterfly feeder

• plant a butterfly garden

• order a cup of caterpillars

Insects

• construct an insect hotel

• host an ant picnic

• build a ladybug house

• make a ladybug feeder

• imitate a firefly

• attract fireflies to your yard

• plants that attract praying mantis

• add a bee bath

• add a stepping stone to your flower bed & check underneath periodically

Critters

• build a bat house

• attract squirrels

• learn a squirrel call

• how to make rabbits come to your yard

• attract snakes to your yard

• 5 plants that attract deer

Other Ideas

• build an eco-system

• make a large pvc feeder

The Joy of Backyard Birding

WORRYING FOR THE BIRDS

This is where I’ve found myself after a few years of birdwatching and maintaining feeders at home. 

I worry about the birds, and I’m excited when I see them. I pace in front of the windows hoping and waiting for them to stop by. I keep a camera on my kitchen table for quick access. 

Keeping bird feeders is a remarkably rewarding hobby. It injects purpose, curiosity and entertainment into my day-to-day life.

Dark-eyed junco. Photo courtesy of Erin Korsmo.

Some days I feel like a mother making sure her children are safe and well-fed. Other times I feel like a scientist while observing the behaviors of these small creatures and recording data for Project FeederWatch and iNaturalist. Other days, I’m a nature photographer, firing off frames with the hope of having a few crisp images. 

And still, I’m mostly just excited to see who decides to show up on any given day.

Pine siskin. Image courtesy of Erin Korsmo.

WHY KEEP BIRD FEEDERS?

Feeders give our year-round friends like chickadees, nuthatches and cardinals extra help, especially in the depths of winter when bugs and other naturally occurring food can be hard to come by. They can also be welcome respites for long-distance travelers in the midst of migration. 

Naturally, many birds feed on fruits and seeds during the winter. While feeders are not essential for their survival (birds have been surviving in Minnesota for thousands of years without our help), they provide supplemental sustenance and make it easier to observe bird behavior.

White-breasted nuthatch. Image courtesy of Erin Korsmo.

WHAT BIRD FOOD SHOULD YOU USE?

I keep four mixes of seed at my feeder station. Most of it is based on what the folks at the birding stores recommend. Currently, I have the following:

• A mix of black-oil sunflower seeds, striped sunflower seeds and safflower seeds

• A mix of cracked corn, black-oil sunflower seeds, safflower seeds and millet

• A suet block laced with cayenne pepper to keep the squirrels away

• Thistle seed

Feeder setup. Photo courtesy of Erin Korsmo.

The preferred mix of my feeder friends seems to be whichever is heaviest on black-oil sunflower seeds. I find myself replenishing that one most frequently. The suet is a favorite of the woodpeckers, but the nuthatches and chickadees like it, too. Finches like the thistle, but I didn’t see many of them this winter. 

There are plenty of other options depending on what species you’re interested in attracting.

Male downy woodpecker. Image courtesy of Erin Korsmo.

LEARNING ABOUT BIRDS

Feeder watching has also taught me an immense amount about the birds I share my yard with. Even without doing any research, there’s much to be learned by simply paying attention. 

Chickadees, for example, like to take their food to go – quickly grabbing seeds from a feeder and flying up to higher branches where they use their whole bodies to hammer them open and eat them. They are also relatively comfortable around humans; I can open a window just a few feet away to take a picture and they don’t mind.

Black-capped chickadee. Image courtesy of Erin Korsmo.

On the other hand, the house finches and goldfinches sit quietly but nervously on the feeder perches as they eat, their eyes seemingly peeled for any looming threats. If I walk too quickly past the window or accidentally tap the glass, they scatter. 

The northern cardinals prefer to eat on the ground, letting out punchy “CHIRPS!” as they do.

Male northern cardinal. Image courtesy of Erin Korsmo.

The house sparrows can be real bullies, swarming the feeders like little gluttons and boxing out any others that try to grab a bite. According to The Genius of Birds, they’re the most widely dispersed bird on the planet, which says quite a bit about their resourcefulness and adaptability. However, they are not native to Minnesota and are considered an invasive species that competes with native cavity-nesting birds like chickadees and bluebirds. 

Female house sparrow. Image courtesy of Erin Korsmo.

Keeping a feeder can also give you a better chance of seeing migrators who are simply stopping on their way through. 

Last year, a group of 10 common redpolls suddenly appeared during a snowstorm. They’re beautiful little puffballs of snow-white feathers with black specks and a distinct red splotch on their heads. They fed for a few hours and were gone. I had never seen them before and haven’t seen them since.

Common redpoll. Image courtesy of Erin Korsmo.

CONNECTING TO NATURE AT HOME

Keeping bird feeders is a rewarding experience. To get started, FeederWatch.org has great information, including types of feeders and feed as well as suggestions for protecting against critters like squirrels.

In the weeks following the return of the chickadees, others started to come back, too. A pair of house finches, a few nuthatches, a sparrow. 

As I write this, I can hear the cardinals singing their spring song. I hope they stop by soon, too. 

Bird-Themed Kids Activities 

While I intended to make birds our theme for a week, it has been our theme for the whole month, because we are both enjoying it so much! Even after spending the month learning about the many types of birds in our region and beyond, we've only touched the surface. Here are some of the activities that my toddler (almost 3 years old) has really enjoyed this month: 

• Make Bird Feeders: Use simple, safe materials like pinecones or orange halves covered with peanut butter/sunflower butter and birdseed.

• Bird Matching Game: Use cards with pictures of local birds to match them up.

• Scavenger Hunt: Create a picture checklist of common birds (e.g., Cardinal, Blue Jay, Duck, Pigeon) for them to find.

• Bird Walk Journal: Have them draw or paste pictures of birds they see.

• Participate in Citizen Science: Participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count to feel part of a global effort. Birding Locations

• Look for birds at local parks and playgrounds.

• Visit Nature centers with easy trails.

• Wetlands or lakesides to spot larger, easier-to-see birds like ducks and herons.

• Your own backyard. 

Love The Garden

Bird watching with a toddler focuses on sensory exploration, curiosity, and fun rather than strict identification. Key activities include using simple binoculars, listening to calls, and creating a quiet environment so the birds come closer.

For added fun, consider trying these DIY bird feeding activities to attract birds closer.

Making bird feeders

We tried a few versions, but our favorite and most child-friendly version was making it out of an orange. This is how we made them:

• Halve a large orange and juice with a manual juicer (or a spoon) - bonus was D got to drink fresh-squeezed juice!

• Measure out 6 pieces of twine, each the same length, to hang the orange feeder.

• Poke three holes along the edge of the peel (we used a wooden skewer).

• Insert twine into each hole and tie a knot. Then tie the three pieces of twine together.

• Mix birdseed and peanut butter (enough PB to make it stick together).

• Scoop the seed mixture into each orange half.

• Hang outside and wait for the birds to enjoy themselves! The birds have loved this for over a week now.

Birdwatching binoculars

As we’ve been seeing so many birds come to our yard via the birdfeeders, we needed some “binoculars” to get a closer look! :) I saw a version of these on Pinterest and knew we had to try. To make the binoculars, we used two empty toilet paper rolls, construction paper, tape, coloring supplies, a hole punch, and twine. I used thin strips of construction paper and double sided tape to line the edges of each roll, but washi tape would work great too if you have it! D colored a larger piece of construction paper and then helped me wrap and tape it around the two rolls to keep them together. I then punched the edge of each roll and tied on a piece of twine so she could wear them around her neck on walks. She has loved wearing these around for our walks around the neighborhood.

Bird Nests

To go with one of our favorite little board books,Nest, we made two kinds of nests. One from coconut fiber and one fromhomemade playdough. We took a long walk in the forest and found all kinds of treasures to add to our nests. D was really excited when she found something "the birdies will love". She spent a morning and afternoon filling her nests with all her treasures, making them "nice and comfy". She found a spot in one of our trees for the coconut fiber nest, and maybe pieces of it will be used by the birds. The playdough allowed for a fun, indoor version. She helped me make a batch of playdough and she set right to work again, filling it with her forest treasures. She also enjoyed setting up her colorful, counting birdsand these artificial eggs in her nest. The playdough version is fun because she could unbuild it and re-build it as much as she wanted.

Bird identification

We both needed some help identifying all the birds we’ve been seeing! It took some trial and error to find resources for the actual birds we are seeing in our region of the world. Our favorite book has been the Woodland bird call book, which allows us to match the picture with the bird call, as well as learn a bit more about each bird. The most useful way to actually visually identify the birds has been a website and app called iNaturalist. Their website also provides a chart of common local birds in your area which we printed out for walks and bird-watches in our backyard. Lastly, I printed and laminated this beautiful print by Birds and Friendsof Washington State birds.

Bird Matching

We can’t have a theme without some classic Montessori matching. As usual, our go-to language objects are thetube figurines by Safari Ltd. I found matching bird cards from Montessori Nature. Object to picture matching is an activity she’s enjoyed for over a year, with it being as easy or challenging as the objects we choose. I also love these beautiful bird andegg matching cards from Fiddlesticks Education.While D is too young to match the birds to eggs on her own, it was a fun activity to talk about together, as we compared and contrasted the different birds and eggs and colors.

Bird Parts puzzle matching

This bird puzzle is D’s very favorite puzzle right now. I first just put the puzzle out with the pieces in a small basket for her to complete. Once she mastered that, I printed off thebird body part cards from Montessori Factory. The cards and puzzles are a fun way to learn a bit more about birds, and what makes them unique!

Songs (I typically sing these myself or play audio rather than show her youtube video):

Robin in the Rain

Five Little Chickadees

Little Bird, Little Bird