Send to a Friend

		Your First Name:
		Your Last Name:
		Your Email:
		Your Friend's Email:

Your Personal Message:

Yes, I would like to receive National Wildlife Federation emails.

Identify Birds

You don't need to know the names of birds to enjoy watching them. However, most birdwatchers find that the more they know about our feathered friends, the greater their appreciation for them becomes.

If you and your kids have been bitten by the birdwatching bug, you may wish to dig a little deeper and hone your bird identification skills.

With a little practice, you'll soon be able to use clues--such as a bird's size, shape, silhouette, and habitat--to identify the birds you see with greater accuracy and speed.

Want to learn more? The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has great bird identification tips to get you started:

>> How to identify birds

Once you get the hang of it, you and your kids can start a "life list," which is what avid birdwatchers call the checklist of all the bird species they have observed and identified.

Note: Many smart phones have birdwatching applications as well, including NWF's own WildObs iPhone app.