![A crowd watches a baseball game while a flock of birds circles overhead.](https://media.audubon.org/2023-06/USATSI_12757216.jpg?width=233&height=200&auto=webp&quality=10&fit=crop&disable=upscale&enable=upscale&blur=100)
Birding
Getting Started
Did you look out your window and see a bird today? Hear one while running errands? Congratulations! You’re a birder. It really is that easy. Of course, you might want to know the name of those species, or where you can find more birds. If you do, check out below for some birding basics.
Identifying Birds
Putting names to the birds you see can be a rewarding experience. A successful ID is the goal, but the journey is just as important. By trying to identify a species, you get to know the bird and its habitat better—by watching its movements, noting its field marks, considering its call. Whether you’re curious about a backyard visitor or stumped by a shorebird, we have a wealth of ID tips and skills for birders of all levels.
ID Tips and Skills
Birding Advice
A funny thing happens once you start birding: It becomes hard to stop. New target species, goal destinations, how to keep improving your skills—it can be both exhilarating and overwhelming at the same time. From tips on how to find elusive species to helpful tech and best practices for the field, our ever-growing collection of advice and stories will help you expand your experience.
In the Field
Essential Reading
Foster your love for birds by feeding them at home, and be sure to check out our recommendations for binoculars and other gear.
The Birdist’s Rules of Birding
Most Recent Birding Stories
![A crowd watches a baseball game while a flock of birds circles overhead.](https://media.audubon.org/2023-06/USATSI_12757216.jpg?width=233&height=200&auto=webp&quality=10&fit=crop&disable=upscale&enable=upscale&blur=100)
![A bird feeder with a camera and microphone hangs outside.](https://media.audubon.org/2023-06/Bird_Buddy_lifestyle_image_6.jpg?width=233&height=200&auto=webp&quality=10&fit=crop&disable=upscale&enable=upscale&blur=100)
![People wearing life vests look through binoculars while sitting in canoes on a river.](https://media.audubon.org/2023-06/Aud_210924_113_Baltimore-Birding-Weekend_Photo-Luke-Franke.jpg?width=233&height=200&auto=webp&quality=10&fit=crop&disable=upscale&enable=upscale&blur=100)
![A woman looks something up on her phone in a forest, while high school students to the right hold up a plant and look through binoculars.](https://media.audubon.org/2023-06/Aud_FN_Library_230419_11_Photo-Luke-Franke.jpg?width=233&height=200&auto=webp&quality=10&fit=crop&disable=upscale&enable=upscale&blur=100)
![](https://media.audubon.org/2023-11/birdguide-paralax-1.png?width=1500&height=1500&auto=webp&quality=90&precrop=2343,2343,x203,y402&fit=crop&enable=upscale)
![](https://media.audubon.org/2023-11/birdguide-paralax-2.png?width=1500&height=1500&auto=webp&quality=90&precrop=2341,2341,x277,y378&fit=crop&enable=upscale)
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