Birding made simple: A few tips for aspiring birders

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Oh wait…it actually is a bird! But how do we identify birds? Where do we even start? With so many different species of birds in Southern Africa, this feeling is definitely not uncommon. The differences between species are so vast, ranging from colouration to size, movement, bill shape and everything in between. Now we add what feels like an entire dictionary of different names into the mix and it is bound to get your head spinning.

So, to answer the question of where we should start…I would say right at the beginning would be a great place to start. Birding is widely considered a form of citizen science which can aid greatly in academic research. As with any scientific avenue, there are certain established principles and methods available to us to aid us in our birding endeavours. We can think of these as the necessary tools we need to put in our toolkit before we can start with our birding journey. In order to do this, our tools will need to be in two forms, namely knowledge and equipment.

This brings us to the essence of this blog post. We will explore the starting blocks needed in order to get going on your own birding journey and look at why birding has become such a popular pastime. We will also explore some practical tips and guidelines to kickstart your birding journey if you are an amateur birder, or to remind you of the basics if you have ‘flown’ this birding road before.

Why I love birding

To answer this question, I first need to tell you why I started birding. For most of my life, I was totally oblivious to the birdlife surrounding me. It is funny how you can miss something completely when you are not actively focussed on a specific subject. A few years ago, a resident barbet began to call our garden home. After seeing this bird a few times, I started wondering what it was called. I then set myself a simple challenge: To learn the names and characteristics of 50 different birds. When I began looking, I was amazed at the number of different species which could be found in my own neighbourhood, within a few kilometres of my house.

This story highlights some of the reasons why I fell in love with birding. The first of these reasons being how accessible this activity is. The fact that so many different species can be found around us without having to look too far makes birding an enticing activity. Of course, as your birding list grows, it gets exponentially more difficult, but the initial accessibility of birding makes it so easy to start.

When I started on my own birding journey, I had little more than a very basic set of binoculars and an old field guide. This brings us to my second takeaway of the above story. Beginning to bird requires quite basic equipment. There are a multitude of birds, especially garden birds which can be identified with the naked eye. Of course equipment helps, but you can easily start by simply observing the birds around you.

I further believe birding has become such a beloved pastime for both me and others due to the regular abundance of birds around us. Even when there is little else around you, a bird is usually not far away. I think back to trips in nature reserves, where some days it feels as if all the animals have gone on vacation. However, upon closer inspection you are bound to find a few birds flying around, always providing some entertainment and something to look at.

Where can you start

There is no single right answer to this question, however if I was starting with birding from scratch, this is what I would do. I mentioned at the start of this blog post that we should start at the very beginning. In order to enjoy birding to its fullest, I believe that we should make it as easy as possible for us. The more theoretical knowledge on birding we have, the easier I believe it will be for us and thus the more enjoyable. So, we should then do some homework to start with. The first step would be to learn some basic bird families which we might encounter, along with their characteristics such as their size, habitats and diet. We then begin to form a network of knowledge and comparisons for ourselves, as well as an idea of what to expect when we see a specific bird.

In learning a few of the basic bird families, the identification immediately becomes easier. When a bird is spotted, you will have a much better idea of where to begin looking for an ID, rather than just searching aimlessly through a guide. Building a solid knowledge foundation is in my opinion critical to enjoying birding, as it enables you to be much more effective. Time is often a luxury with birding, as a bird can disappear before your eyes or quickly scurry into some reeds or branches.

Once you have established your knowledge base, I firmly stand with my view that you should begin birding right where you are, in your backyard or your own neighbourhood. This will enable you to practice your identification and knowledge skills, in an area which is familiar to you and highly accessible. However you choose to begin this journey, it is imperative that you begin and do not give up, the reward will be great!

What do you need

As we mentioned at the start, birding will require you to fill your birding toolbox with a few items. Let’s look at the hardware first. I would say, the only absolutely necessary piece of hardware that you require is a proper field guide. The options here are varied and different birders have different preferences. Some of the most well-known field guides in Southern Africa are the Sasol birds of Southern Africa guide and app, the Roberts bird guide and app, the Merlin app or the new Firefinch app to name a few. You might even prefer a mix of these, as is the case with myself. Also remember to make a list of all the birds you see, as this will be your life list, with all birds on this list being known as lifers (birds that you have seen in real life).

Having a pair of binoculars will greatly aid you, however as mentioned before, it is not a requirement to start. There are a multitude of different models on the market, some costing extreme prices and some very good entry level models. Whichever model you choose, make sure that it is suitable for your needs and comfortable for you personally. A basic model of 10×42 is more than sufficient for basic hobby birding.

The other two skills (to supplement knowledge) which will greatly aid you in your birding journey are two best friends: Patience and Curiosity. You will soon realise the degree to which patience is required. As calming as birding can be, it also requires some patience. This is either to see a bucket list bird, or in that moment when you are trying to ID a bird and it decides to fly away and leave. This will happen a lot, prepare yourself!

Curiosity comes into play with every new lifer on your list, and with those which you have seen a thousand times as well. Curiosity entails the constant analysis of what you are seeing, with comparisons to other similar and not so similar birds. It is questioning why that specific bird is acting in a certain way or seen in a certain space. It is one thing for a guide to point out a bird for you, but something completely different when you are able to identify that bird yourself. Master these skills and I am sure you will be amazed at how fun and fulfilling birding can be!

General birding tips

To conclude this birding introduction, I would like to share three easy tips with you to make your birding journey highly successful:

1. The early birder catches the bird (or something like that): Birds are most active in the early mornings just after sunrise. This is your best time to try and spot them. Late afternoons are also good just before they roost for the night. During the midday, the heat is often high, and most birds prefer to seek shelter during this time.
2. From beak to tail: Birds are full of clues and identifiers to aid the birder. To ensure a proper ID and to stay curious, ensure that you look at the entire bird to include all its features.
3. The birds will come: It is often smart to sit and wait in one spot for a while. Many birds will come and go and can be observed if you sit still and wait patiently in one spot.

Be curious, go explore and take up a new birding hobby. Warning: It can become highly addictive!

Be filled with nature!

Willem🐛