Following tips can be useful for identifying the birds.
Shape, size and other features
All the different species of birds have their own distinct shape and size, which can be a very important field guide to identify them. Birds can be large, medium and small in size. They can be round bodied, thin, fat or slender in shape.
Beak/Bill
Beaks of the birds are an important field mark for identification. Finches and Sparrows have short conical bills. Woodpeckers have chisel-shaped bills. Hawks, eagles, and falcons have sharp, hooked bills. Shorebirds have slender bills of varying lengths.
Plumage and Coloration
Conspicuous colors of many birds, usually male of the species, are very attractive. These distinctive field marks can be very helpful to identify them, which include breast spots, wing bars, tail bands, eye rings, eyebrows (lines over the eyes), eye lines etc.
Bird’s Behavior
Bird’s flight can be good identifying clues. Raptors circle the sky on outstretched wings and the Accipiter usually fly in a straight line with alternating periods of flapping and floating. Woodpeckers climb up the sides of tree trunks searching for insects and the way they use or use their tails. Thrushes and Flycatchers move their tails frequently but slowly, with a wave-like motion.
Habitat
Birds separate themselves according to habitat type and are sometimes quite selective in choosing an area as home. For instance, waders and waterfowl prefer wetland habitats.
Song and Calls
Birds have unique songs and calls. Listening and recording the call or song is a good practice to identify them.
Time
All birdwatchers require some devotion and time in the field to be able to associate different species with different habitat types.
Identifying tools
A Binocular and a book on birds will be also very useful, as these give one confirmed detail that cannot be seen with our naked eyes and without the book. A notebook to note the birds and their detail would be good practice.
Happy Birding!
This article is taken from a book GARDEN BIRDS OF NEPAL, published by FoB in 2008.
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