With a region including all fifty states, Canada and Mexico, there are tons of birds that call North America home. Here’s what you need to know about North America birds.
How can I watch for North America birds?
If you’re traveling around or just looking out your back window, North America offers more than 900 different species of birds that breed here, visit regularly or drop in occasionally. Like with other birds around the world, spotting North America birds is both an act of luck and skill. Sometimes just being in the right place at the right time will allow you the fortune of making a positive identification of some of North America’s rarer birds, like the endangered Kirtland’s Warbler that only nests in Northern Michigan. But the best way to ensure good bird watching in North America is to know your birds. Study up with bird watchingbooks and know the distinguishable characteristics of different species. Some things to keep in mind are special colors, crests, sizes and discernable calls for specific bird species.
Some clues for positive identification …
When out looking for North America birds, having the right tools is a must. Take good binoculars with you and a book that will tell you specifics about any bird you may be lucky enough to come across. When you spot a flash of red and a large crest it’s obvious you’ve just seen a cardinal, both because cardinals are the only all-red North American bird with a crest and because cardinals are fairly common. But if you get just a quick glance of a less popular bird, it may be harder to immediately identify. Like the cardinal’s crest and color, pay close attention to the birds’ distinguishable physical attributes. Once the bird is out of sight for good, these mental notes could help you to positively identify the bird when you check with your trusty book.
Another key to help identify North America birds is to closely watch the birds’ behavior. Body language and specific behavioral traits can lead down the path toward a sure sighting. Remember, birds will act differently depending upon what time of year it is. For example, just before migrating some species will become very restless and move about a lot. Take notes on if the bird you’re watching beats its wings slowly or rapidly, or if the bird is eating off the ground or from a feeder. These types of behaviors can help tremendously when trying to positively identify North America birds.
