How to be a Birder part 1

Hint # 1: Observe

Birds are everywhere. Even in the Sahara Desert, the busiest city or the cold Antarctic there are birds. Everyone knows what a bird is and generally what distinguishes a bird from other creatures. Although, I’ve seen a few birds that I am not so sure about.

The first rule of birding is:
Observe.
Use your eyes.

Look at the birds in your immediate environment. Look out the window. What birdlife do you see? What birds do you have in your garden or in the street? Did you see any birds on the way to school or work? Were there any birds near the shops when you went shopping? Did you see any birds while waiting at traffic lights, or at the bus stop or while on that train journey?

Keep your eyes open. When you start looking carefully, you will be amazed at the numbers of birds that daily surround your life. Not to mention the great variety of species that shares your part of the world. And watch their behaviour. Birds do some very interesting and quite bizarre things.

King Parrot at Adelaide Zoo