Birdwatching Essentials: Your Guide to Birding Success in Cities, Suburbs, and Countrysides
Birds are found just about everywhere in North Carolina. From the friendly backyard catbird to the high-flying osprey, birds occupy just about every ecological niche you could imagine.
Dabbling ducks take advantage of the abundance of food in shallow coastal marshes, opportunistic barred owls take up residence in our Piedmont parks, and warblers flock to the Blue Ridge Mountains to breed.
Whether you live in a Coastal, Piedmont, or Mountain town, opportunities for birding abound… perhaps even in some unexpected places!
The Whens and Wheres of Birding
Observing birds can be as simple as looking out your kitchen window, watching your favorite oak tree from a park bench, or taking a walk around the pond at your local park. However, time of day certainly can make a difference! In this case, “the early bird gets the worm” is not merely a figure of speech. You might want to try getting out there early when the birds are most active!
But perhaps the most important consideration is this: you will find birds where there is suitable habitat. Habitat and wildlife are inextricably linked; you can’t have one without the other. Prime habitat for birds and other wildlife species encompasses food, water, cover, and places for animals to raise their young.
The good news is that birds collectively eat just about everything: seeds, worms, nuts, acorns, insects, caterpillars, small mammals, and even other birds. This is particularly advantageous for birders, as you can keep an eye out for natural food sources that birds gravitate towards.
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Birding for Birds of Prey
Juvenile barred owl (Strix varia) in a tree cavity. Juvenile owls are also called “owlets”.
As an example, birds like hawks and owls are obligate carnivores, meaning they hunt prey and must eat meat all year long. While the type of prey they consume may change with the seasons, small animals generally sustain them throughout the year. Look for hawks and owls on woodland edges, roadsides, or perched under the forest canopy while they sight in on prey along a greenway. You might find eagles and ospreys perched over the edge of a pond or lake, scanning for fish in the shallow water below.
When it comes to observing these birds of prey, the good news is that you might not have to go very far. Large trees in your backyard may easily serve as the perfect perch for a hungry red-shouldered hawk, patiently waiting for a helpless lizard or mouse to make a run for cover below. You might even consider installing a barred owl nest box to attract a breeding pair. It is important to install these before the breeding season each year, which can begin as early as February.
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What Do Native Plants Have To Do With Birding?
Birds of prey including hawks, owls, eagles, and falcons make up just a fraction of bird diversity in North Carolina. In terms of species richness, Passerines (or songbirds) make up the majority.
Unlike our birds of prey, the diets of songbirds can change dramatically throughout the year. Fall is the season of migration, and many birds are headed south to their wintering grounds. Some are long-distance migrants headed to the tropics of Central and South America. Think of your tanagers, warblers, buntings, flycatchers, and the infamous ruby-throated hummingbird – perhaps the neotropical migrant you are most familiar with.
These long migratory journeys require stopover habitats for birds – places to rest, bathe, forage, and feed. Many local parks, preserves, greenways, and even suburban yards provide suitable stopover habitat. All too often, however, these spaces are overrun with non-native invasive species, or heavily landscaped with non-nutritious ornamental plants. Energy gained from food is critical to sustain birds on their long journeys, particularly as many migrations span thousands of miles.
A willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) with an intercepted dragonfly.
This dependency on native food sources has led to research showing that migratory birds prefer the nuts, berries, and seeds of the native plants they coevolved with.
The fruits of many Asian ornamental and invasive plants are very high in sugar and low in fat. For the wintering chickadee or the migratory thrush, foods high in fat are needed to survive migration and winter. A recent study published in a peer-reviewed conservation journal found that not only are native plants and their berries more nutritious, they fruit on a schedule birds are familiar with. North American Birds have come to rely on this fruiting schedule over their evolutionary course. Fruit from native plants including beautyberry, spicebush, holly, viburnum, and hackberry have come to be relied upon by migrants every fall and winter. Nuts and seeds from native plants are relied on by resident birds when insects are hard to come by during the winter. Oak trees (Quercus), Ironweed (Vernonia), sunflower (Helianthus), goldenrod (Solidago), and joe-pye weed (Eutrochium) are all critical native plants for birds late in the season. When given the option between native and invasive food sources, birds prefer these more nutritious natives.
And – luckily for birders – natives attract birds!
Parks, greenways, and suburban yards located near water with good native plant diversity make excellent birding locations. Get out early when the birds are active, and take the time to listen and be still.
Birding Tools and Tips
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Birding Apps
The sounds of birds can give you clues as to their location, but more importantly, by listening you will learn their calls. Luckily, there are 
tools to aid you in your birding endeavors! The Merlin Bird ID App is a fantastic tool to get started exploring bird songs and calls. The eBird app is perfect for exploring bird activity and recent sightings in your area. You can search eBird for nearby birding hotspots, explore different species, and participate in global community science! Please remember that these apps are just tools to help make birding more accessible. Don’t forget to use field guides, be present in the moment, and talk to other birders before locking in on the digital tools, themselves.
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Birding With Backyard Feeders
Birding does not require going on long hikes in remote areas (though you certainly can if you want to!). You can simply hang a bird feeder and keep it filled with black oil sunflower seed year-round. Observe the feeder daily and make note of who visits; keep a list on eBird or start a birding journal! Familiarizing yourself with those common backyard birds is the first step- as they become familiar you will begin to notice those less common and even rare species!
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Birding With Binoculars
A great pair of binoculars can be a birder’s best friend! When searching for a pair of binoculars, look for a pairwith good magnification and also a wide field of view.
Two numbers describe each pair of binoculars. The magnification power is noted by the first number. A power of 8 or 10 is great for birding. Tens work well when spotting birds from long distances in uninterrupted open areas, while eights work great for all-around birding.
The second number tells you the diameter of the lens, or its “field of view”. Select binoculars with a 42 mm field of view. They are large enough to let in plenty of light without being extremely bulky.
While binoculars are are very helpful for birding, your ears and eyes are the best place to start when looking for birds. Before bringing those binoculars to your eyes, take a few minutes to enjoy naturally watching the bird and learning his or her behavior.
Birding Basics
Before heading outside, let’s take a minute to recap what we’ve learned!
All Shapes and Sizes: Birds are a diverse group of wildlife. From meat-eating owls and hawks to insect and fruit-eating songbirds, they occupy many habitat niches across our state.
Habitat Matters: Birds and all wildlife need suitable habitat that provides food, water, cover, and places to raise young. You can look for birds in parks, along greenways, and in suburban yards where water and native plants are abundant.
Time It Right: Birding is best during spring and fall migration, and be sure to get out there early. It won’t hurt you to see the sunrise!
Tools of the Trade: Your eyes and ears are your best tools. However, a good app or bird guide along with a favorite pair of binoculars will certainly help you out.
Native Plants Make The Difference: If you want to see more birds in your yard, plant natives. Many natives are already there. All you have to do is give them a chance to grow!
And with that – its time to get out there and start birding! While you’re at it, make sure to post your birding photos on social media, and tag us in your photo so that we can see what you observed!
Tag us on Facebook at @North Carolina Wildlife Federation and on Instagram at @ncwildlifefed . Good luck out there!
Sources
–https://awaytogarden.com/how-conservation-starts-in-your-yard-doug-tallamy-on-natures-best-hope/
–https://www.audubon.org/news/migratory-birds-native-berries-best
Written by:
– Alden Picard, Conservation Coordinator