Want to learn more about the birds coming to your backyard? These five free online resources are worth a look. They’ll teach you more about identifying the birds in your backyard and help you build a deeper connection to nature.
For a complete guide to birds wherever you go, download the free Audubon Bird Guide. This app helps you to identify, explore, share, and keep track of all the birds you find, no matter your level of birding experience.
The Merlin Bird ID app is another handy application to have for bird identification. This program, which focuses solely on assisting you in your bird identification, has two options you can use to identify birds that you have seen. The first method is the Bird ID Wizard which creates a list of possible bird matches based on three simple questions about the bird you saw. The second option is Photo ID, which takes any bird photo you submit and gives a short list of birds that may match the one in your photo.
This interactive resource rounds up 100 common feeder birds in North America and offers a helpful overview of where they live, what they eat, and what types of feeders are best for them. Mark your calendar for November to participate in the Project FeederWatch bird count, which asks people to track what they see at their feeders and send in the data to help researchers understand how birds are thriving in different parts of the U.S. (Participation in the bird count costs around $18, but you get a poster of common feeder birds in your region, a research kit, a calendar and more.)
Get to know the birds in your neighborhood and contribute valuable insights with this simple program. Sign up to birdwatch in 10-minute sessions over a three-day period, whether it’s from your backyard or your favorite bench at the park — it’s your choice. The birds you identify and report provide data for scientists to help them understand how birds are adapting and thriving in city environments. Not familiar with birds? No problem. They have resources to help you learn!
If you’re looking for ways to make your home and yard a better place for songbirds, the Audubon’s Bird-Friendly Communities offer a handy database of native plants for your region and how they support birds, along with a large collection of useful home and garden blogs. Also, stay in touch with your local Audubon community, as they may have Bird-Friendly Community projects that you’ll want to be a part of!
Another way to create a bird-friendly community at your home is to serve your backyard birds a variety of eye-catching seeds and nuts. Lyric Supreme Mix Wild Bird Food draws in a wide variety of birds — from finches to chickadees to cardinals — because it's packed with fresh nuts and sunflower seeds and other nuggets birds love to eat.