Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Bird Watching: A Great Pastime For Anyone

According to the National Survey on Recreation and Environment, more than 70 million Americans watched birds in 2001. In fact, bird watching has become one of American’s favorite pastimes.

Why People Watch Birds There are many reasons why people watch birds. Some people find that bird watching gives them a refreshing break from the daily routine, whereas others enjoy the chance to be able to connect with nature. There are also some people who use bird watching as a tool to teach others about the environment and ecology. Of course, others have also incorporated bird watching into their other interests such as photography, painting and drawing.

How to Get Started The easiest way to get started in bird watching is to watch birds from your backyard. It is the best place to start as you do not have to transport any equipment yet you can still observe a variety of birds at your own comfort and convenience.

The Northern American continent is home to some 700 species of birds. With experience and some luck, many bird watchers are able to see about 100 of these birds in their own backyard.

The first thing you will need for bird watching is a field guide. A good bird watching field guide will give you all the information you need to identify the birds. Get a field guide that is relevant to your own area since birds are usually region specific.

Also you may want to get a pair of binoculars so that you are able to watch birds easier and without disturbing the birds.

There is other stuff that can help make your bird watching experience better. However, if you are starting out in bird watching, a field guide a pair of binoculars will be fine.

Conclusion With more experience, your bird watching skills will improve and you will be able to see things in a new way. As such, you will definitely be able to spot more birds.

By: Kelvin Brown

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Kelvin Brown, author of the Introduction to Birdwatching, is a nature and bird lover. You can get additional information by visiting www.avidbirdwatching.com