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Birding 101

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Birding 101 Today’s Topics

Objective: Introduction to bird identification • Bird Anatomy

• Overall Anatomy • Beaks • Feet

• Birding etiquette • Useful bird supplies • Useful Resources • Milam Counties 12 Common Birds • Qs –n- As • Weather Premitting – do a Walkabout

Birding 101 Anatomy

Beaks

Birding 101 Bird Anatomy

• Bird Beaks • Beaks that are short, thick,

curved or pointed are

adapted for ripping flesh:

hawks, falcons and owls

Red-tailed hawk

Birding 101 Bird Anatomy

• Bird Beaks • Beaks that are long and slender are adapted for gathering

nectar from narrow throated blossoms: hummingbirds

(Ruby throated)

Birding 101 Bird Anatomy

• Bird Beaks • Beaks that are short and wide, sometimes

with hooked tips are adapted for

catching and holding flying insects:

nighthawks and flycatchers

(lesser nighthawk)

Birding 101 Bird Anatomy

• Bird Beaks • Beaks that are short and slender are adapted for probing into tight places such as tree trunks where small insects and creatures are wedged: warblers, vireos, kinglets, gnatcatchers and tufted titmouse (tufted titmouse)

Birding 101 Bird Anatomy

• Bird Beaks • Beaks that are short and

stubby and powerful are

adapted for grinding small

seeds: sparrows, finches

and junkos

(house finch)

Birding 101 Bird Anatomy

• Bird Beaks • Beaks that are fairly long,

chisel-like are adapted for

drilling wood and chipping

away tree bark: pileated

woodpecker and the

red-bellied woodpecker

(pileated woodpecker)

Birding 101 Bird Anatomy

• Bird Beaks Facts • A Purple Martin’s beak is hooked to help them capture

bugs in midair using their tongue and form it into a ball, which is also called a Bolus.

• The Hummingbird beak can split if the feeder is not kept clean. Mold builds up which will cause the split and respiratory ailments.

• Some birds that catch insects on the wing have bumps inside their mouth. The bumps are backward pointing which helps them hold onto their food and keep it moving in the right direction.

Feet

Birding 101 Bird Anatomy

• Bird Feet • Passerines or “perching”

birds are adapted for

grasping twigs or

similar objects

(white throated sparrow)

Birding 101 Birding Etiquette

Birding 101 Birding Etiquette

1. Silence Cell phones. 2. Keep your talking and all noise to a minimum. 3. Ask permission to go on private property. 4. Stay on pathways. Do not disturb the land. 5. Do not walk in front of others in your group. 6. Respect the land and the wildlife. This is their home. 7. Do not throw rocks, or “tree whack” to make birds fly up in order to see them. 8. Keep children by your side and quite as possible. 9. Don’t leave any trash, and thank the private property host.

Birding 101 Birding Gear

Birding 101

Birding 101 Birding Supplies

• Useful bird supplies:

– Dress for weather: hat, sunglasses, boots – Binoculars - recommend 10x42

• Binocular demonstration

– Smart telephone (has an App) – Most importantly, with an experienced Birder

who will point out and explain many birds by sharing their knowledge.

– Field Guide - Resource books* – Websites *

Birding 101 Useful Resources

• Field Guide – Texas Birds (a Pocket Naturalist Guide) ISBN:13

978-1-58355-118-9 $6 - beginner quick reference.

• Books – Peterson Field Guide to Birds in North America

ISBN: 978-0-618-96614-1 $20-30 - Paintings.

– The New Stokes Field Guide to Birds Eastern Region ISBN: 978-0-316-21393-6 $20 – Pictures.

Birding 101 Useful Resources

• Websites

– http://www.audubon.org (Official Site)

Birding 101 Useful Resources

Birding 101 Useful Resources

Birding 101 Useful Resources

• Websites

– http://www.audu

How To Begin Birding

1. Get Excited – and Read Up 2. Gear Up 3. Get Out There

Birding 101 Useful Resources

• Websites

– http://www.birds.cornell.ed

– (also Cornell:) www.allaboutbirds.org

Birding 101 Useful Resources

• Websites

– http://www.birds.cornell.ed

– (also Cornell:) www.allaboutbirds.org

Birding 101 Useful Resources

Birding 101 Useful Resources

Birding 101 Useful Resources

• Facebook sites

- The National Audubon Society

- Cornell Lab of Ornithology

- Also many area specific user groups

Birding 101 Useful Resources

• Websites

– http://www.audubon.org

– http://www.birds.cornell.ed

– (also Cornell:) www.allaboutbirds.org

Facebook

- The National Audubon Society

- Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Birding 101 Milam Co – 12 Common Birds

Birding 101 Milam Co – 12 Common Birds

Birding 101 Milam Co – 12 Common Birds

• Northern Cardinal • Northern Mockingbird • Carolina Chickadee • Tufted Titmouse • Carolina Wren • Blue Jay • American Crow • Turkey Vulture • Black Vulture • Red-bellied Woodpecker • Greater Roadrunner • Mourning Dove

• Northern

Cardinal

• Northern

Mockingbird

• Carolina chickadee

• Tufted titmouse

• Carolina wren

• Blue Jay

• American Crow

• Turkey vulture

• Black vulture

• Red-bellied woodpecker

• Greater roadrunner

• Mourning dove

Bonus Bird !!

Birding 101 • Eastern bluebird

Birding 101

Any questions . . .

Thank you for attending Birding 101

Walkabout . .