Backyard Birdwatching



(Image source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/BLACK_NAPED_ORIOLE_%288553658674%29.jpg)

Just because you and your kids are cooped up inside the house does not mean you cannot enjoy nature. You can do backyard birdwatching.

What do you do when you do backyard birdwatching? You literally just watch the birds that you can see from your window, balcony, or porch. Birds are fascinating creatures, and watching them provides hours of entertainment.
No need to tune in to National Geographic or Discovery Channel when you can watch a live nature show outside the window.

To make it more interesting, you and your kids can learn to identify the birds you see. When you see or hear a bird, make notes and sketches about them. The sketches do not have to be masterpieces - just enough details for you to be able to look up the bird in a book, website, or bird identification app.

If you cannot see the bird but can hear it, you can record its call and submit  the recording to www.xeno-canto.org, where others can help you identify the bird based on its sound.

Once you have identified the bird, you can do more research about its habits.

You can also count the birds you see by species and submit your lists to eBird, which is run by Cornell University. The lists that are submitted from all over the world are compiled in a database to help scientists study biodiversity patterns. By sending counts of the birds in your backyard, you contribute to research about the state of our planet.

If you have no window, backyard, balcony, or porch, you can still explore the fascinating world of birds by reading up on them from books or websites. That way, you and your kids can get ready for when we can enjoy the great outdoors again. Believe it or not, that day will come.

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