"The Complete Bird Watching Guide"

In a departure from our usual text-based content, I am bringing you some interesting new birdwatching videos today!

Have you heard of Google Video? It’s in Beta right now, and it’s pretty cool. I found 3 birdwatching videos that I thought my readers might enjoy. I’m sharing the first one today, which is on How to Get Started with Birdwatching. (It’s 1 hour and 18 minutes long.)

Just click the control buttons to view them:

OK, so the quality isn’t top notch. But that’s all Google is providing right now and I can’t control it. Still, the audio is great and you CAN see the pics; they’re just a little grainy.

Enjoy!
Kathi

If you are looking for an activity that you can enjoy with your kids, whether they’re 5 years old or 15 years old, you might want to explore the popular hobby of bird watching. It is one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in America – and a great way for families to enjoy time together.

What you’re about to read is the result of ongoing interaction over years with many birdwatching enthusiasts. This article was written to answer some of the frequently asked
questions about birdwatching with kids and to address common issues of interest. I hope you’ll find this information helpful.

“What IS Bird Watching?”

Birdwatching is more than just observing birds. It is an interest in the actual birds – their names, markings, activities, songs and habitats. Not only does it encourage children (and adults) to learn about birds, but gets everyone outside, while building an appreciation for local wildlife and nature in general.

Bird watching doesn’t require you to have a strong knowledge of birds; you can learn side by side with your kids as you begin together to locate and identify local wild birds. You can keep a list of the birds you’ve spotted and help one another figure out what species you’ve seen by making notes of the color, size and markings on the bird. You may even start to learn their calls and can challenge yourself to identify the birds by their songs.

“Where Can We Go to Bird Watch?”

Birdwatching with your kids can be as simple an activity as setting up a bird feeder in your backyard and watching the local wild birds that come to you. However, your children will no doubt appreciate it if you spend more time outdoors, properly geared up for an outing of bird watching with you.

You will soon learn about the specific habitats that birds live in around your home. As you become familiar with local birds, you may even want to plan trips to other areas that will feature different species than you have locally. Watch as your children eagerly try to identify these new birds before you do!

“What Do We Need to Get Started with Birdwatching as a Family?”

Birdwatching is a cheap hobby to engage in. If you are going to be outside, you will want everyone to have proper attire – including an extra pair of socks and a hat.

Other than that you will need at least one pair of binoculars, although it is more fun if everyone has their own pair, so nobody misses out on a sighting. A bird book (called a field guide) will also help you to identify the birds you see. You should find one that features birds in your area since it will also give you suggestions about where to find them.

Here is a link to a few great guides:
BirdWatching Books

If your children are older, you should also take a notepad and camera. Take notes on birds you can’t identify and look them up at home with your children to determine what you saw. You might also develop a list of local birds to be on the lookout for and then check them off as you see them. This is great for kids who thrive on challenge!

Bird watching is a fantastic hobby that the whole family can enjoy. Try it for yourselves one afternoon and see how you and your children bond while enjoying the fresh air and local scenery!

The bird feeding experience is influenced by the quality of the wild bird food presented and the effectiveness with which it is made available to the birds. Foods vary greatly in their attractiveness, as will be discussed later, and some bird feeders have a much higher innate attractiveness than others. For example, “squirrel-proof” feeders tend to have more of a low innate attractiveness to birds than feeders that are not designed to be squirrel-proof. Therefore their use results in a less satisfactory bird feeding experience than would be the case if an attractive non-squirrel-proof feeder were presented and squirrel-proofed through external means, such as baffles.

It is very important that care be taken in what to feed wild birds and what not to. Birds are very complex animals that are not domesticated. They require very specific care in order to remain healthy and happy. So some suggestions are given below of what not to feed wild birds.

Wild birds should never be given chocolates even though like humans they love chocolates too. Chocolate is bad for birds because it is high in calories and fat and also contains a compound called theobromine. Birds due to their smaller size and more rapid metabolism may be even more susceptible to its toxic effects. Signs of chocolate toxicity include: hyperactivity, vomiting, diarrhea, heart arrhythmias, seizures, dark colored droppings and death.

Salt is important, but it should be avoided in large quantities because then it can lead polydipsia, or increased water consumption and subsequent polyuria, or increased fluid (urine) in the droppings. Because excess salt is excreted via the kidneys, a bird with mild to moderate kidney dysfunction may consume toxic doses of salt readily.

Alcohol should not be fed to wild birds. There is incidence of birds that died by accident while flying under the influence.

Organically grown food should be avoided because sometimes they have pesticide sprayed as well that act like toxins for wild birds.

Avocado causes ingestion, irritation and excessive preening, cessation of eating, rapid short breaths and death.

When fruits are fed to birds remove the pits and seeds and give in limited amounts because they have a high amount of sugars.

Caffeine should be shunned, for example, tea and coffee.

Birds are lactose intolerant so avoid giving in a lot of milk products to them because this can make them suffer with severe diarrhea.

Iceberg lettuce has no calories and must not be fed.

Mushrooms have the potential of being toxic.

For more great birdfeeding ideas, get our Birding for Everyone library of ebooks now at www.complete-bird-watching-guide.com/birding-package.html