Birdwatching Resources
New and seasoned birdwatchers alike benefit from good birdwatching resources. Here are some of the most useful ones I frequently visit:
Merlin Bird ID App _ Created by the Cornell Lab, this app is amazing! It will help you identify birds by the sounds they make or from a photo you’ve taken. The app is free.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds _ This is my go-to site when I’m looking for details on specific birds. This includes what their calls sound like, which foods they eat, birdhouse specifications and so on. I can also check out bird webcams.
National Wildlife Federation _ The NWF has an excellent program called “Garden For Wildlife.” It outlines the needs of birds and other wildlife that you want to attract to your garden. It also includes information on their Certified Wildlife Habitat program.
National Audubon Society _ This is another great site that has a guide to North American birds. There’s also information on conservation efforts, photography tips, and their Christmas bird count.
Spokane Audubon Society _ If you live in the Spokane, Wash., area, this site enables you to become involved with the local group. You can look through bird lists and learn what’s happening locally in the bird world.
Sibley’s Bird Books _ One of the most authoritative series of bird identification books around.
Birds of the Inland Northwest and Northern Rockies _ For those living in the same region I do, this is a pocket-sized bird identification book.
Nestbox Specifications _ This is a great resource for building nest boxes for the birds in your garden. You’ll benefit from all of the dimensions they provide.
Beginner’s Guide to Birdwatching _ This guide was created by HomeAdvisor and contains a lot of useful tips and links to other resources.