- Tip 1: Start small
- Tip 2: The right equipment
- Tip 3: Prick up your ears
- Tip 4: Take Notes
- Tip 5: Offer food
- Tip 6: Learn from the pros
- Tip 7: Use the twilight
- Tip 8: Attach nesting aids
- Tip 9: Plan trips
- Tip 10: Be considerate
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Bird watching is becoming an increasingly popular hobby. For those who want to try their hand at ornithology, we have prepared ten tips to help you spot birds.
What has been a big trend among the population in England for decades has also been gaining in importance in Germany for a number of years: bird watching has long since ceased to be a purely scientific activity, but an exciting and varied hobby with which you can spend a lot of time in nature. Whether in your own garden or in the forest and in the fields - there are birds everywhere. And with around 250 species native to Germany, there is a lot to discover. For all bird enthusiasts and those who want to become one, we have put together a number of tips to help you get started in the wonderful world of ornithology.
Tip 1: Start small
A bird concert in many voices during a morning walk in the forest can be a wonderful experience. However, if you want to hear and distinguish between the individual species, it can be quite a challenge. Such an endeavor can quickly become overwhelming and frustrating, especially for beginners. Therefore, it makes sense to start by concentrating on a few species that are also easy to identify. The birds in your own garden are particularly suitable for this, as these are usually very common and well-known species, such as blue tit, great tit, blackbird, robin, magpie or chaffinch.
Tip 2: The right equipment
You basically only need two things to observe birds: binoculars and a field guide. When buying binoculars, beginners don't have to dig deep into their pockets, but there are a few things to keep in mind. The most important parameters here are the magnification, which should be at least 8x for satisfactory bird watching, and the lens diameter, which should be at least 40 mm. Such models can be bought new for between €150 and €200. However, it is always worth keeping an eye out for used items, as binoculars are quite robustare and in this way you can get hold of a much better model for the same price. In principle, however, you should always try out binoculars before you buy them to see if you can get along well with them. This is especially true for people who wear glasses.
The standard work for bird identification is still the “Der Kosmos Vogelführer” by Lars Svensson, which with its detailed illustrations shows all the important species-specific characteristics and offers further interesting information about the habitat and distribution of the animals.
Tip 3: Prick up your ears
In addition to pure observation, bird calls also make up a large part of ornithology. Because in addition to the numerous visual characteristics, the songs of the birds are also species-specific. And since the animals do not always show themselves openly and can be observed undisturbed, this is often the only way to identify the species. The easiest way to learn bird songs is in combination with the visual impression - so if you can also see the singing bird. However, since this is not always the case, there is also the possibility of learning the voices purely acoustically. There are a large number of CDs and apps with audio recordings of the individual bird sounds. There are now even tools that allow you to record bird calls outdoors and then show you the species associated - such as the free app 'BirdNet'.
It makes sense to start learning bird calls in the late spring, as only a few birds sing during the winter and this is a good start. In the spring, the number of voices increases continuously and you can add new sounds to your repertoire step by step.
Tip 4: Take Notes
When birding, it's always good to write down which birds you saw when and where. On the one hand, this forces you to look closely and identify the animals according to their species, and on the other hand, you get a nice overview of which species you have already seen. In addition, the seasonal course of bird activity can be observed in this way and, especially in spring, one can see how migratory birds gradually return from their winter quarters and more and more species can be seen and heard.
Tip 5: Offer food
A very simple way to observe birds in your own garden is to create feeding stations. The animals stay there for a while andeven with children, you can observe what is happening from a safe distance. However, there are a few things to consider when choosing a feeding place, whether it is bought fat balls or a home-made bird feeder: the feed should be protected from moisture to prevent the formation of mould. In addition, feeding stations should be located out of the reach of cats and constructed in such a way that the birds do not sit in the food to prevent the spread of infectious diseases via the animals' droppings. When it comes to the feed itself, different species have different requirements and it pays to focus on diversity.
With our Plantura all-season bird feed, for example, you can attract a whole range of garden birds because it contains a variety of fine seeds, oatmeal, raisins and even mealworms. The protein-rich mixture can be offered all year round and, thanks to the addition of feed lime, even supports expectant bird parents during the breeding season.
Tip 6: Learn from the pros
Particularly when learning bird calls, it is particularly helpful to learn from an experienced ornithologist at the beginning. This can give tips on which distinctive stanzas you have to pay attention to in order to clearly identify the species. For those who happen to not have such a person in their circle of acquaintances, there are many places where nature conservation organizations such as NABU or LBV offer birdwatching tours, where volunteer experts pass on their knowledge.
Tip 7: Use the twilight
You don't have to be an early riser to watch birds. Although the most intense birdsong takes place in the morning hours, many songbird species, such as blackbirds, black redstarts or great tits, are also active until dusk. Due to the small range of species, this period is also well suited for beginners to get to know the first bird calls. Once it's completely dark, most songbirds fall silent; but those who persevere longer have the opportunity to encounter one or the other nocturnal species - like the warbler, partridge or the occasional owl.
Tip 8: Attach nesting aids
Another way to make bird watching in your own garden more interesting is to offer nesting aids. As with the bird feeder, you can turn this into a craft and observation project for the whole family and build a nest box yourself. This gives you the chance to experience the breeding behavior of the animals, from building the nest to rearing the young birds. It applies tonote that different species have different requirements for nesting aids.
Tip 9: Plan trips
If you want to look beyond the garden fence and get to know new species at a certain point, you would do well to change your surroundings as well. Rare species in particular often have certain requirements for their location, which can no longer be met in our landscape shaped by humans. These species still find refuge in numerous (bird) sanctuaries and can be observed in their natural habitat.
Tip 10: Be considerate
Despite all the joy of observation, it is of course always important to disturb the birds as little as possible. This is particularly important to note during the breeding season and near nesting sites. Also, nesting aids should not be opened during the year, but should only be cleaned in the late spring. In protected areas, the paths should not be left to chase the animals. There are usually vantage points from which one can observe the birds from a safe distance. This way the animals can go about their business undisturbed and hopefully you can enjoy looking at them for a long time to come.
If you also want to do something good for the birds, you can also find out more about designing a bird-friendly garden from us.