Use Bird Identification Resources
There are many resources available to help identify birds from photos. Some options include:
Field Guides
Field guides are books designed to help identify birds visually. Some popular field guides for North American birds include:
- The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America
- Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America
- Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America
- National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America
These guides provide detailed illustrations and descriptions of birds’ visual features like plumage, size, shape, and behavior. They break birds down by family and provide identification tips. When using a field guide, look for illustrations that closely match your photo to narrow down species possibilities.
Online Photo Identification Tools
Many websites and apps offer online bird photo identification. Some examples:
- Audubon Bird Guide – Enter details like location, coloration, size to get match suggestions.
- Merlin Bird ID by the Cornell Lab – Upload a photo or answer questions to ID the bird.
- iNaturalist – Share observations and crowdsource identifications from experts.
- Seek by iNaturalist – Snap a photo of a bird and get instant suggestions.
These tools provide results quickly, but may not always be accurate. Use them as a starting point before confirming in a field guide.
Birdwatching Apps
Apps designed specifically for birdwatching, like Audubon Bird Guide and eBird Mobile, often have identification tools built in. For example, eBird allows submitting photos for help identifying sightings. Leveraging birdwatching communities can provide reliable IDs.
Social Media and Online Forums
Connecting with knowledgeable birders on platforms like Facebook and Reddit can help get IDs fast. Post the photo in birding groups or subreddits and crowdsource an identification. This method works best with active communities.
Take Helpful Photos
To get accurate IDs, make sure you take high quality photos showing key details:
- Get close – Fill the frame with the bird so features are clearly visible.
- Multiple angles – Take profile shots, full rear views, under the tail etc. The more perspectives the better.
- Plumage – Capture the colors and patterns on the head, back, belly, wings and tail.
- Size comparisons – Include familiar objects like a person, car or tree for scale.
- Beak and legs – Focus on bill shape and leg color when possible.
- Behavior – Catch distinctive behaviors like feeding, flying or singing.
Prioritize quality over quantity. Just a few detailed shots are better than many blurry, distant ones.
Provide Context
Supply useful context to aid identification:
- Location – Note the city, county and state where the photo was taken.
- Date – Include the specific date and time of year.
- Habitat – Describe the environment like a forest, wetland or backyard.
- Behavior – Note any behaviors like wading, woodpecking or flocking.
- Size – Mention any size estimates compared to familiar objects.
- Colors – Describe the exact colors and patterns you observe.
- Sound – If heard, note bird sounds like songs, chip notes or raptor screams.
- Distinctive features – Point out any notable field marks.
Providing detailed context will allow experts to quickly narrow down possibilities. But avoid pre-conceived ID guesses, which can prejudice suggestions.
Consider Similar Species
Bird identification often requires ruling out similar species. If your photo is tentatively matched but you want certainty, research similar birds and carefully compare:
- Plumage – Note differences in feather colors, streaking, eye rings and other markings.
- Size and shape – Compare body, bill and tail proportionality.
- Song and call – Listen to audio of each species’ vocals.
- Behavior – Species have unique ways of moving, foraging and nesting.
- Range – Consider if species’ ranges overlap with your location.
- Time of year – Compare migration and breeding times.
Taking a systematic approach helps confirm ID. Narrow down by family, then use a dichotomous key or table to identify species-specific traits.
Get Expert Help
With tricky identifications, or for peace of mind, get expert help:
- Local nature groups – Ask experienced members at birding clubs, Audubon chapters and nature centers.
- University ornithologists – Faculty bird experts provide authoritative IDs.
- Online forums – On Reddit or birding sites, tag knowledgeable users or moderators.
- Professional birding guides – Hire a local guide to walk you through difficult IDs.
Friendly experts are often glad to help learners improve their skills. Reach out to dedicated birding communities when stumped.
Use Recording Technology
If unable to photograph the bird, use technology to record it:
- Audio recordings – Use a microphone to capture bird sounds. Helpful for identifying by song.
- Video – Record short clips showing field marks, behavior, flight pattern, etc.
- Digiscoping – Connect a camera to a spotting scope for magnified photos.
When sharing recordings for help, take care to include location, date, time, and behavioral details.
Submit Documentation
For rare or very difficult to ID birds, submit evidence to official committees:
- State records committees – Fordocumentation of state first sightings and rare birds.
- eBird regional reviewers – To verify sightings of unusual species for eBird records.
- American Birding Association (ABA) – For review by the ABA checklist committee for new U.S. species.
These bodies vote on submissions to maintain official lists and records. Their stamp of approval provides the highest standard of identification verification.
Conclusion
Identifying birds from photos takes patience, practice and access to quality resources. While apps and online communities can provide quick help, birders should learnavian anatomy, behavior and biology to sharpen ID skills. Looking at subtle plumage details, listening for distinctive sounds, noting habitat preferences and consulting multiple references leads to accurate identifications. Birdwatching provides an excuse to regularly get outdoors, observe nature closely and continuously expand one’s knowledge.