Ornithology for Everyday Bird Watchers

Featured Lenses 

Identifying Birds

Spotting a bird is one thing, identifying it is another story. With over 10,000 species of birds in the world, no one is an expert right from the start. It takes time and practice. Follow the steps listed below and you will be on your way!

Bird Rescue

My passion for birds has been a life long love affair. I will be sharing this passion with you. You will especially learn from this website how to care for baby birds, both wild life birds and pet babybirds (sometimes rejected by parents). The keynot...

The Blue Jay

Blue Jays are beautiful birds and fun to watch. There are several that hang around our yard. Their cry is loud and when it's heard the other birds scatter. They have a reputation as backyard bullies and work hard to maintain that status. When the...

Bluebirds of the Meadow

Summer nears and the bluebirds start nesting along the fenceline. The children are fascinated with the way they fly back and forth to build their nests. They become the focus of our next Unit Study, Bluebirds of the Meadow. As your little bluebirds...

Backyard Birding Headquarters

Welcome to Backyard Birding! If your lens has anything to do with birding in your backyard, this group is for you. All lenses in the Backyard Birding group will be featured.

Hummingbirds: "The Birds that Kiss the Flowers"

Wonderment & Gratitude for the Beautiful Hummingbird -the amazing little birds that have tremendous heart, courage and grace Legends and stories about these "lovely fragments of the rainbow" Resources & information to create positive environments for...

Birdwatching with Kids: NJ Backyard Birds

One of the easiest ways to involve your children in nature is Backyard Bird watching.  Here you'll find tips for teaching them about birds, and resources for you and your family to learn more & to have a new source of entertainment (that sur...

The Birds in My Backyard - Bird Feeders

The simple pleasure of watching birds has fascinated so many of us. I could sit for hours and watch them fly, or eat. I love to put out bird feeders in the yard and see what kind of birds come to visit it. Capturing them with my camera, is somethin...

Create Your Own Writer's Retreat

My life. My garden. How I write, where I write, and look at living with birds, trees, and cats, instead of with Humans. This is where I live. This is where I write. Welcome, to one writer's writing retreat. Some writers need the bustle of the busy c...

Kathy's Bird Watching

On those quiet days, yes I do get a few, I love to sit back and watch the birds in our backyard. There is nothing more relaxing.  We don't do anything fancy, I am far from an expert, having to look up many of the different bi...

Attracting Feeding Hummingbirds Garden Bird Feeders

Birds, hummingbirds, animals and critter friends in your garden. Attracting hummingbirds to your backyard garden. Hummer feeder, cleaning, nectar recipe, plants for attracting hummingbirds and species may you see. About feeding, creating a habitat an...

It's Turkey Time!

Wild Turkeys nearly became extinct in the 1930's but times have changed and turkeys have benefited. Now turkeys are often found in fields and on the edge of the woods. In this unit you will learn about Wild Turkeys, read turkey facts and stories, pl...

Purple Gallinules of the Everglades

Gallinules are spectacular creatures. The can be found walking on water lilies in the canals throughout the Everglades. One day we took a trip to the Everglades and saw a Purple Gallinule for the first time. It's vibrant colors are unbelievable. We...

It's for the Birds

Welcome to It's for the Birds! We love birding and would like to share our experiences with you. Our birding activities include watching, counting, and gardening for our native birds. We hope you find this site both informative and helpful. You will...

Who Layed THAT Egg?

Everyone knows that chickens lay eggs. Most people know that all other birds do as well but have you ever thought about all the other animals that lay eggs? Children may be surprised that some eggs do not contain birds. Other egg layers include frogs...

The Intelligence Of Crows

Often viewed as a nuisance bird, the crow is far from deserving the reputation that we humans have given it. Crows are often misrepresented, misunderstood, and their intelligence level greatly under rated. Humans make and use tools to insure that th...

Brown-headed Nuthatch of the Southeastern U. S.

Brown-headed Nuthatches are indigenous to the Pine forests of the Southeastern United States where they are permanent residents. They are one of nature's acrobats and we never tire of their antics. Their primary food is Pine nuts, so their food suppl...

Raising Baby Chicks

So you've already read my lens on why you should raise chickens (No? Visit Green Eggs & Chickens), and now you want to know how? You've come to the right place. Learn how to protect them, what to feed them & more. Even if you don't think chickens ar...

The Pidgie Fund

Nearly 250 Squidoo lenses donate money to The Pidgie Fund, but what exactly is The Pidgie Fund? The Pidgie Fund is a non-profit organization which raises money to provide food and shelter for animals in need in the Southern Maine area. I am Wendy C....

The House Sparrow

The House Sparrow, formerly called the English Sparrow, is one of the best known and abundant song birds. Like the European Starling, it is not one of North America's native birds. With its expanding population and domination over nesting sites,...

Carolina Chickadees

Carolina Chickadees are great little cavity nesting birds and nest in early spring. They are permanent residents in the Eastern United States and coexist well with humans since they love sunflower seeds and suet. Chickadees are very under rated and e...

Red-winged Blackbirds

The Red-winged Blackbird is a beautiful songbird and easy to identify. Its red epaulets are easy to spot even when in flight. They are a fairly common bird and can be seen perched on telephone wires and sign posts throughout the United States and Can...

Nest Box Trails for Bluebirds and Others

Lawrence Zeleny's book, the Bluebird How You Can Help Its Fight for Survival, alerted the public about the peril of our native Bluebirds. Now people all over North America are building and maintaining Bluebird Trails. Anyone can start their own trail...

Hummingbirds and Gardening for Them

Who wouldn't want to attract hummingbirds, nature's flying jewels, to their yard? Hummingbird feeders will help bring them into view, but to really sustain them it is necessary to plant for them. Planting a Hummingbird Garden full of nectar rich flow...

Acorns for the Squirrels

Thanksgiving is coming and the squirrels are counting their acorns. Read tales of squirrels who are preparing for Thanksgiving by making place mats, toilet paper tube squirrels and other Thanksgiving decorations. What will they be thankful for and w...

Planting for Birds and Wildlife

Welcoming birds and animals into our yard has been a most enjoyable experience. The beauty and motion that they add to the landscape makes the garden that we have created seem all the more beautiful. We have provided a planting list with photographs...

The Great Blue Heron

The Great Blue Heron is the largest of the North American herons, dwarfing other herons as well as its closest relatives, the egrets and bitterns. It is a wader and is often seen standing in or around water.

The Purple Finch

The Purple Finch is a pretty little song bird, but distinguishing the Purple Finch from its cousins, the House Finch and the Cassin's Finch, can be tricky. All three are about the same size and shape, and all three are frequent visitors to the bi...

Animal Tracks Unit Study

When you study nature it is often hard to get close to the animals you are studying but often they leave their tracks. Learning to recognize the tracks of the animals that live near you will let you know which ones are visiting you. Animal tracks ar...

The Black-capped Chickadee

This familiar little song bird seems to be in constant motion. It can be seen hopping from branch to branch and tree to tree. Named for its easily recognized song, chick-a-dee-dee-dee, the Chickadee is a regular visitor to backyard bird feeders.

The Northern Cardinal

The Northern Cardinal is one of the most popular birds in the United States. It is one of the first birds a child learns to recognize and most adults, birders and non-birders alike recognize it on sight. Its bright red coloring is distinctive. The Car...

My Ten Favorite National Parks

I have an addiction - to National Parks.  All of them.  I love them.  Cannons, forts, rivers, rocks, battlements, mountain, old houses, wooden markers: all of them.   I am lucky enough to live in a country that has such an extensi...

Creatures of the Woodlands

Winter is coming on! The little Woodland Creatures are looking for winter dens, storing up food and preparing for the long winter ahead. The Thornton Burgess Books, such as Old Mother Westwind, are just full of charming woodland creatures that bring...