Page 38 - World of Animals - Issue #33

A beginner’s guide to birdwatching

Identification guide NOT
TO
SCALE
Beak

The bill (or beak) tells you what the bird eats, and it’s one of the most important
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t t t things to check in any species. In birding, bills pay! ! ! !
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Filt ering (mallar d) Probing (heron)on) Ca t ching insects Cracking seeds Tearing meat Drilling holes
obing (her
Filtering (mallard)
Tearing meat
Pr
Catching insects
(swallow) (cardinal) (kestrel) (pileated woodpecker)
Feet
A bird’s feet can reveal a lot about its lifestyle – does it run, does it swim, does it kill? In
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s some species the length of the hind claw can even be important!! t t t ! !
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Perching (sparrow)
Perching (sparrow) Swimming (mallard) Grasping prey (eagle) Climbing (woodpecker) Walking (pigeon) Wading (heron)
Walking (pigeon)
Posture
Looking at a bird’s posture can help with categorising which group of birds it belongs
to. For example, the vertical posture of the robin is common within the thrush family.
Vertical (flycatcher)
Vertical (red-tailed hawk) Horizontal (crow) Vertical (American robin) Horizontal (vireo) Vertical (fl ycatcher)

Wings and tail

When identifying a bird, it is useful to look at how long the tail and wings are. Birds with long wings usually fly a lot, while

birds with more rounded, short wings tend to fly shorter distances. The length and shape of the tail can also be useful. © Thinkstock; Alamy; The Art Agency/Peter Scott; Christopher Michel; Keven Law; freevectormaps.com © Thinkstock; Alamy; The Art Agency/Peter Scott; Christopher Michel; Keven Law; freevectormaps.com
Barn swallow Peregrine falcon Red kite White-tailed eagle Common tern Waved albatross
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