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Birdwatching: an introduction
This document provides an introduction to birdwatching and ornithology. It discusses that birdwatching is easy to get started in as birds are colorful, musical creatures found all around. Minimal equipment is needed such as binoculars, a field guide, and notebook. The document then describes how to identify birds by observing their physical features, behavior, habitat, and seasonal presence. It lists field guides and other reference materials to aid in identification. Overall, the document serves as a beginner's guide to birdwatching, identification, and resources.
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Overview of birdwatching as a hobby requiring minimal equipment, encouraging exploration.
Methods to observe and identify birds through sight and sound, including taking notes.
Detailed guidance on identifying birds based on physical attributes like size, shape, and color.
Key aspects of bird behavior impacting identification including activity period, flight, food, and social behavior.
Overview of various macro and micro habitats where different bird species are found, including urban areas.
Importance of seasonal changes and the residency status of birds, discussing permanent and migrant species.
Advice on using field guides for bird identification, with suggestions for resources and references.
Encouragement to explore birdwatching in natural settings like Uttarakhand, expressing gratitude to contributors.
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Birdwatching: an introduction
- 1. Birdwatching (and Ornithology) Anintroduction Ashish Kothari, Kalpavriksh
- 2. • Fascinating creatures, colourful,musical, active • Easy to watch, all around us (even cities!) • Hardly any specialised equipment needed – Binoculars (or just bare eyes!) – Field guide – Notebook and Pen/pencil
- 3. • Learn afew basics (physical features, behaviour…) • Go birding with an experienced birdwatcher….or alone with a field guide
- 4. • Visually – Usingbare eyes or binoculars • Vocally – Listening to distinct calls
- 5. Observe the birdclosely, & take notes: 1. Physical features (size, shape, colours, etc) 2. Behaviour (call, flight/gait, feeding, etc) 3. Habitat: Macro (forest, wetland, etc) & Macro (tree hole, river bank, etc) 4. Season (winter, summer, monsoon) HOW TO IDENTIFY A BIRD?
- 7. 1. Physical features i.Size (relative to common bird) Sparrow+/- Bulbul+/- Myna+/- Pigeon+/- Crow+/- Kite+/- Vulture+/-
- 8. 1. Physical features(contd) ii. Shape Tall and slender (e.g. crane, egret) Round and dumpy (e.g. partridge) Awkward (e.g. babbler) Neat/smooth (e.g. drongo)
- 9. 1. Physical features(contd) iii. Colour(s) Mainly one colour (white, black, green, red, blue, etc) Black and white 2-3 main colours Lots of colours (like rainbow!) Note: Different colours may show in flight Male and female may be v. different!
- 10. 1. Physical features(contd) iv. Distinct marks and patches Spots Streaks Bars Rings Eyebrows Dark/bright patches Note: Different marks may show in flight
- 11. 1. Physical features(contd) v. Peculiar/strange features Crest Wattle Hair bristles on beak Beard!
- 12. 1. Physical features(contd) vi. Beak (size, shape, colour)
- 13. 1. Physical features(contd) vii. Eyes Small/large (relative to bird) Colour Eye-ring
- 14. 1. Physical features viii.Legs/feet (length, shape, colour)
- 15. 1. Physical features(contd) viii. Tail (length, shape, colour)
- 16. 1. Physical features(contd) viii. Wings (length, shape, colour)
- 17. 2. Behaviour Activity period Purely day (most species) Purely night (most owls, nightjars) Overlapping (lapwing, magpie- robin, spotted owlet)
- 18. 2. Behaviour (contd) Flight Constant/erratic Fast/slow Straight/up-&-down Circling/soaring Diving Hovering Wings flapping/gliding
- 19. 2. Behaviour (contd) Food Insects Grain Nectar Fruits Meat
- 20. 2. Behaviour (contd) Communication Vocal Contact calls Songs / Breeding calls Alarm calls Non-vocal Drumming
- 21. 2. Behaviour (contd) Socialbehaviour Mostly single Mostly in group (gregarious) Mostly/often in mixed flocks
- 22. 2. Behaviour (contd) Breeding Territoriality Nesting Eggs & incubation Care of young Brood parasites
- 23. 2. Behaviour (contd) Otheraspects Silent/noisy? Constantly active/occasionally moving? Tail active (fanning/bobbing up-&-down)? Shy/bold in front of humans? Camouflaged/conspicuous? Any other peculiar behaviour…
- 25. 3. Habitat Macro-habitat Forest(evergreen, deciduous, scrub…) Grassland Wetland (lake, river, pond …) Marine/coast (sea, beach, mangrove …) Mountain (snowpeak, hill …) Desert (cold, hot, salt) Human settlement (village, town, city)
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- 37. 3. Habitat (contd) Micro-habitat (in forest) tree hole, forest floor, ant’s nest… (at wetland) on water, edge, boulder … (in grassland) grass, rock … (in desert) dune, grassy patch … (in marine/coast) open sea, tide line … (in settlement) roof, wall, garbage dump …
- 38. 4. Season &resident status Season Through the year Winter Summer Monsoon
- 39. 4. Season &resident status (contd) Resident status Resident Migrant (from outside country) Local migrant Passage migrant
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- 41. • Use fieldguide (or ask an experienced birdwatcher) • Refer to local checklist if available (e.g. Dehradun, Rajaji NP, New Forest, Asan Barrage) • Consult other books later ONCE YOU’VE OBSERVED THE BIRD, TO IDENTIFY IT…
- 42. • Pocket guideto the birds of Indian Subcontinent: Grimmett, Inskipp & Inskipp • Field Guide to the birds of India: Krys Kazmeirkzac • Pictorial Guide to the birds of Indian Subcontinent: Salim Ali and Dillon Ripley • Collin’s guide to birds of Indian Subcontinent • Book of Indian Birds: Salim Ali
- 43. Hand bookof Birds of India and Pakistan : Salim Ali and S. Dillon Ripley Birds of South Asia: A Ripley’s Guide: Pamela Rasmussen and John Anderton Birds of Indian Subcontinent: Grimett, Inskipp and Inskipp Birdwatchers guide to India: Krys Kazmeirkzac
- 44. Hornbill /Buceros (BNHS) Indian Birds Newsletter for Birdwatchers Sanctuary Asia Forktail Magazines / journals Films/CDs •Audio CDs/DVDs
- 45. Bird-watching is afield hobby. There can be no better place to get initiated in it than the beautiful locales of Uttarakhand, in the lap of the mighty Himalayas. So go out and enjoy the beauty of these winged wonders…
- 46. Thanks to…. Pix: RamanaAthreya, Pallava Bagla, Rajat Bhargava, Bharat Bhushan, Ashok Captain, Raghu Chundawat, Ajay Desai, Clement Francis, R.K. Gaur, Joanna van Gruisen, Jean Howman-WPA, Girish Jathar, Ashish Kothari, Sujatha Padmanabhan, Vibhu Prakash, Asad Rahmani, Nitin Rai, Vijay Mohan Raj, Sunita Rao, Ravi Sankaran, Pankaj Sekhsaria, Krupakar Senani, Rajpal Singh, Farhad Vania, Mahendra Vyas, Shimpei Watanabe Illustrations: Aranya Pathak Broome (courtesy Kalpavriksh’s ‘What’s That Bird?’)