How Do I
Birding
Bird Watching and Attracting Birds to your Garden
See also: Wildlife and Gardens for Wildlife
Selected Books
Alderfer, Jonathan K.
National Geographic Birding Essentials: All the Tools, Techniques, and Tips You Need to Begin and Become a Better Birder
QL677.5.A395 2007
The title says it all.
National Geographic Birding Essentials: All the Tools, Techniques, and Tips You Need to Begin and Become a Better Birder
QL677.5.A395 2007
The title says it all.
Birds of North America. Eastern Region
QL681.B62653 2011x
American Museum of Natural History's new paperback edition (408 pages), now in two volumes (eastern and western) and also downloadable.
QL681.B62653 2011x
American Museum of Natural History's new paperback edition (408 pages), now in two volumes (eastern and western) and also downloadable.
Burton, Robert
Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders & Bird Gardens
QL676.5.B87 2011x
The National Audubon Society gives advice on creating a bird-friendly backyard using gardens, food, water, and nesting sites to entice birds to visit. It also profiles the 100 most familiar garden birds.
Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders & Bird Gardens
QL676.5.B87 2011x
The National Audubon Society gives advice on creating a bird-friendly backyard using gardens, food, water, and nesting sites to entice birds to visit. It also profiles the 100 most familiar garden birds.
Dunn, Jon L.
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America
QL681.F53 2011
Written for beginners and experienced birdwatchers, this field guide identifies 990 species of birds in North America. Dunn and Alderfer detail the physical characteristics, voice, range and geographic area for each species by group, with maps and color illustrations on the facing page.
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America
QL681.F53 2011
Written for beginners and experienced birdwatchers, this field guide identifies 990 species of birds in North America. Dunn and Alderfer detail the physical characteristics, voice, range and geographic area for each species by group, with maps and color illustrations on the facing page.
Floyd, Ted
Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America
QL681.F56 2008
This Smithsonian field guide, written by Birding magazine editor Floyd, is ideal for beginners, but also has formidable resources for experienced birders. Includes a DVD with birdsongs for 138 major species.
Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America
QL681.F56 2008
This Smithsonian field guide, written by Birding magazine editor Floyd, is ideal for beginners, but also has formidable resources for experienced birders. Includes a DVD with birdsongs for 138 major species.
Ford, Paula
Birder's Guide to Pennsylvania
QL684.P4 F67 1995
This book takes the reader to almost 200 parks, refuges, and hot spots for migratory and resident birds throughout Pennsylvania. Details on 7 geographical regions include 34 maps make this the most comprehensive statewide guide available to Pennsylvania birding sites.
Birder's Guide to Pennsylvania
QL684.P4 F67 1995
This book takes the reader to almost 200 parks, refuges, and hot spots for migratory and resident birds throughout Pennsylvania. Details on 7 geographical regions include 34 maps make this the most comprehensive statewide guide available to Pennsylvania birding sites.
Identify Yourself: The 50 Most Common Birding Identification Challenges
QL681.I35 2005
Designed for birders at all levels by Bill Thompson, the editor of Bird Watcher's Digest and the author of Bird Watching for Dummies, this guide offers detailed descriptions of North American birds that look very similar to each other with advice on how to tell them apart.
QL681.I35 2005
Designed for birders at all levels by Bill Thompson, the editor of Bird Watcher's Digest and the author of Bird Watching for Dummies, this guide offers detailed descriptions of North American birds that look very similar to each other with advice on how to tell them apart.
Kaufman, Kenn
City Birding: True Tales of Birds and Birdwatching in Unexpected Places
QL677.5.C548 2003
Over a dozen first-rank birding writers and ornithologists, including Paul A. Johnsgard and James Gorman, contribute a quirky piece of material each to build this prose nest. They take a sidelong view of themselves as well as their subjects in the "unexpected places," which are mostly urban-many in the New York City area.
City Birding: True Tales of Birds and Birdwatching in Unexpected Places
QL677.5.C548 2003
Over a dozen first-rank birding writers and ornithologists, including Paul A. Johnsgard and James Gorman, contribute a quirky piece of material each to build this prose nest. They take a sidelong view of themselves as well as their subjects in the "unexpected places," which are mostly urban-many in the New York City area.
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America
QL683.E27 N38 2008
Formatted for users east of the Rocky Mountains, this guide details 619 species and contains 560 new range maps.
QL683.E27 N38 2008
Formatted for users east of the Rocky Mountains, this guide details 619 species and contains 560 new range maps.
Peterson, Roger Tory
A Field Guide to Feeder Birds, Eastern and Central North America
q QL681.P45 2000
This easy-to-use, at-a-glance guide simplifies identification by including only the birds that frequent feeders with the most commonly seen birds first, followed by those that are harder to identify or that rarely visit feeders.
A Field Guide to Feeder Birds, Eastern and Central North America
q QL681.P45 2000
This easy-to-use, at-a-glance guide simplifies identification by including only the birds that frequent feeders with the most commonly seen birds first, followed by those that are harder to identify or that rarely visit feeders.
Roth, Sally
Attracting Songbirds to Your Backyard
QL676.5.R66827 2012
Sally Roth draws on the latest science and 50 years of observation to give you the best ways to attract melodic birds by offering treats that songbirds like best and planting perennials and shrubs that provide cover and nesting. See also her Attracting Butterflies and Hummingbirds to Your Backyard.
Attracting Songbirds to Your Backyard
QL676.5.R66827 2012
Sally Roth draws on the latest science and 50 years of observation to give you the best ways to attract melodic birds by offering treats that songbirds like best and planting perennials and shrubs that provide cover and nesting. See also her Attracting Butterflies and Hummingbirds to Your Backyard.
Roth, Sally
The Backyard Bird Lovers Ultimate How-To Guide
QL676.5.R66834 2010
Roth urges the 46 million backyard bird watchers to make their backyards bird sanctuaries with an A to Z list of things to do. For instance, B is for Briar Patch and Brush, great nesting sites for birds; D is for Dead Wood, providing insects and shelter; F is for Fall Leaves, a living feast.
The Backyard Bird Lovers Ultimate How-To Guide
QL676.5.R66834 2010
Roth urges the 46 million backyard bird watchers to make their backyards bird sanctuaries with an A to Z list of things to do. For instance, B is for Briar Patch and Brush, great nesting sites for birds; D is for Dead Wood, providing insects and shelter; F is for Fall Leaves, a living feast.
Tekiela, Stan
Birds of Pennsylvania: Field Guide
QL684.P4 T45 2000x
A small handy book to take on hikes. Some come with an audio CD.
Birds of Pennsylvania: Field Guide
QL684.P4 T45 2000x
A small handy book to take on hikes. Some come with an audio CD.
Return to the topVideos
Adventures in Birdwatching
(DVD) QL676.A2484 2004x
Ornithologist and bird enthusiast Ken Dial travels to locations in the United States and Costa Rica to observe a variety of bird species. Originally produced as episodes of the television series: All Bird TV in 1997-1998.
(DVD) QL676.A2484 2004x
Ornithologist and bird enthusiast Ken Dial travels to locations in the United States and Costa Rica to observe a variety of bird species. Originally produced as episodes of the television series: All Bird TV in 1997-1998.
Audubon Videoguide to 505 Birds of North America
(DVD) QL681.A9865 2004x
Two DVDs describe each of 505 species that reliably breed in North America north of Mexico. Provides a voice or sound from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology for each species that makes a sound of any consequence. The bird calls are combined with close-up moving footage and still photographs showing the birds in their natural habitats. Narrated descriptions provide detailed identification information and computer-drawn maps of breeding and wintering ranges.
(DVD) QL681.A9865 2004x
Two DVDs describe each of 505 species that reliably breed in North America north of Mexico. Provides a voice or sound from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology for each species that makes a sound of any consequence. The bird calls are combined with close-up moving footage and still photographs showing the birds in their natural habitats. Narrated descriptions provide detailed identification information and computer-drawn maps of breeding and wintering ranges.
The Life of Birds
In this 3-DVD collection, originally released in 1998 as a television series of ten episodes, David Attenborough journeys across seven continents filming thousands of species of birds, revealing their patterns of behavior. Also available as a book.
In this 3-DVD collection, originally released in 1998 as a television series of ten episodes, David Attenborough journeys across seven continents filming thousands of species of birds, revealing their patterns of behavior. Also available as a book.
Pittsburgh Resources
-
Allegheny Front: Researchers Want to Know What Makes Golden-Wing Habitat Work
Each spring, Golden-winged warblers fly from Central and South America to the Eastern United States to mate and nest. But over the past 30 years, fewer and fewer of these little songbirds have been found in their traditional breeding range. -
Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania
Located in the North Hills-
Bulletin
You can view their monthly bulletin online in PDF Format.
-
Bulletin
-
Audubon's Birds of America
The University of Pittsburgh has mounted the engravings John James Audubon’s Birds of America on its Digital Library website. -
Discover Birds and Blossoms Scenic Driving Tour
This 100 mile day-long (5 hour min.) spring driving tour in the Laurel Highlands will guide you to some of the area’s best birding spots from a mountain top bog to the deepest gorge in Pennsylvania. -
National Aviary
When the weather is bad, you can visit the aviary. Here's a list of their birds. -
Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas
a joint project of Carnegie Museum of Natural History and The Pennsylvania Game Commission -
Powdermill Avian Research Center
Powdermill Nature Reserve, the biological research station of Carnegie Museum of Natural History, is home to the one of the longest continually running bird banding stations in the United States. -
Three Rivers Birding Club
The Three Rivers Birding Club was formed in July of 2001. Today, there are 152 members who are dedicated and appreciate birds and the natural world of Southwestern Pennsylvania. -
Todd Bird Club
Birding in Indiana, Armstrong, and Cambria Counties. -
Venango County Birds
provide birding information for those interested in watching, feeding, or just discussing birds in Venango County, Pennsylvania, and surrounding area. By Gary Edwards. -
Westmoreland Bird and Nature Club (WBNC)
Birding and nature observation in Westmoreland County southwestern Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania
-
Bluebird Society of Pennsylvania
an affiliate of the North American Bluebird Society. Learn about the eastern bluebird, hear its song, get plans for a bluebird house. -
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Hawk Mountain is located along the Appalachian Flyway in southeastern Pennsylvania and is a 2,380-acre nature preserve straddling the Kittatinny Ridge devoted to the protection of birds of prey. -
Pennsylvania Audubon Society
Includes their newsletter, events, a list of publications, etc.-
Eastern Pennsylvania Birding & Wildlife Guide
Available online and in print format.
-
Eastern Pennsylvania Birding & Wildlife Guide
-
Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology
They eventually hope to create a state-wide guide to birding resources by county. -
Winter Bird Feeding: The Basics
A brochure from the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences.
Nearby States
Since birds don't know about political boundaries, information from West Virginia and Ohio are usually applicable to Western Pennsylvania.
-
Common Birds of Ohio
A flippable guidebook from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. -
Lake Erie Birding Trail
Covering the entire 312 miles of Ohio shoreline, from Conneaut to Toledo, the trail includes the lake's greatest birding locales. Information from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The site also has a list of birding organizations in the area. -
Ohio Ornithological Society
Although Ohio had many local bird clubs, the state one was only established in 2004. Their website includes information on birding sites in Ohio, a bibliography, their publications, lists of Ohio birding organizations. You can also subscribe to their email list. -
West Virginia University Extension Services: Wildlife
Publications on attracting wildlife to your garden.
United States and International
-
American Birding Association
An organization that specifically caters to recreational birders and that promotes birding skills, ornithological knowledge and the development of a conservation ethic. -
Audubon Society
Audubon's mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity. -
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity. -
Bird Watching Magazine
Formerly Birder's World. -
Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology
This is probably the premier bird laboratory in the United States. Includes an "All About Birds" section: "The Ultimate Resource for Birds and Birding on the Web" with information about feeding, attracting, and watching birds. -
eBird
A real-time, online checklist program, eBird has revolutionized the way that the birding community reports and accesses information about birds. Launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, eBird provides rich data sources for basic information on bird abundance and distribution at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. -
Great Backyard Bird Count
Help scientists by reporting birds at your feeder every February. -
North American Bluebird Society
Learn about the different species of bluebirds and how to attract and care for them.
Mobile Apps
-
Audubon Guides: Mobile Bird App
Birds of North America for your iPad, iPhone, android, etc.
