Important “gear” includes field guides and apps on mobile devices. Field guides help identify birds by details about the individual species with pictures, descriptions, and behaviors. A good field guide can help you learn the bird basics and species in your area. Apps complement field guides, play bird sounds, and are easily accessible when birding.   

Field Guides

Field guides follow a standard layout. A typical page will have the right side showing illustrations or photographs of birds with important field marks; the left side has species name and description with details like size, behavior, range, and habitat. It’s important to spend some time reading the upfront pages to understand the author’s use of shorthand and jargon. This will help make the book more useful. Typical layout of a field guide, which usually includes:

• Common name

• Scientific name

• Picture(s) of the bird species

• Description with species information

• Range map for where the species is found and by season

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TOP FIELD GUIDES

Some field guides are better suited to beginners. They show the field marks that are most obvious, whereas the advanced guides with include the subtle field marks, and may be superfluous. Experienced birders may prefer Sibley Guides, for example. Most beginners are best paired with one of these guides:

• Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America

• Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America

• National Geographic Field Guide of North America (more general)

At home, keep your field guide in easy sight, on a coffee table or flat on a shelf. This will lure you to open to examining a few bird species or to get your next walk planned.

Digital Guides, Apps and more

Other essential gear items are digital field guides and apps for use on smartphones or other devices. Digital guides and apps have the advantage of being portable, and not an accessory if you bring your phone in the field. Most include features that leverage technology to go beyond the contents of the paper versions. For example, they can play bird songs to help with identification. The main disadvantage is the ability to see images and text clearly, particularly if bright light.