Birding Fun
How can you become a birder? It's really easy, and just takes an interest in birds! But how do you learn about them? Here are some online resources that will help you.
Birds of North America Field Guide - your online field guide from the Audubon Society. You can browse through the alphabetical list of birds or search for the one you need to find beautiful photos, vital statistics and a range map of the locations where the bird might be found, as well as recordings of their songs and calls.
Audubon Society - The Audubon Society website can almost be overwhelming with information about birds, conservation, hot birding locations, stunning photographs, the Audubon Magazine, and great ideas for ways you and your family can enjoy birding and the outdoors. Give it a look if you haven't lately, but leave plenty of time to browse.
Beckham Bird Club - If you want to go on field trips in the Louisville, KY, area, check with our birding buddies at the Beckham Bird Club. They go somewhere at least once a week.
Kentucky Ornithological Society - Founded in 1923, the Kentucky Ornithological Society (KOS) strives to create and increase interest in Kentucky birds, and to support bird conservation. KOS members participate in field trips and bird counts, attend spring and fall meetings, and report sightings online. Members receive the quarterly publication, The Kentucky Warbler.
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. It's so easy to download the eBird app to your smart phone and record your sightings while still in the field.
American Birding Association - The American Birding Association represents the North American birding community and supports birders through publications, conferences, workshops, tours, partnerships, and networks. The ABA's education programs promote birding skills, ornithological knowledge, and the development of a conservation ethic. The ABA encourages birders to apply their skills to help conserve birds and their habitats, and we represent the interests of birders in planning and legislative arenas. They even run summer camps for young birders!
Birding Festivals - Although Bird Watcher's Digest is primarily a magazine, they also keep a great list of birding festivals around the country. This lets you find birds not usually located in your backyard with the help of birding experts. It's great to take a vacation with people who start as strangers but quickly become friends because of their mutual love of birds.
Backyard Birding - If you don't have the time or inclination to travel, you can still have a great time just watching the birds in your own area, whether you live on a farm or in an apartment building, and again, there are different websites to give you started. If you have a yard, just putting out feeders or planting bird friendly flowers will bring the birds to you.
Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Kentucky, Third Edition - Brainard Palmer-Ball, Jr.
In 2019 KOS published this third edition annotated checklist, authored by Brainard Palmer-Ball, Jr. Covering 390 species, this edition has been expanded to include more detailed lists of county distribution of many less common species. Included in species descriptions are brief summaries of status, distribution, seasonal occurrence, and abundance. Birders of all skill levels will find this a valuable source of information.
Birding Blogs - A blog can be entertaining and informative at the same time. Some have huge followings, while other bloggers just do it for fun. You might even want to start your own blog, which can be done for free! Here are a couple to start with, and you can build your own list of favorites.
BirdingBlogs.com - posts from birders around the world. Get your fix on exotic birds here.
Laura's Birding Blog - Laura Erickson in Minnesota
Birding is Fun - contributions by multiple birders
Goat Sass Farm - Jim Johnson lives in Western Ky near Kentucky Lake, and is one of the best photographers around.
Julie Zickefoose - Julie is an artist, writer and one of the top birders in the country. You will wish you could write as well as she does.
Life, Birding and Photos - A blog from local birder, Kathy Dennis
Birds of North America Field Guide - your online field guide from the Audubon Society. You can browse through the alphabetical list of birds or search for the one you need to find beautiful photos, vital statistics and a range map of the locations where the bird might be found, as well as recordings of their songs and calls.
Audubon Society - The Audubon Society website can almost be overwhelming with information about birds, conservation, hot birding locations, stunning photographs, the Audubon Magazine, and great ideas for ways you and your family can enjoy birding and the outdoors. Give it a look if you haven't lately, but leave plenty of time to browse.
Beckham Bird Club - If you want to go on field trips in the Louisville, KY, area, check with our birding buddies at the Beckham Bird Club. They go somewhere at least once a week.
Kentucky Ornithological Society - Founded in 1923, the Kentucky Ornithological Society (KOS) strives to create and increase interest in Kentucky birds, and to support bird conservation. KOS members participate in field trips and bird counts, attend spring and fall meetings, and report sightings online. Members receive the quarterly publication, The Kentucky Warbler.
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. It's so easy to download the eBird app to your smart phone and record your sightings while still in the field.
American Birding Association - The American Birding Association represents the North American birding community and supports birders through publications, conferences, workshops, tours, partnerships, and networks. The ABA's education programs promote birding skills, ornithological knowledge, and the development of a conservation ethic. The ABA encourages birders to apply their skills to help conserve birds and their habitats, and we represent the interests of birders in planning and legislative arenas. They even run summer camps for young birders!
Birding Festivals - Although Bird Watcher's Digest is primarily a magazine, they also keep a great list of birding festivals around the country. This lets you find birds not usually located in your backyard with the help of birding experts. It's great to take a vacation with people who start as strangers but quickly become friends because of their mutual love of birds.
Backyard Birding - If you don't have the time or inclination to travel, you can still have a great time just watching the birds in your own area, whether you live on a farm or in an apartment building, and again, there are different websites to give you started. If you have a yard, just putting out feeders or planting bird friendly flowers will bring the birds to you.
Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Kentucky, Third Edition - Brainard Palmer-Ball, Jr.
In 2019 KOS published this third edition annotated checklist, authored by Brainard Palmer-Ball, Jr. Covering 390 species, this edition has been expanded to include more detailed lists of county distribution of many less common species. Included in species descriptions are brief summaries of status, distribution, seasonal occurrence, and abundance. Birders of all skill levels will find this a valuable source of information.
Birding Blogs - A blog can be entertaining and informative at the same time. Some have huge followings, while other bloggers just do it for fun. You might even want to start your own blog, which can be done for free! Here are a couple to start with, and you can build your own list of favorites.
BirdingBlogs.com - posts from birders around the world. Get your fix on exotic birds here.
Laura's Birding Blog - Laura Erickson in Minnesota
Birding is Fun - contributions by multiple birders
Goat Sass Farm - Jim Johnson lives in Western Ky near Kentucky Lake, and is one of the best photographers around.
Julie Zickefoose - Julie is an artist, writer and one of the top birders in the country. You will wish you could write as well as she does.
Life, Birding and Photos - A blog from local birder, Kathy Dennis
