Bird Watching and Technology Meet

Bird watching hobbyists across the globe are enjoying the wealth of information that is now available to them on the internet. In the past, when trying to identify an unknown avian species, resources were limited to bird watching field guides and the written descriptions found in the travel journals of fellow bird lovers. A bird watcher's best hope, when encountering an unidentified bird, was to get a photograph to send off to a school of ornithology or to a known expert.

The availability of online information is proving to be very helpful to those who enjoy bird watching. Beginning and veteran bird watchers alike have found the internet to be a valuable research tool when seeking information about, or trying to identify birds. Everything from photographs to migratory patterns are available with a few simple clicks.

One of the thrills of bird watching is the discovery of a species you have never seen before. In the past, a bird watcher often had to wait for a long time to get help in identifying a bird that he or she may not have recognized. Programs, like the one at Cornell University (www.birds.cornell.edu), allowed those who bird watch to submit photographs and descriptions of things that they had seen. The experts and researchers at the university would then help them identify the bird. The internet however, has eliminated the hassle of waiting for the mail. This information is available instantaneously online.

The ability to come home from a day in the fields of Belize watching birds, or even after bird watching in Costa Rica, and to sit down in front of a computer has given birth to a completely new realm of resources. Bird watchers can visit sites such as www.birding.com and www.birdingguide.com to access information about what they have seen through their binoculars while bird watching that day. There are several benefits to websites like these and the photographic resources available on the web.

Photographic resources such as www.images.google.com allow bird watchers to open high quality images right on the computer screen. A simple search by the bird's name or species will lead the user right to the images that they are looking for with just a few clicks of the mouse. The availability of images such as these give bird watchers the opportunity to immediately identify unknown species that they may have seen that day, while the mental images are still fresh.

Online tools like www.images.google.com give bird watchers instant access to pictures of birds that they may be having a hard time identifying. A bird watcher can take good notes while in the field, and snap a few digital photos so that he or she can compare the information with images that others have posted on the Web.

Aside from written descriptions, the internet provides a wealth of photographic information to bird watchers. Photographs that would add up to literally mountains of books could quickly be searched, organized, and selected for viewing online. The convenience is immeasurable. The ability to get information quickly and accurately makes the research process an enjoyable one for most bird watchers.

One of the features that bird watchers who are internet savvy might find of particular interest is the communities that exist on the bulletin boards of websites catering to bird watching. These forums allow users to start, and participate in, conversations concerning a wide variety of topics that relate to birding. Some conversations, called threads, are global in their scope and may include broad topics like equipment, which are not geographically specific. Other threads may be very geographically specific and give local bird watchers a place to share individual information about sightings and numbers in special locations that probably are not of interest to someone outside of that region.

In addition to the sense of community that bird watchers can find on the web, it also serves as a very useful tool for spreading information. Local chapters of bird watching clubs and conservation groups, such as The National Audubon Society (www.audobon.org), utilize the parent websites of their organizations to provide news of local interest. They may also use this space to advertise upcoming events, seminars, conferences or group outings. A birder who wants to get involved and volunteer with an organization may also find opportunities to do so listed here. These websites are an ideal place to find a great deal of useful information.

Though the internet is a great place to gather information, it is also an ideal place to spread information. Many local clubs and groups utilize websites to inform local bird watching enthusiasts about upcoming field trips, seminars, or workshops. In some cases, a group's website may even replace its paper mailings in an effort to save money on postage and printing fees. Any bird watcher who is interested in volunteering in some capacity should make it a habit to check the local websites on a regular basis.

As businesses, clubs, organizations, and groups of people who share common interests continue to look to the internet first for information; the birding community should keep up. There may be a fellow bird watcher right in your neighborhood that you never even knew about. Through the internet and the mass availability of information, you may find a greater forum for spreading information than you had ever dreamed existed.

So develop a broader sense of birding. Bring birds around more often and dance to the tune of their music while you get and keep them in your area longer with bird feeders.

Learn a lot more: The “Everything You Want to Know About Birdfeeders” Guide