Birding Links & Resources
Birdwatching and feeding birds are rewarding experiences. Our website links provide resources for locating birding organizations, festivals, observatories, optics, tour companies, checklists, and educational resources for kids and adults. We welcome your suggestions. Send us your favorite sites to share with others. Above all, Happy Birding!
Bird Checklists
American Birding Association
http://listing.aba.org/aba-checklist/
American Ornithological Union
http://checklist.aou.org/
Birding in Virginia
http://www.virginiabirds.org/
https://www.vbaudubon.org/links.htm
Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist
Birding Events
(Other than festivals)
Audubon Christmas Bird Count
https://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count
Cornell Lab of Ornithology Global Big Day
https://ebird.org/globalbigday
Great Backyard Bird Count
http://gbbc.birdcount.org/
Point Reyes Bird Observatory Bird-A-Thon (Point Reyes Bird Observatory)
https://www.pointblue.org/engage-with-us/events/
World Series of Birding (New Jersey Audubon Society)
https://njaudubon.org/worldseriesofbirding
Birding Festivals
Cornell Lab of Ornithology (Festival/Event Listings by Locations and Dates)
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/birdingfestivals
Bird Observatories
Bicore Prairie Bird Observatory (Madison, Wisconsin)
https://www.friendslakeshorepreserve.com/bird-observatory.html
Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (Brighton, Colorado)
https://birdconservancy.org
Black Swamp Bird Observatory (Oak Harbor, Ohio)
http://www.bsbo.org/
Braddock Bay Bird Observatory (Hilton, New York)
https://braddockbaybirdobservatory.wordpress.com/
Cape Fear Bird Observatory (Wilmington, North Carolina)
https://www.capefearbirdobservatory.org/
Cape May Bird Observatory (Cape May, New Jersey)
https://njaudubon.org/centers/cape-may-bird-observatory/
Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory
https://vawildliferesearch.org
Derby Hill Bird Observatory (Marcellus, New York)
https://onondagaaudubon.com/derby-hill-bird-observatory/
Erie Bird Observatory (Erie, Pennslyvania)
https://www.eriebirdobservatory.org/
Great Basin Bird Observatory (Reno, Nevada)
https://www.gbbo.org/
Gulf Coast Bird Observatory (Lake Jackson, Texas)
http://www.gcbo.org/
Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory (Duluth, Minnesota)
https://www.hawkridge.org/
Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory (Austin, Texas)
https://www.hornsbybend.org/
Intermountain Bird Observatory (Boise, Idaho)
https://ibo.boisestate.edu/
Kalamazoo Valley Bird Observatory (Kalamazoo, Michigan)
Klamath Bird Observatory (Ashland, Oregon)
https://www.klamathbird.org/
Louisiana Bird Observatory (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
http://www.braudubon.org/labo
Maryland Coastal Bird Observatory (Annapolis, Maryland)
https://marylandbirds.org/maryland-coastal-bird-observatory/
Missouri River Bird Observatory
https://mrbo.org/
Monomoy Bird Observatory (Massachusetts)
https://www.monomoybirds.com/
Point Reyes Bird Observatory/Point Blue Conservation Science (Point Reyes, California)
https://www.pointblue.org/about-us/contact-visit-us/
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (San Francisco, California)
https://www.sfbbo.org/
Sand Bluff Bird Observatory (Rockton, Illinois)
https://sandbluff.org/
Sierra Nevada Bird Observatory (Point Reyes Station, California)
https://www.birdpop.org/pages/snbo.php
Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory (Bisbee, Arizona)
https://sabo.org/
Tennessee River Gorge Bird Observatory (Chattanooga, Tennessee)
https://www.trgt.org/birdlab/
Whitefish Point Bird Observatory (Paradise, Michigan)
https://wpbo.org/
Birding Organizations
American Bird Conservancy
http://www.abcbirds.org/
American Birding Association
http://www.americanbirding.org/
American Ornithology Society
http://www.aou.org/
Audubon Naturalist Society
http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/
Bird Life International
http://www.birdlife.org
British Ornithologists’ Union
http://www.bou.org.uk/
Center for Conservation Biology
https://ccbbirds.org/
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/
Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology
http://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/egi/
Nature Conservancy
http://www.nature.org/
New Jersey Audubon Society
http://www.njaudubon.org
North American Bluebird Society
http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/
Virginia Society of Ornithology
https://www.virginiabirds.org/
Wisconsin Society for Ornithology
https://wsobirds.org/
Optics
Guide to Using Optics
https://www.heartlandamerica.com/bird-watching-guide-binoculars.html
How to Adjust Binoculars for Clear Focus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkPzl-VPmo4
Bushnell
http://www.bushnell.com/
Celestron
https://www.celestron.com/collections/sport-optics
KOWA
https://www.kowa-usa.com/
Leica
https://www.leicacamerausa.com/sport-optics/
Nikon
Opticron
https://www.opticronusa.com/
Swarovski
https://www.swarovskioptik.com/us/en/birding
Swift Optics
http://www.swift-sportoptics.com/
Vortex Optics
http://www.vortexoptics.com/
Wingspan Optics
https://wingspanoptics.com/
Zeiss
https://www.zeiss.com/consumer-products/us/nature-observation.html
Tour Companies
Bird Treks
http://www.birdtreks.com/
Birding Outfitters
https://birdingoutfitters.com/
Caribbean Conservation Trust Birding and Eco-Tours
http://www.cubirds.com/
Chiapas Birding Adventures
http://www.chiapasbirdingadventures.com
Croisi Europe Cruises
http://www.croisieuroperivercruises.com
Field Guides Birding Tours
https://fieldguides.com/
Naturalist Journeys
http://www.naturalistjourneys.com
Naturetrek
https://www.naturetrek.co.uk/
NT Bird Specialists
Birding & Photographic Safaris, Australia
http://www.ntbirdspecialists.com.au/
Partnership for International Birding
https://www.pibird.com/
Rockjumper Birding Tours
https://www.rockjumperbirding.com/
She Flew Birding Tours
http://birdwatchingtours.net/
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours
https://ventbird.com/
Wildside Nature Tours
http://www.wildsidenaturetours.com
Wilderness Birding Adventures
http://www.wildernessbirding.com/
WINGS Birding Tours
https://wingsbirds.com/
Virginia Clubs/Audubon Chapters
Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (Reston, Virginia)
http://audubonva.org/
Augusta Bird Club (Staunton, Virginia)
http://www.augustabirdclub.org
Bristol Bird Club (Bristol, Virginia)
http://bristolbirdclub.org/
Buchanan County Bird Club (Grundy, Virginia)
https://sites.google.com/site/buchananbirds/
Cape Henry Audubon Society (Norfolk, Virginia)
http://www.chasnorfolk.org/
Lynchburg Bird Club (Lynchburg, Virginia)
https://sites.google.com/a/lynchburg.edu/lynchburg-bird-club/
Margaret H. Watson Bird Club (Farmville, Virginia)
https://farmvillebirders.wordpress.com/
Monticello Bird Club (Charlottesville, Virginia)
https://www.monticellobirdclub.org/
New River Valley Bird Club (Blacksburg, Virginia)
http://www.nrvbirdclub.org/
Northern Neck Audubon Society (Kilmarmock, Virginia)
https://northernneckaudubon.squarespace.com/about
Northern Virginia Bird Club (Annandale, Virginia)
http://www.nvabc.org/
Richmond Audubon Society (Richmond, Virginia)
http://www.richmondaudubon.org/
Rockingham Bird Club (Harrisonburg, Virginia)
http://www.rockinghambirdclub.com/
Roanoke Valley Bird Club (Roanoke, Virginia)
http://roanokebird.tripod.com/
Virginia Beach Audubon (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
https://www.vbaudubon.org/
Virginia Ornithological Society Member Chapters
http://www.virginiabirds.org/about/member-chapters/
Williamsburg Bird Club (Williamsburg, Virginia)
http://www.williamsburgbirdclub.org/
Educational Programs and Resources
All About Birds (ID, Audio, Video about 600+ North American Bird Bird Species)
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/
All About Bird Houses
https://nestwatch.org/learn/all-about-birdhouses/right-bird-right-house/
Beastbox—DJ with Animal Sounds (Explore Animal Sounds) https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/beastbox/
Bird Anatomy (Free Learning Tool)
https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/all-about-bird-anatomy/
Bird Academy (Online Courses)
https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/
Bird Academy (Free Interactives)
https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/articles/
Bird Feathers (Free Learning Tool)
https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/all-about-feathers/
Bird Feathers Infographic (60 tail feathers of North American birds)
https://www.alansfactoryoutlet.com/60-tail-feathers-of-north-american-birds
BirdSleuth (K-12 Resources)
http://www.birdsleuth.org/
Bird Song Hero (Bird Song Game)
https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/bird-song-hero/
Birds of the World (in-depth data about the world’s bird species, Annual Subscription)
https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/home
Celebrate Urban Birds
https://celebrateurbanbirds.org/
Common Feeder Bird Interactive (Types of Bird Feeders and Foods by Species)
https://feederwatch.org/learn/common-feeder-birds/
ebird
http://ebird.org
eBird Essentials (how to use eBird):
https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/product/ebird-essentials/
Educator Free Webinars
https://www.birds.cornell.edu/k12/webinars-2/
House Finch Disease Study
https://feederwatch.org/learn/house-finch-eye-disease/
Merlin Bird ID App (free)
http://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/
NestWatch
https://nestwatch.org/
Project FeederWatch
https://feederwatch.org/
Other Resources
Attracting Hummingbirds
https://porch.com/advice/fun-family-activity-attracting-hummingbirds
Attracting Birds with Plants and Flowers
https://www.avasflowers.net/flowers-and-plants-to-attract-birds-and-other-wildlife
Bald Eagles, All About
https://wizardpins.com/blogs/education/all-about-bald-eagles
Benefits of Bird Watching
https://www.cctvcameraworld.com/benefits-of-bird-watching.html
Build Your Own Birdhouse for Your Backyard Birding Hobby
https://porch.com/advice/build-your-own-birdhouse-for-your-backyard-birding-hobby
Creating a Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard
https://www.angieslist.com/articles/creating-wildlife-habitat-your-backyard.htm
Explorer’s Guidebook (Outdoor Kid Activities)
http://www.birdsleuth.org/guidebook/
Fatbirder (Top 1,000 Birding Websites)
http://www.birdingtop500.com/
Fun Facts About Hummingbirds and How to Attract Them
https://www.austinrealestate.com/fun-facts-about-hummingbirds-in-texas.php
Gear Kit: What to Carry When You Go Out and Bird
https://www.chuq.me/what-to-carry-when-you-go-out-and-bird
A Guide to Attracting Songbirds to Your Backyard
https://www.mjjsales.com/attracting-backyard-songbirds.html
Helpful Birdwatching Tips
http://birdlife.org.au/images/uploads/education_sheets/INFO-birding-tips.pdf
Hobbies at Home: A Guide to Bird-Watching
https://www.rate.com/resources/home-hobbies-bird-watching
How to Get Kids Interested in Bird Watching
https://diygardening.co.uk/bird-watching-for-kids/
How to Get Started with Birding: An Introductory Guide
https://job-prices.co.uk/birding-beginners-guide/
How to Photograph Birds
https://photographylife.com/how-to-photograph-birds
Installing a Nest Box Camera
https://nestwatch.org/learn/all-about-birdhouses/installing-a-nest-box-camera/
A Kid’s Guide to Bird-Watching in the Playground
https://www.aaastateofplay.com/a-kids-guide-to-bird-watching-in-the-playground/
Make Your Own Plastic Bottle Bird Feeder
https://www.bottlestore.com/make-your-own-plastic-bottle-bird-feeder
Mobile Apps for Nature Travel and Birding Trips
https://wildlatitudes.com/mobile-apps-for-nature-travel-and-birding-trips/
Optics, Guide to Using
https://www.heartlandamerica.com/bird-watching-guide-binoculars.html
Optics, How to Adjust for Clear Focus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkPzl-VPmo4
Right Bird, Right House
https://nestwatch.org/learn/all-about-birdhouses/right-bird-right-house/
What you Need to Know about Bird Watching with Kids
https://backroadramblers.com/birding-with-kids/