This lecture is part of a course from The Great Courses called The National Geographic Guide to Birding in North America taught by Professor James Currie. This course and over 300 other courses can be accessed with a subscription to Wondrium.
With over 700 avian species in North America alone, identifying specific birds can be quite daunting for the beginner! In this Great Courses lecture provided in partnership with National Geographic, birding enthusiast James Currie explains how you can get better at quickly identifying the different birds you see in the wild. Currie says that seasoned birdwatchers break the basic cues down based on behavior, outlining 6 categories that include typical features, feeding traits, flight configuration, flocking patterns, mating habits, and nesting complexity. As he breaks these categories down with video references, the viewer is given excellent tips they can go out and watch for right away, wherever they are and whatever level of birdwatching experience they have.