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Whether you know it casually as a red bird or more formally as a northern cardinal, you’re welcome at nature’s observation deck known as bird watching. As with most hobbies, bird watching interests and skill levels can vary, as can investments in time and resources. And each birder can chart their own course; building, maintaining, or leveling up their skills as life allows. The one constant? There’s almost always a bird to watch. |
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📷 Eastern screech-owl by Duncan Brittain
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Take our bird watching quiz to find your birding style, then get tips for building skills and leveling up your birding experience. |
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📷 Painted bunting by Joe Stewart
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No matter your birding level, bird identification hinges on four basic clues: size and shape, coloration, behavior, and habitat. |
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🦆 BONUS: Hybridization can make bird identification a challenge. We dive into the science to get a “behind-the-genes” look at a special duck hunt. |
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📷 Eastern meadowlark by Susan Logan Ward/USFWS
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Identifying the songs and calls made by individual bird species, or birding by ear, can unlock a hidden level to your nature experience and lets you appreciate birds in a new way. |
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🐦 BONUS: Eleven-year-old Samuel sounds like a bird. Actually, he is able to sound like about 60 different types of birds. Outdoor Oklahoma brings you this bird enthusiast’s fun journey from school talent show star to Good Morning America celebrity guest! |
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🪺 BONUS: Habitat work on the Ouachita National Forest has encouraged a pair of federally threatened red-cockaded woodpeckers to expand further into Oklahoma from an established population in Arkansas. Read more about the discovery and the biologist who kept her ear tuned to the bird's distinctive squeak!
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Oklahoma has a great mix of birds and bird habitats, making the state an epic place to begin or level up your bird watching journey. We share recs for where to go birding, regardless of your birding style. |
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📷 Scissor-tailed flycatcher by Joe Stewart
Sharing the details of your sightings can lock in your status as an infinite birder. Logging the what, when, and where specifics in free nature apps like eBird can help you remember your wild encounters, help fellow naturalists plan their next adventure, and help biologists design their next survey or study.
Log in or create a free Cornell Lab of Ornithology account to start sharing your sightings with eBird.
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Stay connected to the Wildlife Diversity Program throughout the year with our free e-newsletter, the Wild Side. Each month, we deliver updates on the Wildlife Department's conservation projects, offer tips for identifying Oklahoma's fish and wildlife, and share ways to get involved!
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