It’s a Great Time for Birding!

Birding can be a great activity to enjoy from your backyard or while out for a walk. It is a fun activity that lets you enjoy nature, while still following social distancing guidelines. With spring migration well underway, and so many birds returning to our area, there has never been a better time to take a closer look at the birds around you. We have put together a list of books the library has available to help you get started in birding. Clicking on the links bellow will take you to the entry for the title in our catalogue. If you are interested in any of these titles, contact your local branch and inquire about delivery or pick up service depending on availability. 

Identification Guides

Having a good field guide is key to figuring out that mystery bird you have just seen. When it comes to identification guides there are a lot of options and many differing opinions on the best to use. The library has a great range of identification guides, the Peterson, Sibley, and National Geographic guides are all great options for in-depth  guides. It can also be easier to use a guide that only lists the birds in your region, like a guide that only details Eastern birds, or one that only details those found in Manitoba. We also have a range of identification guides for specific types of birds. Warblers are beautiful, brightly coloured birds that people love to see. Hawks can be easy to spot, but present some of the most difficult identification challenges. Hummingbirds are frequent backyard visitors and can easily be brought in with a feeder.

Finding Birds

Looking for birds can offer a fun day trip to look for a certain species, or to an interesting location. The library collection offers a few great books that detail great local birding locations. Birder’s Guide to Southwestern Manitoba is an essential guide to birding in this corner of the province. It provides detailed instructions on where to find specific species, when to look for them, and interesting routes to bird.  Finding Birds in Southern Manitoba, and Best Places to Bird in the Prairies provide more local sites and expand on possibilities across the province.

Attracting and Feeding Birds

Part of the joy of birding is that it can be done from your backyard, and travel is certainly not required to see really intersting birds. Even spending a few minutes in your backyard with a pair of binoculars can turn up a variety of different species. Attracting birds to your yard is a popular hobby as well, and we have some great books detailing that process. Identifying and Feeding Birds is a useful guide on how to feed birds in your backyard, what to feed to attract certain species, and also provides a section on bird identification. Gardening is also a popular way to attract birds to your backyard, and we have a variety of books detailing how to provide garden plants birds love. Stokes Bird Gardening Book, and Gardening for Birds, Butterflies, and Bees will help you transform your backyard into a wildlife oasis.

Books for Kids

Kids always have a wider appreciation and fascination for nature, and getting them involved with birding is a great way to foster that connection. Stokes Beginner’s Guide to Birds is a great identification kid for youth that provides the introductory principles of birding, as well as a simple bird identification guide. For younger kids, simply reading stories about birds can spark their interest. Picture books like A Nest is Noisy and Birdsongs are great for introducing the joy of birds to children.