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There is no alternative to first hand observation in the field.
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Imagine the scene. "It is, I'm sure it is. I remember that gait and I'd recognise thatlong neck and silhouette anywhere - Joe Bloggs. Long time no see!" Amazing isn't it? Every single one of us is possessed with eyes, ears and a brain that can memorise, store and process so much information that we can recognise just one individual out of, quite literally, millions.
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The identification of Joe Bloggs was based on memory (born out of in-depth familiarity not just of facial appearance, but also subtle shapes and mannerisms), sight (observation of details) and mental argument: rationalising that a combination of features amounted to 'trade marks' so well known to his finder that they become diagnostic.
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Let's construct a premise for bird identification based on the above incident. The argument runs like this: if you can recognise just one person out of so many, then surely you can learn to identify each of the 'mere' 550 bird species on the British List? The answer is, of course you can - if you try.
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Identification is fun. It is also absorbing and a skill which can be honed to such fine standards that there are identification experts in all walks of life, not just birds. The basic principle of noticing the unfamiliar based on a prior knowledge of the familiar holds true in most cases but, when applied to birding, a wonderful range of opportunities opens up.
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Visual and hearing skills form just the starting point of a process, which draws upon place, season, knowledge of habitat, and - nowadays - access to a wealth of reference material. Like all the best challenges, the learning curve climbs higher the harder you try but never, absolutely never, reaches an end-point. No one will ever be a complete master.
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Why is it so enjoyable? The aesthetics of the subjects themselves have a lot to do with it, but the thrill of developing skills through looking, learning and adding to a store of personal experience and knowledge are powerful motivators in their own right. There will always be a simple satisfaction in correctly identifying the birds you see.
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So if there is a golden rule in bird identification, what should it be? 'See for yourself.' It sounds simple but it is so vitally important. Study of written articles, field guide illustrations and even photographs is no substitute for first-hand observation in the field. Indeed, it is often not until you have studied something in life that the full and proper benefit of other reference sources can be appreciated. The legion of advances in identification that are with us today have not arisen out of blasé 'I'll name that bird in one look' techniques. They are the product of minds that were self questioning, prepared to take time and absorb impressions of the bird in the field (by noting, sketching and researching) and - at times just as important - prepared to be sceptical. So-called experts and the popular literature may be wrong - and about common birds too!
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Most species have 'absolute' characters which will always identify them. For example, a robin's red breast, the stumpy tail of a wren or the hovering habit ofa kestrel. However, there are many supporting characters which can also be learnt or discovered for yourself. These come into play when views are brief or distant, or when you get a hunch that something looks odd. Let's pretend you see a brown bird with a spotted chest. It is marked like a thrush but it is too small and, unlike true thrushes, it is streaked above. Actually,it is a pipit.
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Size and plumage details will readily identify it but, compared to a thrush, it has lots of character differences too. For example, it walks with a hesitant gait (thrushes hop) and habitually bobs its tail (thrushes seldom do). It is looking for insects on the ground and darts about a lot. In flight it calls a squeaky 'sit, sit' and its action on the wing is jerky and erratic. Armed with this experience, the next time you find a pipit the thought of confusing one with a thrush will never enter your head.
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But not every pipit-like bird is a pipit. In fields and open country the main confusion species is likely to be a skylark. They too feed on the ground, share a basic plumage pattern and are only slightly larger. This is when familiarity with supporting characters proves invaluable. Unlike pipits, skylarks like to crouch or run low close to the ground. Their flight is strong and direct and their rippling 'chirrup' calls are diagnostic. While there are a range of plumage differences separating skylarks from pipits (for example skylarks have a short crest), these can be subtle and your view may not be good enough to check them. Yet, even on a mediocre flight view of a calling silhouette, it should be easy, with practice, to recognise either bird.
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So identification features (often referred to as field marks) include behaviour, mannerisms, silhouette and sound. Check as many as you can. Just because most birds can be recognised by referring to one or two salient points, the identification process shouldn't stop there.
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Acquiring a knowledge of plumage terminology and learning the different parts of a bird is the next step to improving your identification skills. This may sound daunting, but it isn't. Believe it or not, bird topography is very similar to that of people. Hence, terms such as forehead, throat, nape and back are common to both. Furthermore, those 550 species recorded in the British Isles may come in all shapes and sizes and display a bewildering array of plumage but one thing they share is structure. From an albatross to an avocet you will always find the same configuration of head, body, wings and tail. And, because the layout is similar, you can practise naming the various parts on common species any time. Not only will this improve your knowledge of them (important in itself) but it will also give you a demystifying insight into general bird structure.
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Here is a short list of points to concentrate on and use as an aide-memoir.
- Overall size especially compared to other birds present.
- Note the bird's shape and silhouette.
- Break down plumage patterns by area, eg black head, brown back, white belly, red bill.
- Behaviour and actions at rest and manner of flight.
- Calls. Most birds tell us what they are simply by the sound they make!
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