Correctly identifying the birds at your feeder is critical to the quality of the data you submit and to the success of Project FeederWatch. Since relatively few species of birds visit most feeders, these species can become very familiar to you with a little practice and careful observation. We encourage you to acquaint yourself with the birds in your area by studying the Common Feeder Birds Poster included in your first research kit. You can download a mini version of the poster for free.

We also recommend that you consult a current field guide to learn more about the species at your feeder and their winter ranges. For more information about identifying birds, visit Bird Identification in the About Birds and Bird Feeding section of this web site. For help with similar looking birds, such as finches, woodpeckers, or accipiters, visit the Tricky Bird ID page. A bird guide for most North American birds can be found on the Lab's All About Birds web site.

Learn more about rare, unusual-looking, or sick birds and how to report them to Project FeederWatch.