Bird Watching

Eggs can be laid as early as late March or as late as early July, depending upon the weather and latitude. Females may begin to lay eggs one or two days after the nest is completed, but some females wait a week or more. One egg is laid each day, in the morning. The average clutch has three to five eggs but as many as seven have been reported.

Females generally begin to incubate the day the last egg is laid. The incubation period is 12 to 14 days but can be longer in the case of extreme or prolonged cold weather.

The young leave the nest after 16 to 22 days, but they remain dependent upon their parents for food and protection for three to four weeks.

Birding is something you can do in your own back yard (it’s a natural habitat too). Your local park. Anywhere you travel. Or on trips you take specifically to see birds that live in a certain environment.

Birdwatchers observe wild birds in their natural habitat. Bird watching means learning to identify the birds and understand what they are doing. In North America, there are over 800 species of birds. Wherever you live, you’ll probably find at least 100 species that are easy to find in your area.

Life suddenly gets more interesting when you become aware of the varied bird life all around you.

Birding and bird watching mean the same thing. The activity of observing wild birds. (Birds in cages or any form of captivity don’t count.)