There are 303 birds you can find in the region! Now You Can Download The Land Between Birding Checklist for the region, or purchase one from our online store...
Birding Community Resources
There are many online resources for aspiring birders. We have put together some of the more useful ones for you to check out on your own time. We also want to introduce you to organizations who dedicate themselves full-time to bird education and conservation work (see below).
Videos and Online Tools
- The Inside Birding Series by the Cornell Lab or Ornithology is an excellent playlist that takes you out into the field with some expert birders.
- Cornell also produced this informative short video, “What we can learn about stress from birds”.
- The Urban Birder. A Conversation with Chris Wood (YouTube link). The Urban Birder David Lindo and Director of eBird Chris Wood discuss the history, growth, and future of eBird.
- Useful guide for creating bird habitat in your yard, from the Credit Valley Conservation Authority.
- Couchiching Conservancy, Barred Owl clip.
- Birds Canada’s YouTube channel has lots of great content.
- They have a full playlist called Birding by Ear that was created in spring 2020.
Birding Apps
- Merlin
- eBird (from the Cornell Lab)
- iNaturalist
Courses & Learning Platforms
- Birds Canada Learn is a new platform for online courses launched by Birds Canada
- Includes video on Birding by Ear (link).
- The Bird Academy, from the Cornell Lab has several online bird-related courses including a free “eBird essentials” course. They also have many recorded lectures and videos from top researchers available to watch for free.
- Nature Instruct - Dendroica is designed to help you learn bird calls. You can even create customized lists and quiz yourself.
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- Register (or sign in). Then select Canada.
- On the main page click the Preferences button, select Dendroica Quiz tab, then check only Full-grown and Primary sounds.
- Select Manage Lists. To create a new list or modify an existing list, select the Modify/Create Custom Lists tab. To select an existing list, on the List Filters tab choose a list from Load Custom List.
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To study species, on the main page select species from your list on the right. (Note: at the bottom there are hints for remembering vocalizations, and you can select different photos, sounds, and range maps). Or select Quiz. (Note: you can change quiz options at bottom right).
Several local organizations within the Land Between organize bird-related events and other nature outings. They are listed by county below:
- MUSKOKA: The Muskoka Field Naturalists.
- SIMCOE: Brereton Field Naturalists.
- Midland-Penetanguishene/ Wye Marsh Field Naturalists.
- Carden Field Naturalists.
- The Couchiching Conservancy.
- PARRY SOUND: Parry Sound Nature Club
- HALIBURTON: Haliburton Highlands Field Naturalists
- KAWARTHA LAKES: Carden Field Naturalists
- HASTINGS: Bancroft Field Naturalists
- PETERBOROUGH: Peterborough Field Naturalists.
- NORTHUMBERLAND: Birds of Northumberland County
- LANARK: Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists.
- LENNOX & ADDINGTON: Friends of Bon Echo.
- FRONTENAC: Kingston Field Naturalists.
Bird Organizations
- The Ontario Field Ornithologists (website). The OFO promotes the appreciation of birds and organizes field trips throughout the province.
- Birds Canada (formerly Bird Studies Canada, link) is Canada’s national bird conservation organization. It began at the Long Point Bird Observatory in 1960, but has since expanded with programs in all regions across the country. A team of professional scientists guides groups of volunteers to collect valuable research data on bird populations. Their long-running programs include Project FeederWatch and the Great Canadian Birdathon.
- The Cornell Lab of Ornithology (website) is a trusted and leading expert on birds. For more than 100 years they have been leading the way for scientific discovery, innovation, teaching, inspiration, and conservation action around birds. The Cornell Lab website is a hub for everything bird related. It is full of all kinds of resources for learning about birds and ways to get involved in the birding world. You can check out a series of free lectures, listen to bird calls, try learning games, or even take courses if you are extra keen.
- The National Audobon Society (website) is one of the oldest environmental non-profits, with 500 chapters throughout the United States.
Our Bird-related Blog Posts:
- (Winter 2020) Apocolypse Meow: Keep Your Fur Child and Wildlife Safe.
- (Spring 2020) The Birds are Back! A closer look at the Red-winged Blackbird.
- (Spring 2020) The American Woodcock: The Coolest Sign of Spring there is.
- (Summer 2020) Nightjars while nest-watching, a personal account.
- (Summer 2020) The Two Towers: Tracking Bird Migration in TLB.
- (Spring 2018) Eastern Whip-poor-wills in The Land Between.