G3892 Birding in the | Badger State & Beyond

HowDavid Drake to Get Started Scott Craven Jamie Nack

 American goldfinch

 Contents Introduction 1 Birds in Wisconsin 2 Eastern wild turkey Optics 3 3 Spotting scopes 5 Bird identification guides 6 Type of guides 6 Using your field guide 7 Identification by sound 8 Let’s go birding! 9 When? 9 Where? 10 How? 12

Baltimore oriole Related activities 13 Attracting birds to your yard 13 13 Citizen science, bird lists, and birding contests 14 Bird conservation organizations and groups 15 References and resources 16

Prairie warbler

References to products and organizations in this publication are for your conve- nience and are not an endorsement of one product or organization over others that are similar. References are provided solely as examples of birding resources available to the general public. Ruddy turnstone 

irding has become one of people in Wisconsin spent more than Wisconsin’s most popular $744,000,000 on equipment such outdoor recreational as binoculars and spotting scopes, activities. It offers participants birding trip-related expenses, and many benefits, including relaxation, other items such as bird food, nest exercise, and an opportunity to get boxes, and identification books. All outdoors. People of all ages enjoy in all, bird watching can be as cheap Btraveling the world or exploring their or expensive as you choose to make own backyard for the sheer pleasure it, depending on your own personal of catching a glimpse of their favorite goals. bird, spotting a rare bird, or adding a This publication provides informa- new bird to their lifelong list of birds. tion on how to get started birding. Birding can be an inexpensive hobby It includes guidelines for selecting for the beginner or a serious invest- binoculars and spotting scopes, ment for the enthusiast. According to an overview of bird identification the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, guides, and tips on good times and Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated places for birding, as well as informa- Recreation, more than 2 million tion on other related activities.

1  Birds in Wisconsin ore than 400 species of birds have been recorded in Wiscon- Red-headed woodpecker sin. Approximately 15% of these species are year-round residents; the rest are migratory. Most of the migrants come into the state during Mthe spring and summer months to nest and raise young, then depart for warmer climates to the south during the winter. Some migrants spend the winter months in Wisconsin and nest farther north. And others spend less than a week or two in Wisconsin each spring and fall to rest and refuel as they travel between far northern Red-bellied woodpecker nesting grounds and southerly win- tering grounds. Still other bird species found in the state are accidental visitors. “Acciden- tals,” as they are called, are consid- ered vagrants. They visit Wisconsin on only rare occasions (i.e., every 5 years or less), primarily due to being blown off their migration course during stormy weather. Acciden- tals often cause great excitement throughout the birding community, Rose-breasted grosbeak as they provide a wonderful oppor- tunity to see a bird not common to the state. Whether they are year-round residents, migrants, or accidentals, Wisconsin’s birds represent an incredible diversity and can be found in every possible habitat within the Badger State.

2 Sandhill crane Binoculars Optics There are a wide variety of binoculars ird watching does not on the market. Prices range from require much equipment. under $100 to well over $1,000 and You certainly can find vary depending on brand name, lens and see birds with the naked eye, but quality and size, power, and weather- human vision is poor compared to proofing. When selecting binoculars, most animals. When trying to get a keep in mind the amount of money really good look at birds, especially you would like to spend and your Bat great distances, quality optics will level of interest. Ask yourself: Will give you a strong advantage. You’ll birding be my lifelong passion, an be able to scan vast areas and watch occasional outdoor activity, or just birds go about their lives without a passing fad? Then select your scaring them away. Optics can also binoculars accordingly, keeping in help you see birds in low-light condi- mind the old adage “You get what tions, or simply allow you to more you pay for.” vividly see the beautiful and markings used to positively identify birds.

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Considerations OPTIC QUALITY—When comparing Regardless of your level of commit- binoculars, there are a few things ment, here are a few things to keep to consider about the quality of the in mind when selecting binoculars: image provided. Choose a pair that has a bright, clear, and sharp image POWER—Power refers to the level of that is free from distortion. Poor a pair of binoculars optic quality causes your eyes to provides. On the body of all bin- compensate to attain good focus. oculars, you’ll find two numbers This leads to eyestrain, as your eyes separated by an x, such as 7x35. Here, are constantly adjusting to obtain the 7, the number before the x, tells clarity and detail that the lenses fail you that the bird will appear 7 times to provide. closer (or larger) than if using your naked eye. The number following FUNCTION—Select binoculars that the x, in this case 35, tells you the feel good in your hands and allow width of the front lens, in millimeters. you to quickly find and focus on The larger the front lens, the more objects. Binoculars come in all sizes light gathered by the binoculars—a and shapes. The best ones are those benefit for spotting and identifying that work for you—the ones that birds. literally feel right. In general, birders use binoculars OTHER FACTORS—Be aware of size, ranging from 7- to 10-power. At durability, weatherproofing, and higher powers (i.e., 9- or 10-power), a weight while selecting your binocu- bird will appear larger, but the field of lars. Weight is especially important; view (what you actually see through your binoculars will hang from your the binoculars) will be smaller, and neck or shoulders, and you will birds will be more difficult to locate. need to hold them up to your eyes Higher-power lenses also magnify for extended periods of time when any movement or shaking and thus viewing birds. If you use heavier bin- require steadier hands. A pair of oculars, you may want to purchase a 10-power binoculars will allow you to binocular harness to help spread the see greater detail, but 7-power bin- weight of the binoculars across both oculars will offer a wider field of view. shoulders. A single binocular strap Practical binoculars for birding are focuses all of the weight across your 7x35 and 8x40 because they perform neck, which can become painful. well in the forest or the backyard. Although 10-power binoculars offer a smaller field of view and are gener- ally heavier, experienced birders often prefer them for their greater magnification. 4 

Try out several brands and models to Don’t be frustrated if these skills find the pair of binoculars that works develop slowly; keep working at it. best for you. In general, the beginner Because most birds tend not to sit will be well served by a moderately still, being able to find and follow priced pair of 7x35 binoculars of a birds using your binoculars will con- recognized brand name. tribute to your birding success. Using your binoculars Once you have a pair of binoculars, Spotting scopes you will want to practice using them. As your birding skills develop and Finding birds through binoculars you become more serious, you may can be both tricky and frustrating. wish to purchase a spotting scope. Start by locating and focusing your A spotting scope is a compact binoculars on fixed objects. Then, as that is useful in areas you gain experience, locate a bird such as wetlands, lakes, and large with your eyes (without the binocu- open spaces that require greater lars) and stare straight at it. Without magnification than binoculars can taking your eyes off the bird, raise offer. Because spotting scopes are the binoculars to your eyes and relatively heavy and require steadi- focus. Repeat the exercise until you ness for viewing, they are com- are comfortable spotting birds and monly used with either a or a bringing them into focus in your window-mounting device for use in a binoculars’ field of view. vehicle. Spotting scopes can range in magnification from 10x to 250x, but 30x to 40x magnification is usually more than sufficient for birding. When selecting a spotting scope, follow the same guidelines used for selecting binoculars, but expect to pay from $300 to several thousand dollars depending on your needs.

5  Bird identification guides ext you’ll need a field guide to use in your Types of guides quest for birds; it will help There are two main types of guides: you identify and learn more about those with illustrations and those the birds you see. Field guides are with . Because an artist’s available on the internet or at your rendering provides a general repre- local library, birding store, or book- sentation from several points of view Nstore, and they are full of useful infor- and highlights the main features mation to help you properly identify used to identify a bird, most birders birds. At a minimum, a decent field prefer illustrated guides. Commonly guide will include several pieces of used illustrated guides include the information for each species listed: National Geographic Field Guide to a description of physical features; the Birds of North America, The Sibley an explanation of how to distin- Guide to Birds, and the Peterson Field guish male from female (and adult Guide to Eastern Birds. If you prefer from juvenile), accompanied by an photographs to illustrations, some illustration or ; range excellent guides include the National maps indicating distribution; habitat Audubon Society Field Guide to North requirements; and information on American Birds: Eastern Region, the vocalizations. Additional information Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Eastern may include narratives on species Region, and the Smithsonian Field behavior, information on population Guide to the Birds of North America. status, and interesting facts unique A good photographic field guide for to each species. The introduction birds found in Wisconsin is Birds of will provide helpful information on Wisconsin, by Stan Tekiela. how to use the guide in addition to methods for correctly identifying birds.

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Two other useful resources that are specific to Wisconsin are Wisconsin Using your field guide Birds: A Seasonal and Geographical Regardless of which guide you Guide, by Stan Temple, John Cary, and choose, there will be many pages of Robert Rolley, and the Atlas of the birds to navigate. When faced with a Breeding Birds of Wisconsin, edited by book full of birds, it can be over- Noel Cutright, Bettie Harriman, and whelming to find the one bird you’re Robert Howe. Both books provide trying to identify, so it helps to know Wisconsin-specific information in that most guides group related birds terms of when and where birds can together. be found in the state, and both are available at the Wisconsin Society Eastern bluebird for Ornithology’s bookstore (www.wsobirds.org). If you need information beyond what your field guide contains, you may want to consider more detailed birding publications such as The Birders Handbook; Wisconsin Birdlife: Population & Distribution, Past & Present; and the above-mentioned Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Wiscon- sin. These books are relatively large and bulky to carry into the field but Whether viewing a bird with the prove to be excellent references to naked eye or through optics, there have on your bookshelf at home. You are specific field marks you should can find more information about look for. First, look at the general size these and other books in the Refer- and shape of the bird. Size and shape ences and Resources section at the can be relative, especially when you end of this publication. don’t have a second bird nearby for comparison. Nonetheless, use a known size and shape in your mind’s eye for comparison. For example, is the bird smaller or larger than an American robin? Is the bird tall and elongated or stocky and round?

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Next, pay attention to the colors and distinct markings on the bird. Does the bird have a white wing bar? Is the Identification head a different than the body? Also look for other identifying char- by sound acteristics such as the size and shape s your bird identification of the beak, length and color of the skills increase, you may legs, or any other field mark that may also want to become help to identify the bird. adept at identifying birds by sound. Once you have a picture of the bird Because birds are oftentimes easier in your mind, quickly flip through to hear than see, becoming familiar your field guide until you come to with their songs and calls can be the section of birds that are similar extremelyA helpful. Typically, birds are in size, shape, or color to the bird you most vocal and recognizable during saw. Now, instead of having to search the spring mating season when the through 350 pages of birds, you can males sing to attract females and use the process of elimination to defend territories. In addition to your advantage and may only need songs, which are typically melodic to look through a few pages. and can be lengthy, birds commu- nicate using calls. Calls are used to alert other birds of danger or to stay in touch during feeding or travel. Because calls are shorter in dura- tion and can be quieter compared to songs, they are more difficult to recognize and use for positive identification. An easy and effective way to become familiar with birds’ vocalizations is by using song identification CDs to confirm the sounds made by indi- vidual birds that you have tentatively identified in the field. Two common birdsong identification CDs are the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs: Eastern Region and Birding by Ear: Eastern/Central (part of the Peterson Field Guide series). Both CD sets are available at your local bookstore or

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birding store. Additionally, internet sites like the United States Geo- logical Survey’s Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (www.mbr-pwrc .usgs.gov/id/framlst/infocenter.html) and Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology (macaulaylibrary.org/ Bufflehead index.do) offer audio files of the calls and songs of many avian species. In addition to good opportunities to see birds during certain times of the day and night, there are also good Let’s go birding! seasonal opportunities. During the ow that you have pur- spring and fall periods of migration, chased and practiced birds move into the state in masses. using binoculars and a Migration brings with it the oppor- field identification guide, it’s time to tunity to see colorful warblers and go birding! other Neotropical migrants such as indigo buntings, scarlet tanagers, and When? Anytime, but the best orioles, as well as waterfowl, wading timesN are dawn and dusk, and spring birds, and an assortment of other and fall migration periods. bird species. Birds are either diurnal (active during Spring birding, in particular, offers the day) or nocturnal (active at unique advantages over other times night). Diurnal birds are most active of the year: Male birds are in their at dawn and dusk, and therefore you breeding plumage and offer colorful have the greatest chance of seeing viewing, relatively few insects are them at those times. Dawn and out, the trees have less foliage to dusk are also transition periods for obscure sightings, and time outdoors nocturnal birds. They settle down to can be refreshing after a long winter sleep at dawn and wake for a night of viewing birds primarily through of hunting at dusk, so you have a the window. Peak spring migration good opportunity to observe birds occurs from mid-April to early June such as owls, common nighthawks, most years, and peak fall migration and whip-poor-wills at those times. typically lasts from mid-August to Taking a night walk and listening mid-October. for the distinct calls of the many denizens of the night can also be a lot of fun.

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One of the best places to find birds Where?Anywhere, but explore a is in your own backyard or neighbor- variety of habitats to find the most hood, simply because that is where birds. you are likely to spend the most All birds need food, water, and time. Whether you are in an urban or shelter, but their requirements differ rural area, there is sure to be a park, based on bird species and preferred woods, grassland, wetland, or water habitat. You are likely to find a variety nearby, each habitat with its own set of birds near a food source (such as of species. a bird feeder, bush full of berries, or To find the largest variety of birds, natural seed source), a water source however, try some of these more (such as a birdbath, pond, or stream), specific places: or cover (such as a birdhouse, brush n State wildlife areas, refuges, pile, or tree cavity). Be aware that parks, or nature preserves are some birds are habitat generalists great places to go birding and and can use a diversity of habitats, offer good opportunities to see such as urban areas, grasslands, and a variety of birds. To find wildlife forests. Other species are habitat viewing opportunities as you drive specialists and are primarily found in around Wisconsin, look for Wildlife only grasslands, wetlands, or interior Viewing Area signs (brown signs portions of forested areas. with a pair of white binoculars in silhouette). The Wisconsin Wildlife Viewing Guide, published by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, describes 76 wildlife viewing spots through- out Wisconsin and pro- vides directions. One such location is Crex Meadows Wildlife Area in Burnett County. Crex Meadows features wet- lands, flowages, brush prairies, and forests. A dizzying array of birds can be found there, but some of the highlights include ruffed and

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sharp-tailed grouse, Le Conte’s and swamp sparrows, trumpeter swans, and bald eagles. n You may also enjoy the Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail (www.wisconsinbirds.org/ trail), a mapped auto trail to 368 of n Wisconsin also has many desig- the best spots for seeing birds and nated Important Bird Areas other natural resources in Wiscon- (www.wisconsinbirds.org/IBA) sin. One recommendation from the that always offer the opportunity series of five guides is the Necedah to see a variety of birds. The book National Wildlife Refuge in Juneau Important Bird Areas of Wisconsin County. The refuge contains a includes detailed descriptions of diversity of landscapes and is the these sites (www.wisconsinbirds largest wetland bog in Wisconsin. .org/IBA/IBA-book.htm). One such Common inhabitants include site, Horicon Marsh, is the largest whooping and sandhill cranes, freshwater cattail marsh in the herons and other water birds, and United States and is both an many species of warblers. Important Bird Area and a Wetland of International Importance. Located mostly in Dodge County, Horicon Marsh is home to hun- dreds of thousands of waterfowl during fall and spring migration. It also offers great opportunities for viewing terns, bitterns, grebes, moorhens, rails, and wading birds.

Bald eagle

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How?Stay in one place, walk, or do both—whatever works best for you. Once out birding, there are two general methods of finding birds. The first is to stay in one place for an extended period of time and watch and listen for birds. Sitting in a blind to conceal your presence may be beneficial. If you don’t see or hear birds, then move to another place and sit and wait. The other method is to walk at a slow, continuous pace until you see or hear a bird, then stop Great horned owl and locate it. After you’ve found and identified the bird, resume walking until you come upon another. You may find success by combining the A number of other resources provide two methods. Whichever method information about places to bird. you choose, base your decision on In 2009, the Wisconsin Society for your personal preference, your desire Ornithology published a new edition for exercise, and the effectiveness of of Wisconsin’s Favorite Bird Haunts, a the method in locating birds. detailed guide to nearly 900 birding locations throughout Wisconsin’s 72 Organized birding trips are an counties (wsobirds.org/wso_book excellent way to learn about birding, store.html). Additionally, stores that especially if you’re just getting sell birdseed and optics are great started. Experienced tour leaders resources for information on good and field trip participants can help birding spots. And finally, don’t over- beginning birders learn to spot and look areas that appear to provide identify birds and will share their suitable avian habitat, whether in birding techniques and knowledge. urban or rural locations—you may Many Audubon Society chapters, the be surprised where you see birds and Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, what types of birds you see. the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, nature centers, and local bird clubs routinely lead field trips throughout the year to some of the best birding spots in the state.

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suitable habitat for hours of bird watching. The UW-Extension publica- Related activities tion titled Landscape Plants that f you enjoy bird watching, Attract Birds (G1609) is one of many you might find some of these similar publications that provide related activities interesting helpful tips for creating a landscaped and enjoyable. habitat for birds and wildlife. Attracting birds Photography Ito your yard Another popular activity involving birds is photography. Bird photog- One of the joys of birding is being raphy is like hunting with a ; outside and never knowing what you it requires all of the same skills might see. However, you may not be and finds its reward in capturing able to get outside, or you may prefer a great picture of a beautiful bird to see birds regularly and from the in the wild. Bird photographers, as comfort of your own home. In these well as bird-watchers, should heed situations, you may want to consider codes of ethics adopted by many attracting birds around your home birding and conservation groups. for easy viewing. One of the ethics recommenda- Bird feeders are a great way to attract tions is to observe and photograph large numbers of birds to an area, and birds without disturbing them in birdhouses encourage some birds significant ways. Digiscoping (using to nest on your property. There are a to take pictures a wide variety of bird feeders and through a spotting scope) provides houses that can be hung from trees, you with the ability to take clear, placed on poles, or suction-cupped to crisp photographs of avian subjects windows. For more detailed infor- at a distance that won’t disturb the mation, please see the University of birds. You can simply look through Wisconsin-Extension publications the camera viewfinder or at the Bird Feeding: Tips for Beginners and digital screen as you hold the camera Veterans (G3176) and Shelves, Houses, lens to the of the spotting and Feeders for Birds and Mammals scope and snap a picture, or you (NCR338). can get a camera adapter or bracket Landscaping with native plants also that firmly joins the camera to the attracts birds (and other wildlife) spotting scope. Digiscoping can also and can be a fun and creative way to be done through binoculars, but not improve the aesthetic appeal of your as easily. yard. It is also essential to providing

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databases to monitor both bird Citizen science, bird lists, populations and unique and rare individuals. and birding contests There are also several annual citizen- You can contribute to ornithologists’ based bird surveys that could not be knowledge about birds and their completed without citizen involve- behavior, habitat selection, and distri- ment, including the Christmas Bird bution by reporting your sightings to Count, the Great Backyard Bird a web-based data collection center. Count, and the Breeding Bird Count. One of the first citizen science sites Citizen science is a great way to get was started by Cornell University’s educated and involved in wildlife. Lab of Ornithology (www.birds .cornell.edu). There is also a Wis- Many people keep a variety of lists of consin-specific, web-based citizen the birds they have seen, including science program called Wisconsin backyard lists, vacation lists, annual Nature Mapping (www.wisnatmap lists, and life lists. To keep a list of .org), and a real-time, online bird your own, simply write down the checklist program known as Wiscon- birds you see or hear on a piece of sin eBird (ebird.org/content/wi). All of paper or on the inside cover of your these websites allow amateur bird- favorite bird book. As an alternative, watchers to enter records of wildlife you can get a list of birds in your area sightings. Scientists, wildlife manag- from your local birding store and ers, and people like you use such check off the birds you see. Some bird identification books contain checklists on the inside of the front or back cover. Keeping a life list can be a fun and addictive exercise that you can do alone or with your family or a group of friends. Life lists and daily bird lists can also introduce a bit of fun competition between birders when comparing the “best” bird on a list or the most bird species located. If you are interested in competitive birding—yes, competitive birding— there are plenty of opportunities. One such competition is the World Bobolink Series of Birding (www.birdcapemay .org/wsob.shtml), overseen by the New Jersey Audubon Society. The 14 

World Series of Birding is an event in which teams have 24 hours to find as many birds as possible by sight or sound, either in one county of New Jersey or throughout the entire state. Similar events held in Wisconsin include the Avian Odyssey and Wis- consin Society of Ornithology’s Big Day. Another event longer in dura- tion and larger in geographical scope is the Big Year, whereby individuals attempt to find, either by sight or sound, the most avian species in North America in a single year. Bird conservation Eastern meadowlark bird conservation and education. The organizations and groups Wisconsin Society for Ornithology There are a number of local, regional, (www.wsobirds.org) is an organiza- and national organizations dedi- tion of bird enthusiasts that dates cated to bird conservation through back to 1939. The group’s goal is to education and habitat manage- promote all of the benefits of birding ment. Perhaps the best known is the while also supporting avian research National Audubon Society (www and habitat protection. You may also .audubon.org). The National want to check with your local birding Audubon Society is a national store or nature center for information conservation organization with state about local birding groups. and local chapters dedicated to bird, Whether from the backyard, while wildlife, and habitat conservation. hiking locally, or while traveling The Wisconsin Bird Conservation Ini- halfway around the world, bird tiative (WBCI) (www.wisconsinbirds watching can be a fun, relaxing, and .org) is a statewide cooperative part- lifelong hobby. With the aid of bin- nership of over 170 organizations oculars, spotting scopes, and iden- working to deliver the full spectrum tification guides, anyone can enjoy of bird conservation by emphasizing getting to know the diverse species voluntary stewardship. Additionally, of birds in Wisconsin and beyond. the WBCI maintains an electronic list- serv so members can share fun and exciting information about birding events and other topics related to

15  References and resources Birding.com. 2002. Choosing a spot- Robbins, C.S., B. Bruun, and H.S. Zim. ting scope. www.birding.com. 1966. Birds of North America: A Bull, J.L., J. Farrand, Jr., and L. Hogan. guide to field identification. New 1994. National Audubon Society York: Golden Press. field guide to North American birds: Robbins Jr., S.D. 1991. Wisconsin Eastern region. New York: Knopf. birdlife: Population & distribution, Cutright, N.J., B.R. Harriman, and R.W. past & present. Madison: Univ. of Howe, eds. 2006. Atlas of the breed- Wisconsin Press. ing birds of Wisconsin. Waukesha, WI: Sibley, D.A. 2000. The Sibley guide to Wisconsin Society for Ornithology. birds. New York: Knopf. Dunn, J.L., M.B. Dickinson, and E. Steele, Y., ed. 2007. Important bird Bloom. 1999. National Geographic areas of Wisconsin: Critical sites field guide to the birds of North for the conservation and manage- America. Washington, D.C.: ment of Wisconsin’s birds. Madison: National Geographic Society. Wisconsin Department of Natural Ehrlich, P.R., D.S. Dobkin, and D. Wh- Resources. eye. 1988. The birder’s handbook: Stokes, D.W. and L.Q. Stokes. 1995. A field guide to the natural history Stokes field guide to birds: Eastern of North American birds. New York: region. New York: Little, Brown. Simon & Schuster. Tekiela, S. 2004. Birds of Wisconsin Floyd, T. 2008. Smithsonian field guide field guide. 2nd ed. Cambridge, MN: to the birds of North America. New Adventure Publications. York: HarperCollins. Temple, S.A., J.R. Cary, and R. Rolley. Judd, M.K. 1995. Wisconsin wildlife 1997. Wisconsin birds: A seasonal viewing guide. Helena, MT: Falcon and geographical guide. 2nd ed. Press. Madison: Univ. of Wisconsin Press. National Audubon Society. 2009. Tessen, D.D. 2009. Wisconsin’s favorite Buying binoculars. www.audubon bird haunts. Waukesha, WI: Wiscon- .org/bird/at_home/bird_watching/ sin Society for Ornithology. binoculars.shtml (accessed U.S. Department of the Interior, March 31, 2010). Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Peterson, R.T. 1998. Peterson field Department of Commerce, U.S. guide to eastern birds. New York: Census Bureau. 2006. National Houghton Mifflin. survey of fishing, hunting, and Post, K. 1997. Birding for beginners. wildlife-associated recreation: Pleasantville, NJ: South Jersey Wisconsin. Publishing.

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© 2010 University of Wisconsin System Reviewers: Noel Cutright, We Energies; Board of Regents and University of Karen Etter Hale, Madison Audubon Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Society; and Bill Volkert, Wisconsin Extension. All rights reserved. Department of Natural Resources. Authors: David Drake is associate University of Wisconsin-Extension, professor, Scott Craven is professor, and Cooperative Extension, in cooperation Jamie Nack is outreach specialist, all in with the U.S. Department of Agriculture the Department of Forest and Wildlife and Wisconsin counties, publishes this Ecology. All are with the College of information to further the purpose of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University the May 8 and June 30, 1914, Acts of of Wisconsin-Madison and University Congress. An EEO/AA employer, the of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative University of Wisconsin-Extension, Extension. Produced by Cooperative Cooperative Extension provides equal Extension Publishing: Abby Thunker, opportunities in employment and editor; Susan Anderson, designer. programming, including Title IX and ADA Cooperative Extension publications are requirements. If you need this information subject to peer review. in an alternative format, contact Equal Photo credits: Tom Prestby—all bird Opportunity and Diversity Programs, photos except those noted below. University of Wisconsin-Extension, 432 iStockphoto.com—Eastern wild N. Lake St., Rm. 501, Madison, WI 53706, turkey (inside front cover), red-bellied [email protected], phone: woodpecker (p. 2), Eastern bluebird (p. 7), (608) 262-0277, fax: (608) 262-8404, Eastern meadlowlark (p. 15), front and TTY: 711 Wisconsin Relay. back covers, and photos on pages 1, 3, 5, This publication is available from your 6, & 10. county UW-Extension office (www .uwex.edu/ces/cty) or from Cooperative Extension Publishing. To order, call toll- free: 1-877-947-7827 (WIS-PUBS) or visit our website: learningstore.uwex.edu.

Cooperative Extension Birding in the Badger State and Beyond: How to Get Started (G3892) I-04-2010