by Linda Colucci

This Northern Virginia Bird Guide and Checklist was created to provide a meaningful activity for kids and adults of all ages to do right in their yard or while out on a walk in nature (ex: wooded trail, park). Use your observation skills to look and listen for birds, refer to this Bird Guide to identify them, and record your findings on the Bird Checklist. Think of it as a living matching game.

Detailed instructions are given in the Guide. But first, here are some tips that will enhance your enjoyment of this activity. You can attract birds to your yard by providing food that they like. A bird feeder filled with high quality food is a great way to bring the birds close enough for you to see them from a window, deck or porch. If you don’t have a bird feeder and want to make one, instructions on how to make one are available online. Another tool that would be helpful to have available are binoculars. Binoculars are especially useful when trying to identify birds that are high in the trees, but they’re also helpful for seeing details of birds that are close.

I hope you enjoy connecting with nature through this activity. May it bring you a sense of adventure or perhaps a sense of peace. Either way, may it bring you joy!

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