skip to main content
The Royal Parks web site uses cookies. By browsing you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Read our cookie policy
  • Home
  • Media Centre
  • Careers
  • Shop
  • Contact us
  • searchsearch
The Royal Parks menu
  • Help Nature Thrive
    • Nature and Wildlife
    • Climate and Conservation
    • How to get involved
    • Sign up to The Royal Parks’ Nature News
  • Parks
    • Hyde Park
    • Kensington Gardens
    • Richmond Park
    • Bushy Park
    • St James's Park
    • The Green Park
    • The Regent's Park and Primrose Hill
    • Greenwich Park
    • Brompton Cemetery
    • Victoria Tower Gardens
  • What's on
    • Upcoming events
    • Latest news
    • Blog
    • The Royal Parks Podcast
    • Self guided walks
    • Learn Online
    • The Great Exhibition Virtual Tour
    • Sign up to our Newsletter
    • Event Feedback
  • Managing the parks
    • Park management plans
    • Park regulations, legislation and policies
    • Park strategies
    • Holding events in the Royal Parks
    • Cycling in the Royal Parks
    • Conservation and improvement projects
    • Consultations
    • Licences and permits
    • Policing in the Royal Parks
    • Visitor satisfaction research
  • Support
    • Make a donation
    • Philanthropy and major giving
    • Leave a gift in your Will 
    • Run, cycle or swim for the parks
    • Hire The LookOut, Hyde Park
    • Become a partner
    • Corporate volunteering
    • Dedications in your local park
  • Learn
    • Learn in our Central London parks
    • Learn in The Regent's Park
    • Learn in Greenwich Park
    • Learn in Richmond Park
    • Learn in Bushy Park
    • Learn in Brompton Cemetery
    • Learn Online
    • Urban Tree Festival School Challenge
    • Green Futures project
  • Get involved
    • Careers
    • The Royal Parks Horticultural Apprenticeship Scheme
    • Volunteer with us
    • Mission Invertebrate
    • The Royal Parks in World War I
    • Play in the Park
    • Photo competition winners
    • Green Flag Awards
  • About us
    • Who we are
    • What we do
    • Procurement
    • Partner organisations
    • Publications
    • Friends of The Royal Parks
    • Contact us
    • Modern Slavery Statement
  • Donate
searchSearch
  • The Royal Parks
  • Help Nature Thrive
    arrow_drop_down
    • Nature and Wildlife
    • Climate and Conservation
    • How to get involved
    • Sign up to The Royal Parks’ Nature News
  • Parks
    arrow_drop_down
    • Hyde Park
    • Kensington Gardens
    • Richmond Park
    • Bushy Park
    • St James's Park
    • The Green Park
    • The Regent's Park and Primrose Hill
    • Greenwich Park
    • Brompton Cemetery
    • Victoria Tower Gardens
  • What's on
    arrow_drop_down
    • Upcoming events
    • Latest news
    • Blog
    • The Royal Parks Podcast
    • Self guided walks
    • Learn Online
    • The Great Exhibition Virtual Tour
    • Sign up to our Newsletter
    • Event Feedback
  • Managing the parks
    arrow_drop_down
    • Park management plans
    • Park regulations, legislation and policies
    • Park strategies
    • Holding events in the Royal Parks
    • Cycling in the Royal Parks
    • Conservation and improvement projects
    • Consultations
    • Licences and permits
    • Policing in the Royal Parks
    • Visitor satisfaction research
  • Support
    arrow_drop_down
    • Make a donation
    • Philanthropy and major giving
    • Leave a gift in your Will 
    • Run, cycle or swim for the parks
    • Hire The LookOut, Hyde Park
    • Become a partner
    • Corporate volunteering
    • Dedications in your local park
  • Learn
    arrow_drop_down
    • Learn in our Central London parks
    • Learn in The Regent's Park
    • Learn in Greenwich Park
    • Learn in Richmond Park
    • Learn in Bushy Park
    • Learn in Brompton Cemetery
    • Learn Online
    • Urban Tree Festival School Challenge
    • Green Futures project
  • Get involved
    arrow_drop_down
    • Careers
    • The Royal Parks Horticultural Apprenticeship Scheme
    • Volunteer with us
    • Mission Invertebrate
    • The Royal Parks in World War I
    • Play in the Park
    • Photo competition winners
    • Green Flag Awards
  • About us
    arrow_drop_down
    • Who we are
    • What we do
    • Procurement
    • Partner organisations
    • Publications
    • Friends of The Royal Parks
    • Contact us
    • Modern Slavery Statement
  •  
  • Donate
    • Home
    • Media Centre
    • Careers
    • Shop
    • Contact us
  • What's on
  • 
  • Blog
  • 

Birdwatching for beginners

by Tony Duckett, Conservation Officer at The Royal Parks

Published Thursday 9 June 2022

Birdwatching is the perfect hobby to learn about and enjoy wildlife, and it’s a great way to practice mindfulness. It can be carried out almost anywhere on earth. You can see or hear birds everywhere: on land, at sea, in the air and on water.

I’ve been interested in birdwatching since the age of five, and even now the buzz I get from seeing a high-flying raptor that turns out to be a honey buzzard is unforgettable.

If you’re a novice, this hobby can be taken up without any outlay on equipment. However, you will need very good eyesight if the bird you are looking at is far away. Alternatively, you can use your ears to ID birds by learning the calls and songs.

To get the most out of this activity, purchasing a pair of binoculars and a bird guide is recommended. Below we offer eight birdwatching tips for beginners.

Binoculars – which one?

The more expensive models are great for use in poor light conditions but on sunny days it’s hard to tell the difference between them and less expensive models. However, if you are interested in buying one of the top brands, a good tip is to buy second-hand from a specialist bird optical supplier such as In Focus, Cley Spy or from a RSPB or main Wildlife Centre shop.

Invest in a field guide

The book of choice for many beginner birdwatchers is the Collins Bird Guide, and it’s also available as an app. One benefit of the app is that it comes with the songs and calls of some of the birds that are resident or annual visitors, either as breeding birds or as migrants.

Download The Royal Parks bird spotting sheets

If you’re visiting one of the Royal Parks, we’ve curated a bird spotting sheet for each park, brimming with fascinating facts. The parks are full of birdlife, with most parks recording over a 100 species of birds. Look out for the green woodpecker flitting amongst the anthills in Richmond Park, the melodic song thrush in Greenwich Park, or the goldcrest in St James’s Park – the UK’s smallest bird. Remember to observe these birds from afar, and not to feed or attempt to touch them.

Also, get involved in our summer photography competition to win a pair of binoculars.

Find your local patch

If you have an area close to where you live that has several types of habitats i.e., water, woodland, scrub and grassland, you should make this your ‘local patch’ for birdwatching. Having a set route that encounters as many different habitat types will reward you over time.

Keep a note of the birds you spot

Keep a list or diary of what birds you are seeing. At first you may not spot many rare birds, but over time you’ll be surprised what turns up. Recording when you see the first returning common swift or chiffchaff is always interesting.

Identify birds with your ears

Learning bird songs and calls is another way to identify them. Once you hear birdsong, track down the bird responsible, watch and listen to it. This bird, like the other songsters in your patch, is likely to have a territory at that location, so will it be heard often.

By using this method rather than listening to an app of birdsong means you are less likely to have too many sounds going around in your head at any one time. Over time, the more habitat areas that you visit, the more bird sounds you will remember.

Consider joining a Wildlife Society or Group

Some local wildlife groups offer birdwatching day trips, with many in attendance having specialist knowledge. Don’t be afraid to ask for an expert’s help to identify a species of bird you are unsure of.

For example, a group local to The Regent's Park is the Marylebone Birdwatching Society. Find out more via www.birdsmbs.org.uk or follow them on twitter @BirdsMBS.

Don’t disturb the birds

One of the most important birdwatching tips for beginners is to avoid getting too close to the birds or disturbing their habitats. Disturbance can keep birds from their nests, leaving chicks hungry or enabling predators to take eggs or young. Think about the interests of the wildlife and local people before passing on news of a rare bird, especially during the breeding season.

Win a set of binoculars!

We’ve launched a campaign asking visitors to ‘Help Nature Thrive’ in London’s eight Royal Parks. The campaign has kicked off with a plea to #KeepWildlifeWild by appreciating and observing wildlife in its natural habitat, rather than seeking an up close and personal experience.

In keeping with this, we are running a birdwatching photography competition for young and old alike across each of The Royal Parks. Visit the competition page for full details on how to enter, and you could be a winner.



Share:

Help us improve our website by providing your feedback.

Website user survey

close

search
Explore the Royal Parks
  • Hyde Park
  • Kensington Gardens
  • Richmond Park
  • Bushy Park
  • St James's Park
  • The Green Park
  • The Regent's Park and Primrose Hill
  • Greenwich Park
  • Greenwich Park Revealed - Park Restoration Project
  • Brompton Cemetery
  • Victoria Tower Gardens
  • Grosvenor Square Garden
Support the parks
  • Make a donation
  • Philanthropy and major giving
  • Leave a gift in your Will 
  • Run, cycle or swim for the parks
  • Hire The LookOut, Hyde Park
  • Become a partner
  • Corporate volunteering
  • Dedications in your local park
Media Centre
  • Press Releases
  • Royal Parks News Permit
  • Filming and photography
  • Royal Parks Image Library
  • News Archive
  • Trooping the Colour media accreditation
About us
  • Who we are
  • What we do
  • Procurement
  • Partner organisations
  • Publications
  • Friends of The Royal Parks
  • Contact us
  • Modern Slavery Statement
Connect with us
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram
Watch our videos on YouTube
The Royal Parks

The Royal Parks is a registered charity (No. 1172042) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales no. 10016100 (VAT No. 261 4640 19)

Copyright © The Royal Parks 2016-2022 | Head Office: The Old Police House, Hyde Park, London. W2 2UHTerms & Conditions | Privacy Policy

close

Subscribe to our eNewsletter today

Be the first to hear our latest news and read about upcoming events, learning and volunteering opportunities, fundraising and park improvement projects when you sign up to our mailing list.

Aerial view of Regents