Local Bird Clubs

Benjamin F. Goss Bird Club Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha

BIPOC Bird Club Milwaukee and Madison Chapters

Feminist Bird Club of Madison, Wisconsin

Horicon March Bird Club meets the third Thursday. Their website has info on where to bird and plans for their annual Bird Festival every May.

Hoy Audubon Bird Club in Racine and Kenosha

Noel J Cutright Bird Club at Riveredge Nature Center Field trips and special presentations

Bird Club at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Second Wednesday 6:30pm

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance in Madison

Washington-Ozaukee Birding Coalition meets second Wednesdays at Riveredge Nature Center, Lac Lawrann in West Bend, Mequon Nature Preserve or Cedarburg Bog – check their Facebook page for updates

Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society Meeting third Wednesday 7pm. Bird walks Sunday mornings from Wehr Nature Center (9am in winter, 8am starting in March)

WSO, Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, the state’s oldest birding organization supporting the research, conservation and enjoyment of birds. They run birding field trips throughout the state year round

Birding Knowledge

AllAboutBirds from Cornell to learn all about any species, includes range maps, identification info and recordings of calls and songs

BirdCast migration maps from Cornell

eBird, explore hotspots and report sightings. A major worldwide citizen science bird watching site

Lake Michigan Bird Observatory coordinates wildlife MOTUS monitoring and supports numerous conservation and research projects

SOSSaveOurSongbirds a coalition of state birding organizations, UW Green Bay Coffrin Center for Biodiversity and Wisconsin Natural Resources Foundation

WISBIRDN – Wisconsin Bird net a listserv dedicated to Wisconsin birding. Sign up for Wisconsin Bird Network emails for Wisconsin rare birds and locations information

Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin sponsor of spring Birdathon, donor to state bird causes and leader of fabulous statewide field trips.

Wisconsin Bird Conservation Partnership supports joint efforts between birding organizations, government groups, businesses, fishing and hunting groups along with others for the protection of birds

Wisconsin State Parks Birding Updates, Want to see prairie chickens? Snowy owls? Check out their “Find Birds” and subscribe to their newsletter

But What is It?

Seek for plant, fungus, animal ID (free)

Feather Atlas, Found a feather? ID it. (free)

Merlin Bird ID, for when you are not sure what you are looking at or hearing (free)

Sibley Bird ID, for when you are pretty sure and want confirmation ($)

Guide Books

While these are amazon links, most of these books are also available at Schlitz Audubon and Wehr Nature Center bookstores as well as at Boswell Book Company

Richard Crossley, Bird ID Books photos from every angle in habitats

The Art of Pishing, Pete Dunne includes a CD.

Sparrows and Finches of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America by Chris Earley is a great primer for distinguishing between LBJs

Charles Hagner, American Birding Association’s Field Guide to Birds of Wisconsin

Randy Hoffman, When Things Happen: A Guide to Natural Events in Wisconsin A great resource for average migration times, bug emergence, flower blooming, salamander movements and so much more.

David Sibley, What It’s Like to be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing, What Birds are Doing and Why an amazing compilation of bird facts and illustrations.

Tom Stephenson and Scott Whittle, The Warbler Guide the everything warbler guide: Found a top or middle of trees? What does it look like from underneath? What might it be confused with? There is also an app!

David Stokes Guides to Bird Behavior, vol I-III A chapter is dedicated to each species covering migration, courting, nesting times along with descriptions of behavior – are they fighting or courting? Really fun insights.

Products

Considerations in choosing a scope or binoculars.