Autumn Bird Scavenger Hunt
Many birders mistakenly believe that autumn is a poor season for birding because so many of our favorite summer species leave on migration, but in fact fall migration can bring many more birds within reach. Try this autumn bird scavenger hunt to find new fall birds, watch unique autumn behaviors and learn more about how birds adjust to this change of seasons. Not only can experienced birders enjoy this seasonal game, but it's a perfect birding project for kids to get them outdoors and exploring nature. How many of these things can you find?
There is no better clue that autumn has arrived than to see that baby birds have grown and departed their nests. Look for an abandoned nest and study the materials the bird used to build the structure, and you might even be able to identify the species.
Learn More: Removing Bird Nests
Molting birds are another sign of the change of seasons. You might see this in your backyard birds, but finding a duck in eclipse plumage can be a special treat to see. These ducks – typically molting males – are more camouflaged and flightless while they molt.
Learn More: Bird Plumages
As migration gets underway, even your backyard bird flock will change with new arrivals. These might be winter residents who will stay for months or just migrants passing through, but they will appreciate the fall foods you provide just as much.
Learn More: Attracting Birds in Autumn
Birds travel predictable paths during migration because of easier flight patterns, available food sources and where they need to go for the winter. Where is your closest migration flyway, and what new birds does it bring into your region?
Learn More: North America Migration Flyways Map
As leaves begin to fall, they bring with them a bounty of insects, ripe nuts and soft fruits. Many sparrows, thrushes, game birds and other birds will forage in those leaves to pick out tasty morsels, and if you want to avoid raking, providing the leaves for the birds is a great excuse!
Learn More: Use Leaf Litter to Attract Birds
Whenever birds are on the move, there is the chance of one bird getting lost and ending up far from where it is expected. Check in with bird email lists or news updates about migrating birds to learn about these rare birds, and add them to your life list.
Learn More: Unexpected Birds
Autumn birds often gather in tremendous flocks, and even birds that are normally solitary may be found in great flocks during migration. But can you find a kettle, charm, raft, murder, gaggle or flight? Try joining in a hawkwatch event to see what flocks will fly your way.
Learn More: Names of Flocks of Birds
Autumn flowers are lovely to see, and black oil sunflowers in particular offer a bountiful banquet for birds. The large sunflowers grown for agriculture can be stunning, but equally lovely and still a staple for birds are the spectacular flocks of wild sunflowers, all of which may attract many migrating birds.
Learn More: Saving Sunflower Seeds
Migration is an ideal time to sharpen your bird identification skills by learning how to identify birds by their wings, wing beat patterns, flight body shape and other clues. Identifying hawks, eagles and other raptors can be easiest, but try the same techniques with other birds as well.
Learn More: How to Identify Birds in Flight
Bright colors attract birds, and turning a pumpkin into an easy bird feeder is a great way to use fall produce for migrating birds. If you can't find birds enjoying a pumpkin naturally, there are fun projects you can use to make pumpkin bird feeders, and don't forget to save the seeds for feeding birds!
Learn More: 3 Easy Pumpkin Bird Feeder Projects
Even endangered birds need to migrate, and because their movements can be predictable, autumn is a great time to add these threatened species to your life list. Just be sure not to stress the birds or otherwise hurt their chances to continue their journey.
Learn More: Threats to Migrating Birds
No other birds are more associated than the ultimate autumn holiday – Halloween – than owls. As leaves fall and these birds hunt, it can be easier to see owls in fall than many other times of year, and if you're lucky, you might even be able to attract owls to your backyard for easy owling.
Learn More: How to Go Owling
1. Empty Nest
There is no better clue that autumn has arrived than to see that baby birds have grown and departed their nests. Look for an abandoned nest and study the materials the bird used to build the structure, and you might even be able to identify the species.
Learn More: Removing Bird Nests
2. Duck in Eclipse Plumage
Molting birds are another sign of the change of seasons. You might see this in your backyard birds, but finding a duck in eclipse plumage can be a special treat to see. These ducks – typically molting males – are more camouflaged and flightless while they molt.
Learn More: Bird Plumages
3. New Autumn Backyard Bird
As migration gets underway, even your backyard bird flock will change with new arrivals. These might be winter residents who will stay for months or just migrants passing through, but they will appreciate the fall foods you provide just as much.
Learn More: Attracting Birds in Autumn
4. Your Closest Migration Flyway
Birds travel predictable paths during migration because of easier flight patterns, available food sources and where they need to go for the winter. Where is your closest migration flyway, and what new birds does it bring into your region?
Learn More: North America Migration Flyways Map
5. Birds Foraging in Leaf Litter
As leaves begin to fall, they bring with them a bounty of insects, ripe nuts and soft fruits. Many sparrows, thrushes, game birds and other birds will forage in those leaves to pick out tasty morsels, and if you want to avoid raking, providing the leaves for the birds is a great excuse!
Learn More: Use Leaf Litter to Attract Birds
6. An Unusual Migrating Bird
Whenever birds are on the move, there is the chance of one bird getting lost and ending up far from where it is expected. Check in with bird email lists or news updates about migrating birds to learn about these rare birds, and add them to your life list.
Learn More: Unexpected Birds
7. Kettle or Other Migrating Flock
Autumn birds often gather in tremendous flocks, and even birds that are normally solitary may be found in great flocks during migration. But can you find a kettle, charm, raft, murder, gaggle or flight? Try joining in a hawkwatch event to see what flocks will fly your way.
Learn More: Names of Flocks of Birds
8. Field of Sunflowers
Autumn flowers are lovely to see, and black oil sunflowers in particular offer a bountiful banquet for birds. The large sunflowers grown for agriculture can be stunning, but equally lovely and still a staple for birds are the spectacular flocks of wild sunflowers, all of which may attract many migrating birds.
Learn More: Saving Sunflower Seeds
9. Bird to Identify in Flight
Migration is an ideal time to sharpen your bird identification skills by learning how to identify birds by their wings, wing beat patterns, flight body shape and other clues. Identifying hawks, eagles and other raptors can be easiest, but try the same techniques with other birds as well.
Learn More: How to Identify Birds in Flight
10. Pumpkin Bird Feeders
Bright colors attract birds, and turning a pumpkin into an easy bird feeder is a great way to use fall produce for migrating birds. If you can't find birds enjoying a pumpkin naturally, there are fun projects you can use to make pumpkin bird feeders, and don't forget to save the seeds for feeding birds!
Learn More: 3 Easy Pumpkin Bird Feeder Projects
11. An Endangered or Threatened Bird
Even endangered birds need to migrate, and because their movements can be predictable, autumn is a great time to add these threatened species to your life list. Just be sure not to stress the birds or otherwise hurt their chances to continue their journey.
Learn More: Threats to Migrating Birds
12. An Owl
No other birds are more associated than the ultimate autumn holiday – Halloween – than owls. As leaves fall and these birds hunt, it can be easier to see owls in fall than many other times of year, and if you're lucky, you might even be able to attract owls to your backyard for easy owling.
Learn More: How to Go Owling
