How to Use Sound to Bird Watch in New York

Are you or someone you know a bird lover? If you are like me you may go as far as feeding birds in your yard. And before you ask, No, I do not have one of those window feeders where I watch the birds eat.

Can Feeding Song Birds in New York Give You Bird Flu?

The birds who flock to my house for seed are fending for themselves on the ground. I regularly sprinkle bird food in parts of my yard for the birds to come forage on their own.

Someone asked me this winter if I was afraid feeding all the birds would expose me to Bird Flu and the answer to that is no. I researched the likelihood of me getting bird flu from feeding the songs birds and such in my yard and the risk is practically obsolete.

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According to All About Birds feeding songbirds in your yard is okay. They say that there is no recommendation for taking down feeders. Transmission from bird to human is not likely. However, if you raise birds such as chickens you do not want to have feeders around that would invite birds to your yard possibly infecting your poultry.

How to Identify the Birds in Your Yard

One of the things I have enjoyed most about feeding the Hudson Valley's songbirds is watching all the different types of birds that stop by my yard. I have not been able to identify all of them yet but it is my goal. Videos like the one above from CBS Sunday Mornings are a big help.

Someone told me the easiest way to learn about the birds in your yard is not necessarily by sight but by sound. Learning the bird calls can help you identify birds you can't see. You might ask how can I learn bird calls, turns out there are apps for that called Merlin Bird ID, Larkwire, and BirdNET.

National Bird Watching Event for the Visuality Impair

There also happens to be an event coming up that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shared through a press release that is put on by Birdability. The goal is to get people involved in bird spotting who have vision challenges.

This event encourages people to bird-watch with their ears. Registration is now open for the Blind Birder Bird-a-thon. This 24-hour event takes place on May 18th, 2025, and can be done in your own zipcode. To find out more you can join an informational session on March 15th, 2025.

NBC News recently shared this story about the Great Backyard Bird Count.