David Sibley writes the column “ID Toolkit” in every issue of BirdWatching. He published the Sibley Guide to Birds in 2000, the Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior in 2001, and Sibley’s Birding Basics in 2002. He is also the author of the Sibley Guide to Trees (2009), the Sibley Guide to Birds-Second Edition (2014), and guides to birds of eastern and western North America (2016). He is the recipient of the American Birding Association’s Roger Tory Peterson Award for lifetime achievement in promoting the cause of birding and a recognition award from the National Wildlife Refuge System for his support of bird conservation.
David Sibley on social media
Late summer is the time of year when many birds replace their feathers in a process called molt. Old feathers, most of which have been … Read More “What to look for as birds molt their worn-out feathers”
Become a better birder by understanding where feathers go when wings are folded.
Learn how the shape and pattern of feathers around the eyes can help you identify birds.
Sign up for our newsletter, full of identification tips, news, and more! Discussions of birding skills focus mainly on finding and identifying birds, but being … Read More “David Sibley explains how to point out a bird’s location”
Want to learn more about birds? Sign up for our newsletter! Experienced birders often stress the importance of shape and proportions for identification, and there … Read More “David Sibley explains why a bird’s shape can be deceiving”
Occasionally we run across loose feathers on the ground — sometimes a single feather, sometimes a bunch together (which usually marks the scene of a … Read More “David Sibley’s tips for identifying found feathers”
With a high body temperature, extremely good insulation, and limited ways to dissipate heat, one of the biggest risks for birds in hot weather is … Read More “David Sibley describes how birds deal with summer heat”
Determining the age of songbirds in the field generally requires close views, careful study, and some experience. But in a few species in spring, the … Read More “David Sibley: How feather color can reveal a songbird’s age”
The overall shapes and proportions of birds provide important clues to their identity. In fact, as birders gain experience, they rely on shape more and … Read More “David Sibley on bird ID: How shape changes with the seasons”
As the winter feeding season approaches, a perennial identification challenge looms: Purple Finch versus House Finch. The two species are close relatives. Both are sparrow-sized … Read More “David Sibley: How to tell Purple Finch from House Finch”
Many birders are understandably frustrated by changes in birds’ names, and in the sequence of species on checklists. It can be hard to keep up, … Read More “David Sibley: How to make peace with changes to your checklist”
The essential first step in birding is simply finding birds to watch. Moving to the next step — identification — is possible only after a … Read More “How to use your binoculars to find more birds”
A key to appreciating bird song is learning to decipher a little bit of its meaning. Most of the information it contains is beyond our understanding, but … Read More “How details of bird song reveal details of birds’ social lives”
The brilliant yellow, orange, and red that you seen on many birds are not just for decoration; the colors send an important message about the … Read More “David Sibley: How reflected light gives birds their most vivid plumage”
When we talk about identification, we tend to focus on differences, but it can be instructive (and reassuring) to think about similarities. In fact, understanding … Read More “Sketches by David Sibley reveal similarity and variation in bill shape”
Experienced birders can often identify a bird after seeing only a flash of movement. The way a bird moves from perch to perch, how it … Read More “David Sibley: You can recognize groups of birds by the way they move”
Most of the dramatic seasonal changes in a bird’s appearance are the result of molt — that is, the replacement of old feathers with new. … Read More “David Sibley: How birds can change color without molting”
Late summer is a time of transition for birds and a time of tremendous variety for birders. You can see adult birds in breeding plumage … Read More “David Sibley: What the changing colors of a songbird’s bill mean”
The wing is one of the most remarkable parts of a bird. When extended in flight, it serves as a lightweight and efficient airfoil. But … Read More “Wing basics by David Sibley”
Spring is the season for birdsong, but seeing the singer can sometimes be a challenge. Here are simple tricks that will help you locate a … Read More “David Sibley gives simple tricks for locating a bird you can hear but can’t see”
When we talk about identifying sparrows and other streaky brownish birds, one of the things we focus on is whether the breast is streaked or … Read More “David Sibley tells how to identify streaky sparrows by their back pattern”
Birds’ incredible range of color patterns can be useful for identification, but the diversity can also be overwhelming. The key to deciphering color patterns is … Read More “David Sibley: How markings on feathers make spots and streaks on birds”
If you’ve ever read about how to improve your identification skills, you have undoubtedly run across these suggestions: Continue watching after you’ve identified the bird. … Read More “David Sibley explains how studying one detail will help you remember the whole bird”
Feather color accounts for most of the variation that we see in the appearance of birds, since color fluctuates with age, sex, and other factors, … Read More “David Sibley explains how a bird can change its appearance by rearranging its feathers”
In most of North America, nesting behavior is common any time between April and July. You may not think of it as a field mark, … Read More “David Sibley explains how to use nesting behavior to help identify birds”
Identifying birds is really about understanding birds. Being attuned to the basics of bird behavior can help us put a name on species. Spring is … Read More “David Sibley explains how birds that really want to be noticed use visual signals as well as song”
Sooner or later everyone who watches birds will come across a real oddball. Some of the more frequently seen abnormal birds are the partial albinos. … Read More “David Sibley explains what to look for the next time you see a partial albino bird”
The author of The Sibley Guide to Birds tells how he keeps birds from hitting windows at his home
The author of The Sibley Guide to Birds describes the Sora capital of the world
