Birdwatching 101: What to Know Before You Go

Maximize your enjoyment and appreciation of birds in their local environment. We’ll discuss necessary and recommended tools (binoculars, scopes, bird books, and phone applications); how to pick a place and a time for ideal birdwatching; and strategies for identifying birds using their appearance, flight patterns, songs and calls, and the habitats where they live and migrate through.

Giuliana Zarada

Giuliana is an experienced birder and avian enthusiast with a love for the great outdoors. When she's not searching the sky for birds, she's scanning the forest floor for fungi and the understory for edible and medicinal plants. With a lifetime's appreciation for the natural world, she enjoys creating a space for knowledge-sharing and community among beginner and experienced birders alike.

Katherine Zarada

Katie is an ecologist and avid birder based in Arlington. They have a bachelor’s degree in Ecology from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from the University of Florida. Their love of birding started over a decade ago during an ecology study abroad trip to Costa Rica where they saw a Resplendent Quetzal and many other colorful tropical birds for the first time. Since then, they’ve spent countless hours observing and documenting birds and the natural world.

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