The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology – a Unit of Cornell University
From their website: We believe in the power of birds to ignite and inspire action. Join us on a lifelong journey to enjoy, understand, and protect birds and the natural world. Use this link to go directly to their website: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Explore their online bird guide. Take time to access the many bird cams that are available. Some of these bird cams are from parts of the world you may never visit. This website is full of all sorts of information about birds.
The following are all offered through the Cornell Lab:
In my opinion, the Cornell Lab has the most comprehensive online field guide. This is a bit unwieldy to use when you are birding as it is so much better on your computer screen than on your cell phone. And it is almost too much information to look at when you are birding. This is a wonderful reference to use when you are finished birding and want to know about the birds you saw. When you want to learn more about specific species. I use this all the time when I am at my desk working and I love this website! Use this link: All About Birds
eBird: From their website: eBird began with a simple idea – that every birdwatcher has unique knowledge and experience. Our goal is to gather this information in the form of checklists of birds, archive it, and freely share it to power new data-driven approaches to science, conservation and education. At the same time, we develop tools that make birding more rewarding. From being able to manage lists, photos, and audio recordings, to seeing real-time maps of species distribution, to alerts that let you know when species have been seen, we strive to provide the most current and useful information to the birding community. Use this link: ebird
Merlin: This is a free app and is an invaluable tool for birders of all levels. I recommend you download this to your cell phone. My favorite part of this app is the Sound ID. Birdsongs and calls are difficult for me and this app has helped me to recognize more songs and calls than I ever thought possible. Use this link: Merlin App and Its Sound ID
NestWatch: From their website: NestWatch is a monitoring program designed to track status and trends in the reproductive biology of birds, including when nesting occurs, number of eggs laid, how many eggs hatch, and how many hatchlings survive. Our database is intended to be used to study the current condition of breeding bird populations and how they may be changing over time as a result of climate change, habitat degradation and loss, expansion of urban areas, and the introduction of non-native plants and animals. Use this link: Nest Watch
Project FeederWatch: From their website: This is a program open to anyone who has – or has access to – bird feeders or a bird friendly habitat. You can register as a single person, a family, or a group. Please note on the website that there is a fee to join. You can read all about this effort to track birds in North America at feederwatch.org but here is a quote from their website: Project FeederWatch turns your love of feeding birds into scientific discoveries. FeederWatch is a November-April survey of birds that visit backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. You don’t even need a feeder! All you need is an area with plantings, habitat, water, or food that attracts birds. The schedule is completely flexible. Count your birds for as long as you like on days of your choosing, then enter your counts online. Your counts allow you to track what is happening to birds around your home and to contribute to a continental data-set of bird distribution and abundance. Use this link: Project Feeder Watch