《Birding Skill/觀鳥技能》Ask Ken Kaufman: What's the best way to become a better birder?
以下文章翻譯自Audubon網站的Ask Kenn!專欄，由本人超譯，如欲轉載請標明出處。
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每當談到如何更好地觀鳥的問題時，我都會從重覆過去寫過的東西開始。"觀鳥是我們享受的一件事，如果你享受它，你已經是一位不錯的觀鳥者。如果你非常享受它，你就是個偉大的觀鳥者。"
換言之，沒有人應該有提升到專家等級的壓力—不論程度為何，任何人都能單純地欣賞鳥類。但人們常常發現，當他們能認出更多他們看到和聽到的鳥類時，觀鳥會更加愉快。發展鳥類辨識技能會帶來一種成就感，當我們外出觀鳥時，辨認更多的物種會讓我們對鳥類世界有更深入的了解。所以，在這些能力下功夫是值得的。
辨認更多鳥類不只是在記住更多細節後分析每一隻看到的鳥身上的辨識標記（field marks）。對有經驗的觀鳥者來說，識別一個熟悉的物種就像識別一個朋友，藉由一般的印象或行為舉止，我們第一眼就認出他們，在我們叫出他們的名字前再看一眼作為確認。
有很多策略能夠培養這種對鳥類的熟悉程度，但我的首要建議可以歸納為四個L：多看、多聽。（Look and Listen a Little Longer.）
當我在野外教授鳥類辨識時，我會用任何技巧來讓參與者在每隻鳥上花更多時間。比如，如果我們正在看一隻站在地上的Savannah Sparrow，我不會立刻說出這隻鳥的名字；相反地，我會問一些問題，"它有頭央線嗎？""你會怎麼形容尾羽的形狀？""它的翅膀並不樸素，但你會說它的翅膀上有翼斑嗎？"當我們討論時，每個人都很專注。但只要我說出這是一隻Savannah Sparrow，大多數人就會放下望遠鏡，停止觀看。
在我看來，這正是你應該仔細觀察的時候。當你已經認出一隻鳥—不管是從決定性的標記，或是由專家命名—這時就應該多花一點時間來研究它。你能夠注意到哪些額外的細節？當它移動時，它的體形有什麼變化？它如何移動？如果你等一下，它是否會發出獨特的叫聲？多花一分鐘看一看、聽一聽，再多認識這隻鳥一些。如果你無法長時間集中注意力，試著用文字描述它，或者拿出一本筆記本，試著畫下它。描述或速寫的行為會強迫你的頭腦記住你可能會錯過的東西。
人們有時會告訴我，他們不想在普通鳥類上花時間，因為它們可能因此錯過一些稀有鳥種。但專家之所以更容易找到稀有鳥種，正是因為他們非常了解普鳥。想一想吧，多數我們看到和聽到的鳥都是常見的，不是嗎？藉由增加對常見鳥種的熟悉程度，可以提高你辨識大部份鳥類的能力。
當光線充足且鳥就在你面前時，或許你可以輕易地辨識American Robin或House Finch。但，如果它是一個遠處的剪影，或從頭頂飛過，你能從形狀和動作認出它嗎？也許你知道公的Red-winged Blackbird會發出awwnk-ah-rrreeee的鼻音，但你能認出它的其他各種叫聲嗎？或許瞬間一瞥就足以亮黃色夏羽American Goldfinch的公成鳥，但你能認出雌鳥微妙的羽色，或是冬羽的柔和色調嗎？
這似乎是一個荒謬的簡單建議，但我認為提升你的鳥類辨識技能的最快方式，是在你知道它們是什麼鳥後再多花一分鐘有意識地觀注這隻鳥。這額外的一分鐘將得到回報，很快地你就能在任何距離或是任何條件下，更有自信地說出越來越多鳥的名字，只要多看多聽一點就可以了。由於鳥類觀察很有趣，鳥音也很優美，這應該是有史以來最有趣的任務。
Question: What's the best way to become a better birder?
Kenn Kaufman: Any time I address a question about how to get “better” at birding, I start by repeating something I once wrote. “Birdwatching is something that we do for enjoyment, so if you enjoy it, you are already a good birder. If you enjoy it a lot, you are a great birder.”
In other words, no one should feel any pressure to “advance” toward expert status—it’s fine to just appreciate birds at any level. But people often find that birding is more enjoyable when they can recognize more of the birds that they see and hear. Developing your identification skills brings a sense of accomplishment, and identifying more species when we’re out gives us a greater understanding of what’s going on in the bird world. So it’s worthwhile to work on these abilities.
Identifying more birds is not just a matter of memorizing more details and then analyzing field marks on every individual we see. For an experienced birder, recognizing a familiar species is like recognizing a friend: We know them instantly, at a glance, by general impression or the way they move, and then we take a second look to be sure before we call out their name.
There are a number of strategies for developing this kind of familiarity with birds, but my top recommendation could be summarized as the four Ls: Look and Listen a Little Longer.
When I’m leading an ID workshop in the field, I’ll use any trick to get participants to spend more time on each bird. If we’re looking at a Savannah Sparrow perched in the open, for example, I won’t name the bird at first; instead, I’ll ask questions. “Does it have a central crown stripe?” “How would you describe the tail shape?” “The wings aren’t plain, but would you say it has wing bars?” Everyone focuses while we discuss these points. But as soon as I say “It’s a Savannah Sparrow,” most people will lower their binoculars and stop looking.
In my opinion, that’s exactly the time you should look most intently. When you know the identity of a bird—from diagnostic markings, or from having it named by an expert—that’s the moment to take an extra minute to study it some more. What additional details can you notice? How does its shape seem to change as it shifts position? How does it move? If you wait, will it make some distinctive callnote? Just spend another minute looking and listening, getting to know this bird a little better. If it’s hard to focus that long, try describing something about it in words, or pull out a pocket notebook and try some simple sketches. The act of describing or sketching will force your mind to take in things you’d miss otherwise.
People sometimes tell me they don’t want to spend time on a common bird because they might miss some rare species as a result. But experts have a better chance of finding rarities precisely because they know the common birds so well. Think about it: Most of the birds we see and hear are the common ones, aren’t they? So you can increase your skill at identifying most birds by increasing your familiarity with common species.
Maybe you can easily identify an American Robin or a House Finch when it’s right in front of you in good light. But what if it’s off at a distance, in silhouette, or flying overhead? Can you recognize it by its shape and actions? Maybe you know the nasal awwnk-ah-rrreeee song of the male Red-winged Blackbird, but what about the wide variety of other sounds made by this species? Maybe a split-second glance is enough for identifying an adult male American Goldfinch in its bright yellow summer garb, but what about the subtler females, or the muted tones of winter plumage?
This might seem like absurdly simple advice, but I think the fastest way to improve your bird ID skills is to spend an extra minute consciously focusing on individual birds after you know what they are. That extra minute will pay off, and soon you’ll be naming more and more birds, at any distance or under any conditions, with greater confidence. Just look and listen a little longer. Since birds are fun to watch and sound beautiful anyway, this should be the most enjoyable assignment ever.
Kenn Kaufman: Any time I address a question about how to get “better” at birding, I start by repeating something I once wrote. “Birdwatching is something that we do for enjoyment, so if you enjoy it, you are already a good birder. If you enjoy it a lot, you are a great birder.”
In other words, no one should feel any pressure to “advance” toward expert status—it’s fine to just appreciate birds at any level. But people often find that birding is more enjoyable when they can recognize more of the birds that they see and hear. Developing your identification skills brings a sense of accomplishment, and identifying more species when we’re out gives us a greater understanding of what’s going on in the bird world. So it’s worthwhile to work on these abilities.
Identifying more birds is not just a matter of memorizing more details and then analyzing field marks on every individual we see. For an experienced birder, recognizing a familiar species is like recognizing a friend: We know them instantly, at a glance, by general impression or the way they move, and then we take a second look to be sure before we call out their name.
There are a number of strategies for developing this kind of familiarity with birds, but my top recommendation could be summarized as the four Ls: Look and Listen a Little Longer.
When I’m leading an ID workshop in the field, I’ll use any trick to get participants to spend more time on each bird. If we’re looking at a Savannah Sparrow perched in the open, for example, I won’t name the bird at first; instead, I’ll ask questions. “Does it have a central crown stripe?” “How would you describe the tail shape?” “The wings aren’t plain, but would you say it has wing bars?” Everyone focuses while we discuss these points. But as soon as I say “It’s a Savannah Sparrow,” most people will lower their binoculars and stop looking.
In my opinion, that’s exactly the time you should look most intently. When you know the identity of a bird—from diagnostic markings, or from having it named by an expert—that’s the moment to take an extra minute to study it some more. What additional details can you notice? How does its shape seem to change as it shifts position? How does it move? If you wait, will it make some distinctive callnote? Just spend another minute looking and listening, getting to know this bird a little better. If it’s hard to focus that long, try describing something about it in words, or pull out a pocket notebook and try some simple sketches. The act of describing or sketching will force your mind to take in things you’d miss otherwise.
People sometimes tell me they don’t want to spend time on a common bird because they might miss some rare species as a result. But experts have a better chance of finding rarities precisely because they know the common birds so well. Think about it: Most of the birds we see and hear are the common ones, aren’t they? So you can increase your skill at identifying most birds by increasing your familiarity with common species.
Maybe you can easily identify an American Robin or a House Finch when it’s right in front of you in good light. But what if it’s off at a distance, in silhouette, or flying overhead? Can you recognize it by its shape and actions? Maybe you know the nasal awwnk-ah-rrreeee song of the male Red-winged Blackbird, but what about the wide variety of other sounds made by this species? Maybe a split-second glance is enough for identifying an adult male American Goldfinch in its bright yellow summer garb, but what about the subtler females, or the muted tones of winter plumage?
This might seem like absurdly simple advice, but I think the fastest way to improve your bird ID skills is to spend an extra minute consciously focusing on individual birds after you know what they are. That extra minute will pay off, and soon you’ll be naming more and more birds, at any distance or under any conditions, with greater confidence. Just look and listen a little longer. Since birds are fun to watch and sound beautiful anyway, this should be the most enjoyable assignment ever.
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