You hear it sing perched on a tree top outside your window. You see it fly every morning. And it’s driving you crazy, in a good way! You want to find out more about it, but what bird is it?
Bird Identification Georgia
Georgia is filled with amazing bird species and breathtaking locations, but when it comes to bird identification in Georgia, your window-side visitor could be one of at least 427 bird species! But don’t worry, identifying birds might be easier than you think. All you need is the right bird ID tools and some practice.
So let’s dive into the fastest ways to identify your mystery birds. There are two main types of bird identification tools that will always come to your rescue, bird identification apps, and field guides – the best apps contain both.
For this guide of bird identification in Georgia we’ll cover: the best three apps to ID birds, the top two field guides and the five most common birds in Georgia (identification graphics, tips and fun facts included).
So, let’s get started on your identification journey – no previous birdwatching experience required!
Apps for Bird Identification in Georgia
It doesn’t matter if you want to identify birds while sitting in your backyard, on a walk through the Piedmont region forests, or hiking up Georgia’s Springer Mountain, these three birdwatching apps will help you identify & learn about all the birds you’re likely to encounter – both in Georgia and beyond.
1. Birda
Birda is quickly becoming the bird identification app of choice for complete, “I’ve never seen a bird before” beginners, to fully weather-worn birdwatchers worldwide. It’s free to use with a few premium birdwatching-enhancing features. The app is known for its multiple bird ID tools, a friendly global community and fun birding challenges.
On Birda there are three simple ways of identifying up to 10,000 bird species; which covers all birds you’ll find anywhere in the world.
Let’s look at the current bird identification options you can use on Birda (there are more on the way).
Photo AI Powered Bird ID:
Birda’s AI bird ID identifies birds based on your photos (even very blurry ones) and cross references your image against the location the bird was seen to provide you with an instant bird ID result.
The AI bird identification tool uses advanced machine learning and “sophisticated cloud based infrastructure”. Although this sounds technical, what’s important is that Birda’s AI bird ID tool provides you with highly accurate bird identification results, even from blurry smartphone photos.
HI Photo Bird Identification:
On Birda you can use the human intelligence (HI) of the community to help you identify birds, not only in Georgia, or in the US, but worldwide.
All you have to do is log a photo of the bird you’ve seen as ‘Unidentified’ and the community presents you with ID suggestions as well as tips and tricks to identify that same bird in the future. It’s like you have a bird ID personal trainer in your pocket that helps you improve your bird skills while cheering you on
All you have to do is log a photo of the bird you’ve seen as ‘Unidentified’ and the community presents you with ID suggestions as well as tips and tricks to identify that same bird in the future. It’s like you have a bird ID personal trainer in your pocket that helps you improve your bird skills while cheering you on
Bird Species Guide:
Birda’s bird guide (or field guide) is immediately filtered to your location so you can start by looking at the birds that you are most likely to see near you.
The guide includes bird reference images that you can use to compare to the birds you are seeing, or have seen, as well as photos that other users have taken and posted of that same bird. This gives you several different photos with distinct lightings and angles that you can use for comparison. The guide also included a section that shows you other similar species to the bird you’re looking at, which is helpful for ruling out options and identifying the bird you are looking for quicker.
In addition, the bird guide has easy to read identification tips for each species as well as: bird calls and songs, distribution maps, descriptions of behaviour, breeding habits, diet, conservation status and fun facts (some quite unexpected!) about each bird. These quick summaries about each bird make learning quick and straight forward.
In Summary:
If you are looking for an app to help you identify birds instantly through your bird photos, has a comprehensive field guide with fun facts, and has a friendly community that can help you improve your skills, Birda is the app for you.
Try Birda, it's FREE
2. Merlin Bird ID
Merlin is well known for its ability to identify birds via bird sounds which has made it very popular and a tool used widely by all types of birdwatchers. It was created by Cornell University, is free to use and can quickly identify most species globally.
As mentioned above, Merlin is a great tool that can identify the birds around you by using AI to analyse the bird calls that it can hear. You simply press Sound ID and the app uses your phone’s microphone to listen and record the bird calls around you.
Merlin mostly relies on AI for identification and has three distinct bird ID options.
Sound ID:
Merlin’s sound ID feature is second to none in the bird app space at the moment and makes bird identification by sound accessible to anyone that has a smartphone. Many people that use other apps like Birda, also use Merlin when they want to ID a bird they cannot see.
It can listen to several birds in real time and is mostly accurate at identifying them simultaneously.
This method of bird identification is particularly good for birds that are hard to see or hard to take a photo of.
AI Photo Identification:
Merlin AI photo bird ID tool is quite comprehensive. The model is good at identifying a range of birds and excels when the photos you submit are of a relatively good quality.
The advanced machine learning model is trained on photos from the ebird platform which ensures that it has a wide coverage of bird species worldwide
Bird ID Quiz:
If you did not get a photo of the bird and were not able to record its sound you can use the bird ‘quiz’ to try and figure out what bird you’ve seen.
Merlin’s bird observation feature is quite straightforward, the app asks you five questions about the bird you saw including its colour size and general behaviour.
It then shows you a selection of species that most match the characteristics that you have selected.
In Summary:
If you want to identify birds using sound, Merlin is a great app that is widely used by birdwatchers of all experience levels. The app can also help you identify birds by photo and has an easy-to-use identification through observations feature.
3. Audubon Bird Guide App
The Audubon Bird Guide app is a complete field guide that covers 800 bird species in North America. It is free to use and can be a great tool when it comes to bird identification. Unlike Birda and Merlin the Audubon app does not have AI powered bird ID tools, but it does have a bird ID quiz and the field guide includes both reference images, descriptions and sound.
Bird ID Quiz:
Much like the Merlin app’s observation feature, when you want to identify a bird, with the Audubon app you are asked to input a few observations about the bird you saw. The idea is to input as many of the bird’s features as possible including: how big it was, what colour it was and other distinctive features like tail shape.
The app will then give you a list of possible matches for your location. This feature is particularly useful when you just get a glimpse of a bird and want to narrow down the list of possible birds it might have been.
Bird Guide:
Audubon’s field guide is a great resource for conservation and identification information and covers most of the bird species in the US and includes 3,000 photos, distribution maps and bird calls as well as descriptions of each bird species.
The species descriptions include everything from conservation status, to habitat and feeding behaviour but unfortunately they do not provide identification tips.
In Summary:
The Audubon App is a great tool for identifying birds by using what you saw to explore the field guide or by inputting your observations in the bird ID Quiz.
Two of the Top Field Guide Books
Physical books certainly have their place and owning a field guide is not only handy but a great experience as there is something magical about flicking through pages filled with different bird photos.
While not as practical or quick to access as your smartphone, especially when out and about, physical field guides are great to use for reference after a good birding session.
Here are two of the top field guides for bird identification in Georgia.
The Sibley's North America Bird Guide, 2ND Edition, by David Sibley
This field guide is a classic, is highly regarded and covers more than 800 bird species in North America. It can certainly be a handy partner, not only for birdwatching in Georgia, but for anywhere you might end up going to in the US.
The guide includes detailed illustration, as well as descriptions that highlight identifiable features of species. It also contains accurate maps of migration, distribution and breeding.
Birds of Georgia: Field Guide, 2ND Edition, By Stan Tekiela
The Birds of Georgia field guide looks specifically at birds you can see in the State and includes 140 species. Bird identification is made easier with this field guide as the book’s sections are divided by the birds’ prominent colour which immediately narrows down your search.
This field guide also contains full page reference images as well as range maps and descriptions.
Five of the Most Common Birds in Georgia
When it comes to bird identification in Georgia there are plenty of exciting birds that you’ll see regularly but there are a handful of birds that you are most likely to see.
Below we’ll look at five of the most common birds you’ll meet in Georgia and explore some tips and tricks to help you identify them quickly. We’ll also look at some fun facts for each as knowing extraordinary facts about a species really helps to easily commit information about that bird to memory – it is hard to forget a good story or a good fact!
1. Northern Cardinal
Bird Identification – Cardinals are a beloved bird in Georgia and neighboring states. The male birds stand out with their bright crimson red plumage, while the females sport a more subtle brown with a hint of a reddish hue. Look for their unique pointed head-crest and strong, stocky beak. Cardinals are mid-sized songbirds that you’ll find throughout Georgia and that add a burst of color to many backyards, once you’ve seen one, it’ll be easy to recognize them again.
Fun Facts – Northern Cardinals were named after the Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, who are known for wearing red robes and caps!
2. Carolina Wren
Bird Identification – The Carolina Wren is easily recognized by its brown plumage, which deepens to a chestnut hue on both the rump and upper part of its tail. A bold white eyebrow stripe and speckled gray-and-black ear coverts add to its distinctive appearance. Its belly shifts from gray to a warm buff tone, while its tail is marked with dark bars. The wren’s legs are a soft, flesh-colored shade.
Fun Fact – Carolina Wrens are monogamous and not only stay together but work together on things like next building.
3. Tufted Titmouse
Bird Identification – a bird about the size of a sparrow with a quirky hairstyle, is one of Georgia’s most fashionable backyard birds. Its back is mostly gray, and its chest is pale, but the most distinctive feature is the gray, pointed crest on its head. If you take a closer look beneath its wing, you’ll notice a chestnut brown patch, and be sure to spot the dark ‘moustache’ above its beak.
Fun Fact: Tufted Titmouse have a particular way of opening seeds, They hold both seeds and nuts in their claws and start pecking at them continuously until they break open.
4. Blue Jay
Bird Identification – The Blue Jay is quite a large bird, easily recognized by its vibrant blue, black, and white feathers. As a member of the clever corvid family, it shares a similar shape with a crow but stands out with its bold coloration. Often seen hopping around treetops or making quick visits to backyard bird feeders, Blue Jays are also known for their vocal talents. Listen closely, and you may hear them mimicking the calls of other birds, adding to their reputation as one of nature’s intriguing imitators.
Fun fact – Blue Jays will imitate hawks to scare other birds away from a food source.
5. Carolina Chickadee
Bird Identification – The Carolina Chickadee is a beloved favorite among Georgia’s backyard birds. Small but full of personality, this thumb-sized bird is a common and delightful visitor to gardens. Its distinctive black cap and throat, paired with a gray back and soft cream-colored chest, make it easy to spot despite its tiny size.
Fun Fact – The oldest Carolina Chickadee on record was 10 years of age!
Simple Georgia Bird Identification Tips
Here’s a few simple tips to start your bird identification journey in Georgia:
- Think ‘Patience’ – Know one is born knowing these things. Be patient. Not only with yourself but with the birds. It takes some practice to start to know what to look for and do it in real time, but you’ll quickly progress.
- Backyards and Local Parks – Try starting close, either by looking in your backyard or local park. You’ll start to see some usual suspects.
- Bird Basics – Look for small things that stand out to you in your bird, their colours, shape, and size are most important. These will help you to quickly narrow down the search for a bird.
- A Helping Hand – Ask a friend that knows or use a bird app like Birda, to give you a helping hand.
- Find a Community – Join other people like you, interested in nature and keen to ID birds. There are plenty of local groups like Birds Georgia or the community on the Birda app are awesome places to start.
Conclusion
Whatever your birdwatching experience level Georgia has plenty of marvelous birds to discover around every corner. Not only will Georgia give a myriad of opportunities to identify different birds – it lies on the Atlantic Migration Flyway after all – but it has an array of different landscapes and protected areas that you can explore.
Explore more, identify and keep track of your bird discoveries with Birda. Join the community and start improving your bird ID skills and turning your birdwatching into a fun adventure.
Interested in bird identification in other states? Read our guide on Ohio Bird Identification or take a look at how to identify birds in the USA for even more tips.
Q&A
What is the most common Bird in Georgia?
The Northern Cardinal, a mid-sized bird named after Cardinals from the Catholic church (due to their red robes and hat) is one of the most common birds in Georgia.
How do I identify a bird in my yard?
Free to use bird apps like Birda and Merlin Bird Id can help you quickly identify birds in your backyard. You can also use a bird field guide to help you.
Is there a free bird identifier?
Yes. The Birda app helps you identify any type of bird. All you have to do is take a picture of the bird you want to identify and upload it to the AI bird ID tool to get an instant. You can also upload your picture as ‘Unidentified’ to the app and the Birda community will offer bird ID suggestions and give you tips and tricks to help you identify that same bird in the future.
