Birdwatching (also known as “birding”) is a great way for beginners and experts alike to get outdoors and appreciate nature, while looking for and listening to the amazing birds we share our spaces with. This can be anywhere in nature. If you’ve noticed birds around campus, in your backyard, or on your commute, you’re birding. Welcome to the community!

OISE Library now has 5 birding backpacks, available to all University of Toronto Library users (users may borrow one backpack at a time). These are loanable, portable kits with everything you need for birding on the go! In each backpack you will find:

Four birdwatching books and two binoculars in front of a backpack

Two pairs of binoculars (1 adult-sized, and 1 kid-friendly pair)
An identification guide of 225 Ontario bird species
A laminated pocket-guide to Toronto birds
Two laminated pocket-guides to Anishinaabe bird names (winter and year-round)
Two birding logbooks (1 log for adults, and 1 kid-friendly log)

These logbooks are intended as collaborative community records, where users are encouraged to record the different birds that you see while using these kits!

Starting August 24th, you can borrow the birding kits by visiting the OISE Library Service Desk, or you can place a hold online through the library catalogue (please select OISE Library as your pickup location).

These backpacks can be checked out to explore birds around campus, brought home to be shared with friends and family, or used by OISE teacher candidates in your classroom placements. These kits are not age specific, and contain items with which children can interact independently, collaboratively, or with an adult.

Everything you need to get started with birding is included in the kits, but we’ve compiled some additional resources below if you’d like to learn more about:

Getting started as a new birder!
Birding tips and locations in Toronto!
Birding best practices and community guidelines!
How to bring birding into K-12 classrooms!

Welcome to the World of Birding!

Beginner Resources

Birding doesn’t need to be complicated. As long as you’re respectful of the birds, the environments that you’re moving through, and your fellow birders, you’re doing it right! If you’re feeling unsure with where to start though, check out the resources below:

Seven Tips for Beginner Bird Watchers (TRCA): Tips and resources for how to get the most out of your birding as a beginner. You can also explore Toronto Region Conservation Area’s Outdoor Safety Tips page for information on how to stay comfortable and safe when spending time outside.
Online Birding Courses (Birds Canda): Free online courses to build your birding skills, covering a range of topics such as: Birding for Beginners, Learn By Listening (tailored for people with a visual impairment), and Gardening for Birds.
The Warblers Podcast (Birds Canada): A podcast hosted by Andrea Gress, providing insights and inspiration on the world of Canadian birding and bird conservation.
Merlin Bird ID App (Cornell Lab of Ornithology): Bird by sound, using this free bird identification app that can listen to bird calls around you and provide species suggestions in real time.
How to Use Binoculars (Cornell Lab of Ornithology): A quick video guide (2:52 mins) on how to use and adjust binoculars for birding.

Birding in Toronto

You don’t need to go far to get started with birding! Although you may not expect it, Toronto is home to over 350 different species of birds, making it an amazing place for birding. Take a look through these resources for tips, routes, and inspiration for birding in the city:

Enjoy the Best Birding in Toronto (TRCA): A list of conservation areas and protected parks across Toronto, prized as some of the best birding locations in the region.
Toronto Hotspots (eBird): See what local birders are up to by exploring community reported sightings! Start with the Toronto Hotspots to see where people are birding in the city and what birds they’re seeing where.
Accessible Birding Map (Birdability): A crowdsourced map with accessibility details of birding locations all over the world, including several Toronto and GTA locations.
Everything You Need to Know About Urban Birdwatching (Birda): Advice and insights for looking for birds in the city. Although based in London, many of the tips can be applied to urban birding more broadly.

Building a Birding Community

Birding can be a great activity to reconnect with nature and yourself. However, even when you’re birding on your own, you have a responsibility to the broader birding community (and any other plants, animals, or people out in nature with you). Look through the resources below for more information on how to ensure that you, your fellow birders, and the birds can all enjoy the outdoors together.

Taking Care of Each Other

Responsible birding means fostering an environment where everyone feels respected, safe and welcome to participate. Here are some organizations and community members working to ensure birding is for everyone:

Birdability: Using education, outreach, and advocacy, Birdability’s vision is that birding and outdoor spaces are inclusive, safe, and accessible for everyone. With lots of valuable resources to explore, we recommend starting with their pages on Welcoming and Inclusive Birders and Racism in Birding.
Black Birders Week: A movement from Black AF in Stem, which aims to promote diversity and inclusion within birding and bird science, challenging systemic barriers that have historically marginalized Black voices in these spaces. Check out their resources (e.g., Black Birders Map) and the Get Involved page for ways to join the conversation year-round!
Creators Garden: Creators Garden, organized by Joseph Pitawanakwat, is dedicated to the restoration and sharing of Anishinaabe Knowledge of the Great Lakes Region through land-based education. Check out their work on regathering and sharing Anishinaabemowin bird names and significant Indigenous bird knowledges. Learn four common bird names in this CBC interview with Pitawanakwat, (or explore the Anishinaabe Bird name pocket-guides from Creators Garden included in the birding kits!).”
Feminist Bird Club: A great way to build community can be joining a local birding group! There are many birding groups in Toronto, including the Toronto Chapter of the Feminist Bird Club! Feminist Brid Club is dedicated to promoting inclusivity in birding and providing safe spaces for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, BIPOC, and women to connect with nature.

Taking Care of the Birds

Humans interact with birds all the time, both directly and indirectly. Check out the resources below for tips on how to keep your influence as positive as possible.

When It’s Okay (or Not) to Feed Birds (Audubon): It can be tempting to feed birds as a way to interact with them. However, being conscious of how feeding birds can impact them can help you evaluate whether or not it’s a good idea.
Seven Ways to Make Your Home More Bird-Friendly (Audubon): The birds in your backyard are often the ones we’re most familiar with, and there are several ways to support our avian neighbours.
Owl Observation Tips (Birds Canada): Owls can be incredible birds to see in the wild, but it’s important to keep in mind how to observe these sensitive birds without causing harm.
Bird Gardens (Birds Canada): Growing native plants provides birds with the best food and shelter for them and supports your local ecosystem. Review this resource for tips on finding plants native to your area and what each plant provides for local wildlife.

Birding in the Classroom

Birding can be a hands-on, accessible, and exciting way to get students engaged in a range of curriculum including ecology, sustainability, conservation, music, art, and even mindfulness!

Here are some examples of books, games, and other learning materials from OISE’s Curriculum Resources Collection that focus on bird watching and the science of birds. Explore these materials, and the links below for inspiration on how to bring birding into K-12 classrooms.

Bird-Friendly Schools (Birds Canada): Free educator resources and lesson plans from Birds Canada that align seasonal changes of bird behaviour with the school year, supporting formal curricula, student inquiry, and project-based activities. Also explore annual citizen science projects from Birds Canda that classrooms can participate in, such as the Great Backyard Bird Count, and Project FeederWatch.
K-12 Education Resources (Cornell Lab): K-12 resources for educators from Cornell Lab of Ornithology to encourage curiosity and observation in nature. You can access free lesson plans, activity handouts, and educator guides across a variety of topics including bird evolution, nature-based inquiry, and bird ecology.
Audubon for Kids (Audubon): Classroom curriculum plans paired with DIY activities that can be done at home or in the school yard from the Audubon Magazine. Explore free resources to help kids connect to the natural world through lessons like “All About Owls”, “Birds on the Move” and “Share the Shore”.

OISE Library Birdwatching Backpacks

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