Bird identification by behavior is the skill that separates two species that look nearly identical. Watch what a bird actually does and the answer often arrives before the field marks do. Spotted Sandpipers have a very unique tail-dipping motion that tells you exactly what you're looking at. No other shorebird does it. Behavior clues worth tracking: Feeding style. Ground-gleaning, bark-probing, catching insects in midair, hovering at flowers. Movement. Hopping versus walking, tail-bobbing, wing-flicking. Perching posture. Upright and alert versus low and horizontal. Social pattern. Alone, in pairs, or traveling with a mixed flock. Behavior is also one of the few clues that still works when a bird is backlit or the light is poor. You don't need to see color to see how something moves. What's a behavior that tells you which bird you're looking at without needing a closer look?

Welcome to the Better Birders Community! If you're here, then you are probably serious about becoming a better birder! Introduce yourself here including where you are from. Lets get better together! ~Caleb