Introduction
Why ‘know your subject’ when you are photographing birds? You can just find birds all around you and photograph them, can’t you? Sure! But you can add so much purpose, value, and reward to your photographed bird collection by knowing your subjects!
In this article we’re going to look at why it’s a good thing to know your subjects, and how you can achieve that.
Why is it advantageous to know your birds?
It will help you to get special images.
Knowledge of birds – or specific birds – raises your chance to take other than ‘just another photograph’ because it allows you to preempt their next move, or yours. I hope that the following examples would encourage you to get beyond the stage where you just take bird images for identification purposes.
Images of Feeding Birds
An image of a feeding bird is just so much more able to evoke emotions from your viewers. A tiny bird with a worm in its beak will always lead to “aawwws” and “aaaaahs” from whoever is looking at it, especially from your female friends or children.
A raptor with a hyrax or another bird in its claws, still fighting for its life, will always lead to “ewwws” from the same audience and “wows” accompanied by multiple thumbs-ups from your male viewers. In short, it is just so much more rewarding than just another portrait seen a thousand times before.
Nikon D600 + Tamron 150-600mm @ 600mm | f/6.3 | 1/1000s | 400 ISO | Beanbag | Photograph by Tobie Schalkwyk
Knowledge of birds – or specific birds – raises your chance to take other than ‘just another photograph’ because it allows you to preempt their next move, or yours.
Images of Birds Feeding Other Birds
So, why did I not call this section ‘Images of Birds Feeding their Chicks’? That is only one end of the spectrum. Sure, images of birds feeding their chicks are always a winner no matter who’s looking at it.
However, if you really want to feel your heart cringe, look at a tiny wagtail feeding a chick twice its size from one of the cuckoo species – you just know that you’re observing something very special. It’s not only a feeding; it’s a feeding with a history.
Photograph by Tobie Schalkwyk
You are filled with mixed emotions knowing that this chick’s biological mom relentlessly searched all nests in the vicinity a couple of weeks ago. It found this chick’s particular nest (already occupied by eggs) and laid its own (sometimes much bigger) egg amongst them when the parents to-be were away for as little as a few seconds.
If you really want to feel your heart cringe, look at a tiny wagtail feeding a chick twice its size from one of the cuckoo species – you just know that you’re observing something very special.
The cuckoo then hatched first (thanks to the rules set by Mother Nature) and kicked out the un-hatched eggs from the nest. It then pushed its poor unsuspecting surrogate parents to their limits in order to feed it more food than ever needed by its own chick’s much smaller tummies! Now compare all of the above to an ignorant photographer simply photographing ‘a bird feeding another bird’!
Images of Flying Birds
Images of flying birds not only show feather colors and patterns you would not see on a perching bird, but it is also quite challenging – and thus much more rewarding when you manage to take them successfully. Knowledge of when birds are going to take off and the most likely direction of their flight thereafter is a great asset, as is the most likely place where they will land and spend some time.
A Verreaux’s eagle caught bringing in nest-building material. One can get awesome shots just by waiting for their regular returns to the nest! Nikon D600 + Tamron 150-600mm @ 600mm | f/8 | 1/800s | 1000 ISO | Beanbag. Photograph by Tobie Schalkwyk
Images of Birds On/Under Attack
Knowing which birds are prone to attack from other birds may land you a few nice action shots to add to your bird collection. All you have to do when you see one of these birds is wait. It’s a matter of time before you see some action.
Mockingbird attacking a Harris’s Hawk. Canon 1Dx + Canon 600mm f/4 @ 503mm | f/8 | 1/3200s | 1250 ISO. Photograph by Anne Pacheco
Knowledge Helps You Identify and Find Birds
One of the most valuable ‘tools’ in bird photography is to know bird calls. There are few things as satisfying as hearing the call of a bird you still need to tick off on your bird list even before you see it, track it down, and then photograph it.
Sometimes you hear it and cannot find it but you know it’s there. It’s only a matter of time before you’ll run into it – if not today, then on another day!
Books Which Include Bird Calls
Now, if ever there’s a great birthday or Christmas present, then this is it! Be sure that your family knows it!
There are paper-based books available on the market which include bird calls. Some of them include CDs/DVDs with calls. Some of them have a ‘pen’ and when you place its point on a particular bird image, it plays the call for you. It’s excellent learning material!
Do yourself a favor: search for ‘bird books with calls’ on Google and be prepared to be impressed!
Apps Which Include Bird Calls
These are covered in more detail in the ‘Where can I build up my knowledge of birds?’ section below.
Time in the Field
This is probably the most satisfying method of learning bird calls. Go out on bird shoots with bird photographer friends, or with Ornithologists or bird watchers (some people do not photograph birds but still study them).
Or spend time with this same group of people in bird hides. Then don’t be afraid to ask them about bird calls you’re not familiar with!
Where Can I Build Up My Knowledge of Birds
So, where can you extend your knowledge of birds? We are so fortunate to be living in an era when the world has become a very small place as far as the sharing of knowledge is concerned. “Google is your best friend” is not a fantasy; it’s a reality. But it’s not the only source of knowledge: there’s much more, and each has its own advantages.
Let’s look at a few sources of information:
The amount of knowledge available on Google boggles the mind. Once you know which bird you need information about, you just enter its name and click on the Search icon. Or maybe you want to know where to find birds so you search for “bird hides <country/area name>”.
Obviously by entering a bird name you will be served with numerous write-ups and facts about that particular bird. Usually Wikipedia pops up as one of the links. This is usually a very handy link as its content is written and maintained by knowledgeable hobbyists so the information is usually very up to date.
Social Media
Do not underestimate the immense value of social media groups focusing on bird photography. Obviously you would prefer membership of a group involved with birds in your local area or other areas of interest to you.
Do not underestimate the immense value of social media groups focusing on bird photography.
The advantage of groups such as these on Facebook is that the members post daily, up-to-date images of birds accompanied by location details. And you can chat to the members directly to get even more information about their posts!
Some of these groups organize tours, workshops, and other events which are invaluable for building your bird knowledge – and simply to enjoy your hobby!
Forum-Type Birding Sites
One of the best sites I’ve encountered is birdphotographers.net. Some of the best bird photographers around (IMHO) post to this site on a daily basis. Not only can you gain immense knowledge here about bird behavior and locations, but you can even enter your own bird images for constructive critiques.
A Google search for ‘birding forums’ returns a long list of birding forums. Find one that suits your needs best and learn by becoming an active member!
Screenshot by Tobie Schalkwyk
eBooks
Sites like Photzy are invaluable for downloading free (or paid) books about birds. The advantage of these books is that they have been written by someone currently photographing birds, so the information is up to date.
Sites like Amazon also have long lists of birding books, which you can download to your laptop, tablet/iPad, or cell phone. That means you always have it with you on your bird shoots.
Bird Applications (Apps)
This is another great tool for bird photographers. Not only do they offer extensive knowledge about each bird in its library, but some apps even enable you to play back each bird’s call.
Just like eBooks, these apps can be downloaded to a range of devices including your cell phone. It’s literally like having a bird library in your pocket!
Photograph by Tobie Schalkwyk
Bird Books
One could argue that the printed format of bird books are becoming irrelevant with all of the other formats on offer. My paper-based book is still my preferred media, though, because nothing beats the clarity of printed bird images. It always occupies a space in either my camera bag or my laptop bag, and I consult it much more than the (great!) bird app on my tablet.
Photograph by Tobie Schalkwyk
Photograph by Tobie Schalkwyk
Conclusion
One has a choice of just wandering aimlessly through life while snapping photos without meaning or to do so purposefully. There are various ways available to add meaning to your images. One of them is the increase of knowledge about your subjects.
Not only does knowledge help you to plan your photo shoots better by setting goals before a shoot, but it allows you to pre-empt a bird’s – or your – next move in order to get ‘that special shot.’
The most important factor of all: enjoy the hobby but never stop learning!
