Learning to Fly: A Simple Guide to Birding in Wetlands

Written on: September 24th, 2025 in Education and Outreach, Wetland Animals

By Olivia Allread, DNREC’s Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program

Anything new certainly can be intimidating. Sports, art mediums, cooking, recreational activities, you name it, they all have their own culture and lingo that some spend a lifetime mastering. Particularly in the natural resource world, certain topics or hobbies can sometimes come off as an exclusive club, only open to those who can earn their invitation. But in our modern environmental age, as we face a global climate crisis, it’s critical for us to even the playing field and make the outdoors more user-friendly to all. For someone to care about a resource or know its importance they need to find it accessible. So, for this blog installment we want to set you up for success for birdwatching. Anyone who enjoys birds – wherever, however – should be able to call themselves a birder. With 25% of Delaware’s land area made up of wetlands, these habitats make birding easy, reachable, and exciting. No matter your skill level, here is our simple guide to birding in wetlands.

*A great blue heron, Ardea herodias, walking through a tidal wetland.*

Set the scene and get yourself to a wetland. Luckily for us in Delaware, we have many fabulous birding spots that are inherently connected to or in wetland areas, plus offer year-round species. With 17 state parks and over 25,000 acres of protected recreation space, you can easily stop by one of these places with your Delaware State Parks Pass or for free in the off-season. Our shorelines along Kent and Sussex counties have been called one of the shorebird capitals of the world where hundreds of thousands of migratory shorebirds fly in during the spring and fall. Counted among Delaware’s birding hot spots are two of the most famous national wildlife refuges in the eastern United States: Prime Hook and Bombay Hook. DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife manages approximately 68,000 acres of Delaware land at 19 public wildlife areas, creating even more space for you to roam in search of wetland bird species. But the abundance doesn’t stop there; our lands owned by non-profits, county and local parks, and even our backyards become places to observe and learn about bird species.

Grab a pair of binoculars. This one is straight to the point. You don’t need fancy equipment or expensive gear to see birds; look for a pair in your particular price range and just go for it. Don’t forget to practice getting your binoculars in focus and play around with them at home before you head out the door.

As you start your birding adventures, make it easy on yourself. Do some investigating and head to wetland areas where you think you’ll have a good view with a wide range of species. A viewing platform, bench, or trail is a good start. At these places you can stay still and allow the birds to come into view while you scan the area. This also gives you the opportunity to visually explore a habitat and check for birds that are more elusive or that you initially did not see. Many wetland birds spend most of their life within a specific type of habitat, so getting to know different types of wetlands will help you home in on where birds are most likely to spend their time.

Once your feet are wet, look at more specific details. Think about the general, physical description of the bird. Is it large or small? What color is its beak? Does it have a long tail or short tail? What do their wings look like? The physical impressions of a bird could enable you to start identifying its common name or family. Bird movement and behavior also holds value to help narrow down your choices. Looking at characteristics such as flock size, if it is solitary or in a group, flight patterns, feeding behavior, or movement in water are good to keep in mind when birding. Also take into consideration the bird’s migration needs and read up on where a species would turn up and at what time of year. This is especially important for those migratory species that are more sought after or only stay in a wetland habitat for a small window of time.

*An example of how to browse birds by taxonomy (common name or family name) on All About Birds.*

Get to know the anatomy of a bird. So, you’ve narrowed choices down by looking at wetland habitat, size and color, behavior, etc., but you need a bit more information to make a successful identification. Queue in learning the parts of a bird. This may seem daunting at first but can really come in handy when in the field. For example, wing patterns are a key identifying feature on many wetland birds and can occasionally point to one common species in a group. Getting to know basic parts is an ideal starting point, as they are easy to see and relatively large. Don’t be afraid to print pictures as a cheat sheet – this will also help you when talking to other birders or when using a bird ID guide.

*Example diagrams of bird parts and field marks (Photo Credits: Cornell Lab and Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust)*

Use your ears. When you’re feeling more confident, focus on bird songs and calls, as they are extremely helpful to learn. Knowing them can instantly allow you to identify wetland birds even when you can’t see them. Download one of the popular apps like Merlin Bird ID, Audubon Bird Guide, or Sibley Birds that use stored audio files and AI to listen to the bird call and immediately tell you what the bird is. In addition to songs and calls, these apps provide access to maps, photos, and personal record keeping of your birding adventures.

Birdwatching Code of Conduct

Respecting our wetland habitats while still getting the most out of your birdwatching experience is of the utmost importance. With many species facing increasing pressures from environmental changes, it’s also our responsibility to make sure we protect them and the wetlands where they live. Below are some quick tips to have a safe and successful birding adventure while having bird welfare come first.

Keep to the edge of a habitat or where the birds are used to seeing people; wetlands can be tricky, challenging places to traverse in without the proper gear or skillset
Wait for the birds to come near to you; it’s easy to work out how close you can get before you’re in danger of scaring them away
Think about predators and surrounding animals; dogs, nest predators, children, larger mammals, etc. can all react to your presence and disturb the birdwatching area
Avoid using song playback to encourage birds to show themselves; during the breeding season this can lead to unnecessary stress and energy expenditure for the birds
Know your hunting seasons; during fall and winter make sure you know you’re not in an active hunting area and dress in visible colors
Never scare or flush anything on purpose to get a better view; it’s detrimental to the bird’s wellbeing and means it’s unlikely to be seen by other birders arriving after you

Birding in wetlands is truly a wonderful activity. It captures us, it gets us outside, helps us connect with others, and hopefully even brings us to a happier place. There is no shortage of activity to join in on – up to half of North America’s bird species rely on wetlands for survival and there are around 430 bird species in Delaware alone. One of the best parts about birding is that it is modifiable. You can enjoy birds by car, trail, home, blind, sight, or sound. This opens the doors of accessibility for different skill levels as well as varying physical or mental abilities (shoutout to Birdability). As the number of birders increases, so does the opportunity to make conservation and research efforts more impactful. Our advances in technology with apps and digital cameras have helped identifying and appreciating birds easier than ever, drawing in a broader more inclusive audience. Regardless of age, background, or location you can experience the joy and wonder of birding. Delaware’s 296,000 acres of wetlands are waiting for you, now spread your wings and fly.