Learn birding, one video at a time
Birding YouTube is wonderful and completely uncurated — so we curate it. The best tutorials from Cornell Lab, Badgerland Birding, Lesley the Bird Nerd and more, sorted by where you are on the Flight Path and playable right here.
Level 0: The Curious
Birdwatching 101: 10 Essential Tips for Beginners
A friendly 10-tip primer that answers 'where do I even start?' before you buy any gear.
▶ Bright-Eyed Birding Learn
Bird Watching for Beginners
A gentle overview of what birding is and how to notice birds around you day to day.
▶ Royal Botanical Gardens
Inside Birding: Size and Shape
The single most useful ID skill from the experts: recognizing a bird by its shape, not just color.
▶ Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Level 1: The Backyard Host
Bird Feeding 101: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Backyard Bird Feeding
A complete walkthrough of feeder types, seeds, and placement to get birds visiting fast.
▶ Badgerland Birding
How to Attract Hummingbirds — Recipe and Expert Q&A
The trusted nectar recipe plus expert answers on drawing hummingbirds to your yard.
▶ Smithsonian's National Zoo
A Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder That Works — Easy DIY Under $20
A cheap, practical fix for the #1 beginner frustration: squirrels stealing all the seed.
▶ UnchartedDIY
Level 2: The Fledgling
Birding 101: Mastering Binoculars for Beginners
Teaches you to actually find and focus on a bird through binoculars without losing it.
▶ Badgerland Birding
Merlin Bird ID Demo from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
The official demo of the free Merlin app that IDs birds by photo, sound, or a few questions.
▶ Cornell Lab of Ornithology
How to Pick the Perfect Birding Binoculars (First Time!)
Straight advice on magnification and price so your first binocular purchase isn't a mistake.
▶ Better Birders
Level 3: The Field Birder
Birding by Ear: A Beginner's Guide to Bird Songs and Calls
Your entry into birding by ear — identifying birds by sound, the field birder's superpower.
▶ Detroit Bird Alliance
Learn to Identify 10 Common Sparrows
Demystifies the notoriously tricky 'little brown jobs' with clear side-by-side tips.
▶ Badgerland Birding
Birding Warblers
Field tips from Cornell experts for spotting and IDing fast-moving migratory warblers.
▶ Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Level 4: The Advanced Birder
Bird Photography Tips Even Professionals Miss (ft. Simon d'Entremont)
Pro-level bird photography technique from one of the most respected wildlife shooters online.
▶ Wilder
Complete Guide to Digiscoping
Learn to shoot distant birds through a spotting scope — the affordable path to big reach.
▶ Doug Hitchcox
The Warbler Guide — Cornell Lab Seminar
A deep-dive seminar on advanced warbler ID for birders ready to level up.
▶ Cornell Alumni Association
Gear the pros in these videos use
Good glass and a smart feeder make everything you just watched easier — our top pick in each.
Videos are embedded from their creators' public YouTube channels; all credit and views go to them. Know a tutorial we should feature? Email hello@birdingpath.com.