Birding Life list

What’s a Birding Life List?

A life list is a special list where you keep track of every kind of wild bird you’ve ever seen, anywhere, anytime.

When you see a bird that’s new to you, it’s called a lifer. That means it’s the first time ever that you’ve spotted that bird (it's okay to add birds you've already seen before if you're just starting out)!

Why Make One?

• It’s fun to see how many birds you’ve found over time.

• You can look back and remember cool adventures (like the time you saw that bright yellow bird at Grandma’s house!).

• You get to "collect" birds, just like your badges!

How to Start

• Look outside or go for a walk.

• When you spot a bird you don’t know, try to figure out what it is (you can use a field guide or the Merlin bird ID app).

• Write it down in a notebook, nature journal, or print out a life list to fill in (like the one at the bottom of this page)!

• Boom! 💥 You’ve got your first lifer!

Keep It Going!

You can make your list as simple or fancy as you want. Some kids keep track of:

• What kind of bird they saw

• Where they saw each bird

• The date they spotted it

• What the bird was doing

• A drawing or little sketch

Tip: You don’t have to be a bird expert to start, just be curious and keep looking up! 🦅