Last week, I wrote about some of the least photographed backyard subjects: insects. This week, I’m bringing you some insight into photographing a subject we are all familiar with: birds. People of all ages are fascinated by birds, and with more than 10,000 species on the planet, including the common ground dove (Columbina passerina) shown above, there is a wide variety in most environments. Backyard birds are probably one of the first subjects we ever try to photograph as beginner wildlife photographers, and for many of us, they may even be the reason we picked up a camera in the first place.
Better Habitat = Better Photography Opportunities
When talking about having a natural studio in your backyard, birds typically require a bit more of an established habitat than insects do. There are certain habitat features that can help attract and keep birds visiting and maybe even nesting where you live. Just like any other living creature, the top three things are going to be food, water, and shelter. Depending on where you live and the resources found around you, one or more of these things can be a stronger attractant than others. For example, in the arid or desert regions like those found in the American Southwest or parts of Australia, water might be the single most important factor for getting birds to visit your yard. Seed and nectar feeders are another popular choice. Please be mindful that both feeders and water sources should be cleaned on a regular basis for the health and well-being of your feathered friends.
Having a variety of shrubs and trees nearby is another important factor in maintaining more than just a few transient birds. Trees and shrubs provide birds with shelter from predators and areas where they can rest when they’re not actively feeding. It’s a big bonus if the shrubbery doubles as a native food source! If you are designing your backyard specifically for bird habitat and photography, take into consideration where you want to photograph from and the various heights at which you provide suitable cover for the birds. Low shrubs are great for hiding from hawks but not useful when trying to avoid the free-roaming domestic cats found in so many environments today. This “stacking” of layers also gives you the opportunity to create depth and backgrounds. For the perches themselves, I highly encourage you to revisit the Winter 2022 Journal for Ruth Hoyt’s article titled “The Perch Search.”
In the image below, a female black-chinned hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) sits on a branch next to a Turk’s cap bush, known for its red, nectar-bearing flowers that help sustain hummingbirds throughout the region. While this branch is natural, it is a good representation of a simply angled perch a good distance from the background, and it shows how that can provide an ideal setting.
Once you have the habitat either set up or scouted, consider that birds are most active within about three hours of sunrise and just before sunset. Some species will be more active throughout the day, especially if you have a water feature in a hot, dry climate, but typically the morning is best. Orient yourself facing west if possible so the rising sun will frontlight your subjects. If positioning perches and feeders, consider where eastern light will hit first and how it will progress throughout the morning in relationship to your setup. As birds land prior to availing themselves on the actual feeder, they will orient themselves facing the food source.
Brown Birds for Science
In 2021, the National Audubon Society added a category to their prestigious photo contest — the category of female birds. Why?, you might wonder. Because in 2019, research came out showing that due to the neglect and oversight that bird lovers, photographers, and even researchers had given the females of many species, conservation for these birds was suffering. So frequently we turn our attentions to the males of a subject species in the birding world because they are more colorful and vibrant than their female partners. Females are “drab” in order to provide camouflage while they tend their young. By ignoring the less-vibrant sex of many species, we have much less information about what those females need or what behavioral traits they have when not in close proximity to their male counterparts.
When photographing in your backyard, be sure to show equal attention to both those with brightly colored plumage as well as those dressed down in their appearance. Documenting the diversity in both the species and sex of the birds that visit your plot of land can help inform science of variances between male and female behavior and seasonal distribution.
In the below photo, a Lincoln’s sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) bathes in a shallow man-made pond. I took this photograph from a prone position in a blind. Ensuring I have a fast-enough shutter speed and frame rate to capture the action of the bird while allowing the flying water to streak took a bit of patience, and I only captured it after many tries.
Practice Makes… Well, More Images
Additionally, and what I find most appealing about backyard birding, is that it is an amazing way to continually practice and fine-tune your photography skills. Small birds challenge us in ways few other subjects do. For example, small brown birds often challenge our autofocus systems, so we learn not only the hand-eye coordination for tracking birds, but also how to work within the limitations of our gear. Remember, traditional autofocus systems work off contrast in order to focus. The integration of artificial intelligence technology for actual subject recognition is improving the camera’s capabilities by leaps and bounds, but there are still limitations.
Backyard birds present unique challenges and opportunities, but they can give a photographer endless hours of practice that can also contribute to science. But what about those photographers without access to private green space they can call their own? I wrap up my newsletter series for this month by tackling that question next week.
Until then, go find some LBBs (little brown birds)!