It works with owls…
It works with hawks…
It works with bears, cats & weasels…
It even works with deer & startled rabbits!
Bird language is the art of finding wild animals by listening for bird alarms, but it’s also more than that.
Bird language is truly one of the best ways to transform your relationship with nature!
So how can YOU actually get solid bird language skills?
Just follow this 5 step formula for discovering bird language in your home landscape…
Imagine being able to locate wild animals like cats, hawks & bears just by listening to sounds made by birds…
Are you ready to stop scaring animals and open a new world of natural discovery every time you step outside?
I can help you do it!
One of my greatest passions is helping people reconnect with nature through the art and science of bird language.
These videos are just a taste of what you’ll discover inside my complete online course for bird language learners.
It’s called the Bird Language Blueprint and it’s designed to help you:
- Learn the alarms of your local birds
- Tune your senses with simple nature awareness activities
- Get closer to local wildlife (or avoid the dangerous ones)
- Build your outdoor comfort and confidence
- Multiply the fun factor every time you step foot outside
- Transform your relationship with nature by watching birds
Brian, I was very glad to watch this video; the stages/steps are clearly needed in my situation. As to the Stealth Techniques, I am hoping that these are possible given hip surgery and age (almost 70). These don’t discourage me, knowing I must go slower across the landscape, but am wondering about my levels of endurance in Texas heat. Late afternoons seem the only time to practice what I learn, with the heat and my schedule. However, I am highly motivated to get going in the longer coursework and will continue to read more of your articles in this website. As to Choosing the Best Place to Practice, I have discovered that the nesting barn swallows on the front porch precludes that side of the house, which faces west. So will investigate the east side in the next few days. There is no human, dog, or vehicle traffic there, so am guessing it will be the better location.
Hi Grace, it’s all about working with your own personal strengths and limitations. In the full course, we’ll cover multiple strategies for investigating alarms. Some of them are more active & physical, but others are much more stillness & awareness oriented.
Believe it or not, you’ll be able to use those physical limitations to your advantage because the condition of your body has a real effect on how the birds & animals perceive you. You are less threatening to animals in that condition, but your mind can still be free.
In fact, sometimes elders can be wayyy more stealthy than young people because they’ve learned to rely on wisdom & awareness rather than youthful physical talent.
The trick is finding your own personal sweet spot between what your body is capable of doing, while keeping your awareness open to what’s happening with the birds.
Brian, I am very much encouraged by your reply. Having to slow down has, gratefully, increased my observation range and time spent. Too, having to think further ahead before setting out somewhere helps me question the where and what in greater detail. As to your note that ‘the condition of your body has a real effect on how the birds & animals perceive you’, I’ve noticed that since I move much slower and with less energy, the animals are less frantic with my moving around outside. That’s why I was surprised with becoming the focal point of the swallows’ alarm calls. And yes, I do have to keep aware of body position/movement when outside, but thankfully, it hasn’t hindered awareness nor enjoyment of those I share it with.
Hi Brian! Thanks for all the information. Living on the countryside, and enjoying the ‘silence’, I had some clues, but you made me much more aware of what there is to hear and possibilities to interprete it. Great! I guess trushes are the number one keystone-species around here. I’m listing their calls.
A question: noticing that some birds get alarmed by binoculars, no matter how careful I am, I wonder about monoculars. Are they less threatening, less ‘eyes-like’? Would you recommend them?
Greetings from Brazil! 🦜🦜🦜
Hi Gerrie! Do you mean thrushes? Birds in the thrush family are fantastic teachers of bird language so definitely keep going with them.
In general any kind of direct attention you put on the birds can be interpreted as a threat, especially if you’re in a more remote area where they’re less comfortable with people.
The fear response will be greatly reduced if you keep more distance between you and the birds, or if you sit still for awhile before pointing your focus directly at them.
I would recommend sitting for awhile and really let them drop into a more relaxed body language and behavior. Then you’ll be able to look directly at them without causing a big response. Hope that helps!
Thanks again!
And yes, sorry, thrushes. A couple of pale-breasted thrushes trained me to collect the cat when she is bothering them 😉. I still wonder why they continue building their nests in the porch year after year; apparently life is dangerous everywhere!
‘Binoculars fear’ is much more common on walks, so true. Even when birds are comfortable enough not to fly away, binoculars can cause just that. But stillness and alertness are no baseline behaviour – I’ll go more slowly!
Grateful 🪶