Finding Birds: Habitat, Behavior, and the Art of the Search

Finding birds—especially elusive species like warblers, tanagers, and owls—is less about luck and more about learning how birds use the landscape. In this workshop, Matt Perry will guide participants through the skills that experienced birders rely on to consistently locate birds by reading habitat, season, and subtle behavioral cues.

Participants will learn how to recognize key bird habitats, with special attention to breeding habitat and migratory stopover habitat—places where birds pause briefly but predictably during migration. We’ll explore why certain species appear where they do, how weather and timing influence bird movements, and how understanding ecology dramatically improves your chances of finding hard-to-see birds.

The workshop covers bird-finding strategies across a wide range of environments, including cities, grasslands, wetlands, prairies, and forests. You’ll learn how urban green spaces attract migrants, why edge habitats can be exceptionally productive, and how different vegetation structures support different bird communities. Owls, often overlooked or unheard, will receive special attention, with discussion of habitat preferences, seasonal patterns, and effective ways to detect their presence.

Designed for birders of all experience levels, this workshop emphasizes observation, habitat literacy, and practical field strategies you can apply immediately—transforming how you search for birds and how you understand the landscapes they depend on.