Time to get out the bird watching binoculars! Go Birding Day is celebrated on the last Saturday in April.
There are many animal themed national days during the year (National Golden Retriever Day, National Black Cat Day and Groundhog Day, to name a few!).
This April national day gives us a reason time to check out the activities of our feathered friends, the birds. After all, this day is all about them!
April is a month full of unusual national days. Be sure to check out National Scrabble Day and National Zipper Day, as well.
Fun facts about birds
We all love to look at and hear birds signing, but here are some facts about birds you may not be aware of.
- Lovebirds are one of the main symbols of Valentine’s Day. Doves are also frequently associated with the holiday.
- There are close to 10,000 different species of birds worldwide.
- The ostrich is the largest bird in the world, with cassowary and emus coming in next in size.
- Scientists believe that birds have evolved from dinosaurs.
- The bones of birds are hollow.
- The most common bird is the chicken.
- The bee hummingbird is just 2 inches in size.
- Nearly 2/3 of birds species are found in the rain forests.
- A green woodpecker can eat up to 2000 ants in a day.
- Flamingos pair for a lifetime.
- Lighthouses are a danger to birds. They are attracted to the beams and often fly into the glass and are killed.
Ways to celebrate Go Birding Day
We all love to watch birds, but here are some other great ways to celebrate Go Birding Day.
- Have a family movie night and gather to watch The Angry Birds movie.
- Turn a notebook into a birding journal to remind yourself about your birding activities.
- Check out a bird watching magazine.
- See if there are any birding tours near your location and join in.
- Check out a bird watching app for your phone.
- Read a Birding Magazine.
- Try out some birding binoculars or a birding telescope.
- Build a birdhouse for your garden.
- Share the word on Social media using the hashtags #birdwatching and #gobirdingday.
- And, of course, watch the birds!
Best times to watch birds
Birds can be seen all year long and all day long, but there are certain times of the year when there are more of them around.
- Spring and fall are the times when birds migrate so you are more likely to see lots of them in action.
- When birds breed they are less active but their colors are more vibrant. Spring is the typical breeding season.
Understanding birds is also a key to knowing when to look for them. These are the times of the day when you are more likely to see more birds.
- Feeding times are often early morning when birds will be on the looking for insects warmed by the rising sun.
- The sounds of birds carry farther in the early morning, so this is a good time for bird watchers to be on the lookout using their ears.
- Mid-afternoon is the time to look for birds when they are sunning
- Look mid day near water sources since this is most likely to be the time to find birds drinking and taking a bath.
There are more than 1500 national days in a year. The list of national days in May has over 100 of them, alone, and May is right around the corner! Be sure to check back often to see what national days we are featuring on the site.
And if you love to do puzzles, be sure to print out the May word search puzzle. It has some of the national days in a fun word find puzzle.
For other fun national days in April, have a look at National Garlic Day, National Picnic Day, National Scrabble day, and National Pet Day. Plus, check out our YouTube video for more national days this month!
How do you plan to celebrate Go Birding Day?
Eagle-Eye
Monday 7th of November 2022
Great Article!