Bird Study

Scouts BSA · Merit Badge · Nature

Birds are everywhere, and once you start noticing them, you'll see and hear them all the time. This badge teaches you to identify birds by sight and sound and to help protect them. All you need is curiosity, a notebook, and some time outdoors.

Why it's worth it

Once you learn to tell a house finch from a house sparrow, you can't stop noticing birds: on power lines, in parking lots, and singing outside your window before school. Bird Study teaches you to identify birds by sight and sound and to read what they say about the health of a place. Your sightings can even help real scientists, since thousands of volunteers report bird counts every year. It's a hobby you can do anywhere, for free, for the rest of your life.

Start this week

Spend 15 minutes at a window or in a yard or park and write down every bird you see or hear, even if you only know it as "small brown bird."
Ask your Scoutmaster for the name of a Bird Study counselor, and send them a short message with a parent copied to set up a first meeting.
Borrow a field guide for your region from the library, or ask your counselor about free bird ID apps, and look up two birds you already know.
Start a field notebook with columns for date, time, place, weather, species, and notes.

Requirements · 13

Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab) (updated 2025).

Requirement 1
Explain why we study birds, why they're good signs of how healthy the environment is, and how they fit into the ecosystem
Tip: Think about what changes in bird numbers might tell us about clean air, water, and healthy habitats.
For example: Explain how birds work like an early warning system: when bald eagles and peregrine falcons declined because of the pesticide DDT, it showed the chemical was building up in the food chain. When DDT was banned, both species recovered.
Requirement 2
Bird anatomy terms
Tips for this section: Draw a bird from a photo and label its parts. Use the labels when you describe birds in your notes.
1. Requirement 2a
  Sketch or trace a perched bird and label 15 of its parts
2. Requirement 2b
  Sketch or trace an outstretched wing and label 6 kinds of wing feathers
Requirement 3
Binoculars, scopes, and monoculars
Tips for this section: Practice focusing binoculars on a still object before trying moving birds. Keep the lenses capped when not in use.
1. Requirement 3a
  Explain what the specification numbers mean on your binoculars, spotting scope, or monocular
2. Requirement 3b
  Show how to adjust the eyepiece and focus for a clear view
3. Requirement 3c
  Show how to care for and clean the lenses correctly
4. Requirement 3d
  Describe when and where each kind of viewing device works best
Requirement 4
Show you can use a bird field guide: find and point out to your counselor the range map's wintering, breeding, and/or year-round range for one species of each type below
Tip: Look up a bird you already know in a field guide and study its range map. Learn how the guide is organized.
1. Requirement 4a
  A seabird
2. Requirement 4b
  A plover
3. Requirement 4c
  A falcon or hawk
4. Requirement 4d
  A warbler or vireo
5. Requirement 4e
  A heron or egret
6. Requirement 4f
  A sparrow
Requirement 5
Watch for and learn to identify 20 wild bird species, keeping a field notebook with a separate entry for each that records the details below from your observations and other sources
Tip: Start in your own yard or a local park. Write the date, place, and what you saw for each bird in your notebook.
For example: Each species gets its own entry. One might read: "Mallard. May 3, 7:15 a.m., city park pond, open water with grassy banks. Feeds mostly on the water by tipping up; probably eats water plants and insects. Lives here all year." Twenty species over a few weeks of outings adds up fast.
1. Requirement 5a
  Record the date and time
2. Requirement 5b
  Record the location and habitat
3. Requirement 5c
  Describe where the bird mainly feeds and list 2 foods it probably eats
4. Requirement 5d
  Record whether it migrates through or lives in your area in summer, in winter, or all year
Requirement 6
Describe to your counselor how some orders of birds are specially adapted to their habitats, including the size and shape of the features below
Tip: Compare beaks, feet, and wings of different birds, like ducks and hawks, and how they fit where each bird lives.
For example: Compare two orders: ducks have webbed feet for paddling and flat bills for straining food from water, while hawks have hooked beaks for tearing and sharp talons for grabbing prey. Then add a third, like woodpeckers with stiff tails that prop them against trees.
1. Requirement 6a
  Beak
2. Requirement 6b
  Body
3. Requirement 6c
  Legs and feet
4. Requirement 6d
  Feathers and plumage
Requirement 7
Explain why birds sing and how songs differ from calls; identify 5 of your 20 notebook species by sound alone, and for each, describe the sound, the bird's behavior, and why you think it made it
Tip: Listen early in the morning. Free bird sound apps and websites can help you match songs to species.
For example: Learn songs with memory phrases: the American robin sounds like "cheerily, cheer-up," the black-capped chickadee says its own name, and the barred owl asks "who cooks for you?" Listen at dawn for a week to pick out five.
Requirement 8
Birding with others. Choose 1 of 3
Tips for this section: Local Audubon chapters and nature centers often run bird walks and counts that welcome beginners.
Example for this section: Go birding with a nature center or club and list everything the group spots, look up the results of your nearest Christmas Bird Count, or help at a bird-banding station run by a licensed bander. Note what was counted, how it was recorded, and where the data goes.
1. Requirement 8a
  Go birding with a local club or other people who know the birds in your area
  1. Requirement 8a1
    Make a list, or complete a checklist, of every bird your group spotted
  2. Requirement 8a2
    Tell your counselor what birds the group found and why some species were plentiful and others scarce
  3. Requirement 8a3
    Tell your counselor why the area you visited is a good place to find birds
2. Requirement 8b
  Using a library, the internet, or the National Audubon Society, find the nearest Christmas Bird Count and get the results of a recent count
  1. Requirement 8b1
    Explain what kinds of information the yearly count gathers
  2. Requirement 8b2
    Tell your counselor which species were most common and why they're so plentiful
  3. Requirement 8b3
    Tell your counselor which species were uncommon and why; if their numbers are dropping, explain why and what could be done to turn it around
3. Requirement 8c
  Help with a bird banding program run by an approved state or federal agency, a university researcher, a bird observatory, or a certified private bander
  1. Requirement 8c1
    Explain who is allowed to band birds and why
  2. Requirement 8c2
    Explain the reasons birds are banded
  3. Requirement 8c3
    Explain which kinds of birds are banded
  4. Requirement 8c4
    Tell how the birds were caught, how many species were recorded while you were there, and what you did in the program
Requirement 9
Attract birds. Choose 1 of 5
Tips for this section: Pick a project you can keep up, and place it where you can watch birds visit from a window.
Example for this section: Build a simple nest box sized for a bird that lives near you, like a bluebird or wren. Mount it on a post with a predator guard, face the hole away from strong winds, and check it from a distance once a week.
1. Requirement 9a
  Build a bird feeder and set it in a good spot in your yard or elsewhere; describe which birds you hope to attract and why, and the upkeep it needs
2. Requirement 9b
  Build a birdbath and set it in a good spot; describe which birds you hope to attract and why, and the upkeep it needs
3. Requirement 9c
  Make a backyard bird sanctuary with trees and shrubs you plant to give birds food and shelter; describe which birds you hope to attract and why, and the upkeep it needs
4. Requirement 9d
  Build a nest box for a species you choose from counselor-approved plans; describe which birds you hope to attract and why, and the upkeep it needs
5. Requirement 9e
  Describe what a backyard bird habitat needs in a particular area and sketch a plan listing target birds and plants for food, cover, and nesting; explain your choices and the upkeep it needs
Requirement 10
Endangered and declining birds
Tips for this section: Learn about one endangered bird and what people are doing to help it recover.
1. Requirement 10a
  Explain how extinct, endangered, and threatened differ
2. Requirement 10b
  Name an endangered or threatened bird, explain why it declined, and discuss with your counselor how to reverse the decline and help get it off the list
3. Requirement 10c
  Explain how to help declining birds before they become endangered or threatened: list ways to protect habitat, name threats migratory birds face, and tell how to protect their food supply
Requirement 11
Name a non-native bird (brought to North America from another country since 1800) and describe how non-native birds can harm the ecosystem
Tip: Find out which non-native birds live near you and how they affect native birds.
For example: The European starling was brought to North America in the 1890s and now numbers in the millions. Explain how starlings compete with native cavity-nesters like bluebirds and woodpeckers for nest holes.
Requirement 12
Discuss why Leave No Trace's Seven Principles and the Outdoor Code matter for bird study, and explain how you followed them in natural areas while observing, collecting, and identifying
Tip: Watch birds from a respectful distance and stay away from nests so you don't disturb them.
Requirement 13
Careers and hobbies. Choose 1 of 2
Tips for this section: Ask a wildlife biologist, park naturalist, or longtime birder how they got started.
1. Requirement 13a
  Name 3 careers that use bird study; research one's training, education, certification, experience, costs, job outlook, starting pay, and advancement, and discuss with your counselor whether it interests you
2. Requirement 13b
  Find how bird study could become a hobby for you; research extra training, costs, and helpful organizations, then discuss with your counselor and share your short- and long-term goals for it

Places to visit

Ask an adult to set it up, and go with your family, den, patrol, or crew.

A nature center or wildlife refuge
Naturalists lead bird walks, and refuges often have viewing platforms, feeders, and blinds where birds come close.
How: Have an adult check the refuge or center's calendar for guided walks, and go with your family or patrol. Bring binoculars if you can; some centers lend them.
A bird-banding station
Watching trained banders measure and release birds up close is unforgettable, and it counts toward requirement 8.
How: Your counselor or a parent contacts a local bird observatory, refuge, or university and asks about public banding demonstrations.
A local birding club walk
Experienced birders can teach you to identify birds by sound and behavior much faster than learning alone.
How: An adult finds a local Audubon chapter or bird club and checks for beginner-friendly walks. Go with a parent.

Where it can lead

Wildlife biologistStudies bird populations and habitats for state and federal agencies.
OrnithologistA scientist who researches birds, often at a university or museum.
Park naturalistLeads bird walks and teaches visitors about wildlife.
Wildlife rehabilitatorCares for injured or orphaned birds until they can be released; requires state permits and training.
Field technicianCounts birds, checks nests, and collects data on seasonal research crews; a common first job in wildlife.

Ask yourself

Which birds do you already notice, and which ones do you wish you could name?
What was the hardest bird to identify, and what finally clinched it?
How has learning bird songs changed what you hear on a walk?
What did you learn about your neighborhood's environment from the birds that live there?
What could you do this year to make your yard, school, or campsite better for birds?

Good questions to ask an experienced birder or wildlife biologist

What bird got you hooked, and where did you see it?
How do you identify a bird that flies off before you get a good look?
What changes have you noticed in local birds over the years?
How does the information volunteers report actually help scientists?
What's a bird near here I should try to find this season?

Helpful reads

For leaders & parents

Plan an early-morning bird walk with a local birding group.
Encourage scouts to keep a bird list on every campout.

People & places that can help

Merit badge counselor — Talk with them early; they can explain what's expected.
National Audubon Society (opens in a new tab) — Bird information and local chapters with bird walks.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology - All About Birds (opens in a new tab) — Bird photos, sounds, and identification help.
Local nature center or park — Guided walks and naturalists who know local birds.
eBird (opens in a new tab) — Cornell Lab's checklist tool, where you can see which birds have been reported near you.
Project FeederWatch (opens in a new tab) — Count the birds at a feeder over the winter and send your counts to scientists.
NestWatch (opens in a new tab) — Nest box plans for different species and how to monitor nests without disturbing them.
USGS Bird Banding Laboratory (opens in a new tab) — How banding works and what to do if you find a banded bird.
American Bird Conservancy (opens in a new tab) — Threats to birds and what people are doing to protect endangered species.

Into this? Explore more

Animals, Pets, wildlife, birds, bugs, and farm animals

Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.