Drawing Birds in Their Habitat

        The love of birds is an instinctive appreciation of nature. Woods and water appeal to all humankind in some degree, but the full enjoyment of the outdoor world comes only to those who know its habitats. Bird life is of all such study the most fascinating to young students.
       Below are three pages of hand drawn birds on top of a grid. The grid helps students determine proportions of what they are observing. Along with the grid are notes describing the characteristic features of each bird drawn. Taking notes such as these in a journal can help students remember what they see so that they may paint their observations in color at a later date.
       You may print out the three pages here to include in a birding journal of your own. Take a journal with you to camp this summer or start a journal based upon the birds you observe in your own backyard! Either way, you are sure to record some interesting discoveries as you go.

Birds Drawn and Recorded Above:

1. Catbird - The general color is slate, paler below. The underside of the rump is reddish brown. 
2. House Wren - is reddish brown on top and dirty white below. It has brown tints on breast, wings and tail are barred. 5" in length.
   
3. King Bird - is dark ash, beneath white shading into light ash. It's head is black with a spot of red in erectile crest. The tail is black edged with white. Bill and feet are black. 8 1/2" long.
   
4. Red-eyed Vireo - is light olive-green with a darker crown, white streak in back of eye, cheeks pale green, eyes red, throat and breast yellowish. Underneath it is white shading into light yellow to the rump. The tail and wings are brown, feet are grey and length is 6 1/4".
   
5. Barn Swallow - it is steel-blue, the throat and forehead deep chestnut. Beneath it is light chestnut. There is a blue band across the breast, wings and bill are black. Tail is black, spotted with white. It has purple legs and is 7 inches in length.
   

Birds Drawn and Recorded Above:

1. Robin - is olive-gray on the back of it's head, with a white and black streaked throat, black eye-lids and a spot before eye, white breast and underneath parts are reddish brown. Wings are brown, tail is black, bill is yellow. Length is 10 inches.
   
2. Bluebird - is azure blue above, throat and breast are reddish brown; it is dull white beneath, bill and legs are black. Length 7 inches.
   
3. Song Sparrow - is streaked with white, black and brown colors. Top of head is chestnut, Under parts are white streaked with black and brown too. Brown stripe behind the eye. Wing feathers are edged with red. Tail is brown, bill and feet are pale brown. Length 6 1/2 in.
4. Cowbird - General color is iridescent black. It's head and neck are dark brown. Bill and feet are black. Length is 8 inches.
   
5. Red-winged Blackbird - General color is greenish black, shoulders crimson edged with bull. Bill and legs are black. Length is 9 1/2"
   

Birds Drawn and Recorded Above:

1. Rose-breasted Grosbeak - is black, with black throat, the breast and lining of wings are rose-red. Underneath it is white, two white bands on the wings, tail patched with white. Length 8 1/10"
   
2. Flicker - it's sides of head, throat and breast are brown. It has black patches on the cheeks, black crescent on breast. On it's back it is brown barred with black; scarlet crescent on back of neck. Underneath gray with black spots. The tail is black above and yellow under. Length 12 3/8"
   
3. Chipping Sparrow - Crown red-brown; forehead is black, light streak over the eye, black streak through the eye. Underneath and back of the neck are gray. It's back is streaked with black and dull red. Length 5 1/3"
   
4. Whip-poor-will - is mottled all over with red-brown, dark gray and dull white color. It has a white collar on it's neck and many bristles around it's mouth. The length of this bird is 9 3/4 inches.
5. Oven-bird - olive-green, a lateral stripe of brownish orange on crown, inclosed by stripes of black. Light ring around this bird's eye, underneath white with spots and streaks of black; it's length is 6 1/6 inches.