Learn the birds of Maryland & DC
72 birds in 12 short units, from your backyard to Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac, Appalachian ridges and city parks. By sight, sound and story, with real photos and recordings.
- Free, no ads
- No sign-up
- Phone, tablet or computer
A few you’ll meet first
Northern CardinalPhoto: The Cosmonaut · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist 
Double-crested CormorantPhoto: Mdf · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons 
Wood DuckPhoto: James M. Maley · CC BY · iNaturalist 
Canada GoosePhoto: Tser · CC BY · iNaturalist
The course
Each unit is a small group of birds, easiest first, with look-alikes kept apart. Meet them, learn them by sight, sound and story, then finish with a Field test. The units get harder as you go.
Maryland & DC Essentials
- Unit 1: Gentle startNorthern Cardinal, Eastern Bluebird, Mourning Dove, Northern Mockingbird, Great Blue Heron and House Sparrow
- Unit 2: Gentle startDouble-crested Cormorant, American Robin, Mallard, Red-winged Blackbird, Blue Jay, Ring-billed Gull and Green Heron
- Unit 3: Gentle startWood Duck, European Starling, Downy Woodpecker, White-throated Sparrow, Carolina Wren and Bald Eagle
- Unit 4: Building upCanada Goose, Red-shouldered Hawk, Song Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Black Vulture and Osprey
- Unit 5: Building upRed-bellied Woodpecker, Turkey Vulture, Tufted Titmouse, Common Grackle, Gray Catbird and Dark-eyed Junco
- Unit 6: Building upCarolina Chickadee, Red-tailed Hawk, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Finch and Chipping Sparrow
Beyond the Basics
- Unit 7: SteadyBrown-headed Cowbird, Belted Kingfisher, Pileated Woodpecker, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Common Yellowthroat, Great Egret and Wild Turkey
- Unit 8: SteadyNorthern Flicker, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Cedar Waxwing, Eastern Phoebe and Hooded Merganser
- Unit 9: SteadyEastern Towhee, Brown Thrasher, Tree Swallow, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Ring-necked Duck and Black-crowned Night Heron
- Unit 10: HardestBufflehead, Indigo Bunting, Hermit Thrush, Eastern Kingbird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Barn Swallow and American Crow
- Unit 11: HardestKilldeer, American Herring Gull, Swamp Sparrow, Yellow-crowned Night Heron and Eastern Wood-Pewee
- Unit 12: HardestLaughing Gull, Barred Owl, Common Merganser, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Cooper’s Hawk and Great Crested Flycatcher