Build Your Bird Watching Skills
Organized according to the waves of migration that wow us each spring, you’ll be more than ready to greet the birds in your neighborhood by name.
- Get to know your local birds and know when to look for them each spring.
- Gain confidence in bird ID by learning key field marks and habitat choices.
- Understand bird behavior, including song, migration, nesting, and more.
Spring Field Ornithology—Northeast
- Lessons inside: 16
- Completion time (estimated): 20 hours
- Instructional videos: 16
- Total instructional video time: 12.75 hours
- Level: Beginner
- Categories: Bird Identification, Bird Biology, Nature Appreciation
- Regionality: United States/Canada – Northeast
- CEU credits: 2.0 (optional additional purchase)
- Self-paced, no expiration date, 100% online
- 60-day refund guarantee
Why I Made This Course
"Learn bird identification and sharpen your field skills with help from an exciting group of world-renowned birders. You’ll build your confidence in identifying the birds around you and deepen your understanding of bird biology with video instruction and custom bird ID quizzes. Whether it’s spring or you’re looking ahead, this course is designed to get you ready to enjoy new bird-watching experiences."
What's Inside
Spring Field Ornithology builds on a more than 40-year tradition at the Cornell Lab of offering spring training to help you tune in to birds. This offers 16 prerecorded lectures covering bird ID, biology, and conservation, 7 bird identification quizzes, and links to help you learn more on each topic. The birds featured frequent the eastern U.S. and Canada (east of Oklahoma up to Saskatchewan) and extend as far south as Florida.
Try a Sample Quiz
Explore questions from Spring Field Ornithology's Bird ID Quizzes.
Try Out the QuizCourse Overview
Build your strategies for bird watching and identification and meet the Northeast’s most notable winter residents.
Conservation success stories presented by one of the world’s foremost seabird restoration experts—your instructor, Dr. Steve Kress.
Learn the common duck species as well as a variety of other waterfowl you can expect to encounter in the East.
Explore how the practice of eBirding can help you with your birding and transform our collective understanding of bird movements—from guest eBirder Ian Davies.
Learn about the fascinating hawks and owls you can expect to see in the Northeast.
Get familiar with the migratory patterns of birds and the science behind how they are able to navigate continents and oceans.
Get to know the shorebirds you can expect to find in the Northeast region—from guest ornithologist Dr. Kevin McGowan.
Learn how birds use song and other courtship displays to woo mates, defend territory, and impress human listeners.
Get familiar which early migrants come through the Northeast each spring and what draws them on their migratory journeys.
Explore the fascinating biology of eggs and nests—from guest lecturer Robyn Bailey the project leader for NestWatch.
Meet the late landbird migrants that you can expect to see in the Northeast— from guest ornithologist Dr. Ken Rosenberg.
Tour the bird collections in the Cornell Museum of Vertebrates with guest ornithologist Dr. Kevin McGowan.
Jump-start your warbler and vireo identification skills so you can better enjoy these small gems.
Learn how we can protect neotropical songbirds—from guest ornithologist Dr. Ken Rosenberg.
Join Dr. John Fitzpatrick, Director of the Cornell Lab as he explores his vision for how birds can save the world.
Get familiar with techniques and strategies for attracting birds to your yard.
Meet the Course Instructor
Spring Field Ornithology—Northeast
Hear What Students Have to Say
I enjoyed and learned from everything! I especially liked the practical knowledge—photos, descriptions. I liked the ID clues that birders actually use—those are helpful and fun! I enjoyed every lecture." Bird Academy Student
The whole course was interesting and useful, but the bird ID tips were especially so (shorebirds are difficult!). I also especially appreciated the tips about how the individual birder can make a difference and contribute in a meaningful way to the understanding and conservation of birds, on both a local and international level." Bird Academy Student
The overview of eBird and the global impact of birds for the health of the planet was most powerful." Bird Academy Student
This Course is Entirely Online
There’s nothing to be shipped, and no additional material is necessary. Bird Academy courses are online, self-paced, and there is no deadline to complete them. You can return to them for reference or practice as often as you want. All course material, practice tools, instructional videos, and quizzes are available through your web browser. Learn anytime, anywhere*. Gain the skills and understanding you’re looking for.
*Requires an internet connection and a modern web browser.
Course Instructor: Stephen Kress
Guest Instructors: Kevin McGowan, Ian Davies, Robin Bailey, Ken Rosenberg, John Fitzpatrick
Course Developer: Marc Devokaitis
Instructional Designer: Mya Thompson
Web Designer: Jeff Szuc
Web Programmer: Noah Warnke
Audio Engineer: Matt Young
Give the Gift of Learning
Gift certificates are a great way to give the bird enthusiasts in your life something that supports and encourages their passion.
Learn About Gift Certificates