Country Roads Magazine "Our Natural World" June 2022

Q&A with Birder Marc Parnell

The author of Louisiana's newest birding guide tells all

By Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

Courtesy of Marc Parnell

Ornithologist and lifelong birder Marc Parnell, author of the Birding Pro's Field Guides series, recently released his Louisiana guide in March. Besides offering monthly feathery forecasts, feeding guides, and little-known facts—Birds of Louisiana also introduces a new strategy for local birders called "birding-by-comparison".

As a special exclusive for our "Our Natural World" issue, Parnell offered some insight into this approach, along with his birding strategies and on why Louisiana is one of the best places in the world for bird-lovers.

Can you tell us a little about your background as a birder? How long have you been doing this?

Ever since I was a young child, I was fascinated by nature. My career in ornithology is best described as a natural outgrowth of this passion. Bright colors and otherworldly abilities of flight tend to steal the headlines, but I was particularly interested in birds' behavior behind the scenes, as well as their migratory trends: predicting which birds would be best observed in each month throughout the calendar year. Over the past twenty years, I have travelled and backpacked across the country in search of these answers, and I have only fallen in love more with our feathered friends along the way.

How did you go about the research for this book?

The research process typically consists of several loosely defined stages. First of all, I try to locate birds at different times of year, in different locations, and in different habitats: carefully observing to capture the best overall description of their day-to-day behavior throughout the entire year. Secondly, I place great emphasis on reflection: in order to best put myself in the bird's mind, so to speak, I sometimes have to take a step back and consider things after a good night's sleep. And finally, data analysis plays a significant role, summarizing and unifying all of my various observations.

What is special about birding in Louisiana in particular?

Hands down, Louisiana is one of the two best states in the country to observe birdlife. The delicate coastal wetlands support a wide variety of avian species, from long-legged wading birds to a diverse collection of waterfowl and songbirds. In addition, large sections of flooded forest throughout the state provided the ivory-billed woodpecker with some of its last-known habitats, while numerous native birds still populate these woodlands today. My book gives specific recommendations on how to find each of the 152 most common species in the state, and there will undoubtedly be some stunners around the corner from each and every reader's neighborhood.

What are some of your favorite public places to go birding in Louisiana?

My favorite places to bird in Louisiana include Sabine National Wildlife Refuge near Lake Charles, the Big Lake WMA east of Monroe, and the Red River (and its oxbows) near Shreveport.

Courtesy of Marc Parnell

Birds of Louisiana introduces a new strategy to birding, in which birdwatchers can learn to identify new birds by comparing them to species that they already know. Can you expand on the birding-by-comparison approach and how you developed it?

The "birding-by-comparison" approach seeks to distill a single concept: comparing new birds to those which you already know. Most birdwatchers are familiar with at least fifteen to twenty species in their local area (e.g., Brown Pelican, Northern Cardinal, American Crow, Mallard, etc.), and my book sorts all species from largest to smallest, with categories for size-based groupings of bird species. For instance, most birders will be intimately familiar with the appearance of the Northern Cardinal from a variety of distances and angles, though the less common Gray Catbird, which is of a very similar size, is often overlooked. The birding-by-comparison approach, in turn, uses size similarities and in-depth behavior descriptions to equip birders with the knowledge and visualization techniques necessary to best identify new species.

It’s June! What special birds should Louisiana birdwatchers be keeping an eye out for?

Most songbirds have just completed their spring migrations, and many have already begun to build nests and defend their territories. Among Louisiana's particularly show-stopping summer residents, the following stand out:

Painted Bunting: A finch-sized bird that contains nearly every color of the rainbow! The Spanish word for this species is "seven-colored bluebird," and the male features bright hues of green, red, blue, and even yellow. Most commonly found in thickets, wooded edges, or overgrown fields: where they are always a sight to behold.

European Starling: One of Louisiana's most common birds, this black-bodied, yellow-billed, cardinal-sized species is actually non-native. About one hundred starlings were originally introduced to New York's Central Park in 1890 and 1891 by Shakespeare enthusiasts, in homage to a brief account of the species in Henry IV. Today, over 100 million call the U.S. home, and they can be observed in large, wheeling flocks of hundreds or even thousands: particularly in open country.

Eastern Bluebird: Blue with orange on its underside, this semi-common thrush of open country is often observed perched on fence posts and power lines. Individuals can spot insects from up to 25 yards away: and make quick work of any potential meals!

How do you recommend using Birds of Louisiana as a guide?

Birds of Louisiana can be enjoyed one of two ways: as the best possible daily companion for bird identification, or as an occasional bite-sized read (with fun facts and "day-in-the-life" descriptions for each species). While most guides offer more surface-level information, this book includes dedicated sections on behavior, food, nesting and eggs, bird-feeding, and estimated ease-of-finding for every single bird. As a special point of emphasis, this book is also the first-ever bird guide to include monthly birding forecasts for each species, which helps readers to know when to look for their favorites.

Birds of Louisiana is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Learn more about Parnell's other bird guides at thebirdingpro.com.