16 Must-Watch Birding YouTube Channels (Great for newbies!)

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You may have seen some useful information websites, forums, and even videos out there about birding. I have realized that there seems to be no one else really consolidating a solid list of must-watch YouTube channels! So I took the initiative to be on a mission first to search and consolidate some of the best birding channels on YouTube.

Here’s a simple quick list of 16 must-watch birding YouTube channels:

1. Cornell Lab of Ornithology
2. The British Trust for Ornithology
3. DeesBackyardBirds
4. Warbler Ridge
5. Backyard Birds
6. Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc.
7. Adventure Ed
8. Aves n Fauna
9. Badgerland Birding
10. Birding With Nick Upton
11. Limeybirder
12. Greg Baker
13. Stefano Ianiro Wildlife
14. Espen Helland
15. Lesley The Bird Nerd
16. Leander Khil

Now that you have this list, if you stick around, I’m gonna run through why I chose these specific YouTube channels and why I love them, with a few examples. I also will cover which YouTube channel will be perfectly suited for you!

1) Cornell Lab of Ornithology

This YouTube channel is really popular among birders. Most of you birders should already be subscribed to this channel if you’ve not already done so. Let me just introduce what this YouTube channel is all about.

This channel is JAM PACKED with lots of educational content for the public that works toward the conservation of biodiversity of the birds in particular. They also focus on research on birds. You may want to visit their website here.

What I love about this channel:

This channel promotes a lot of conservation of bird habitats like stopovers in various countries that line the migration paths (flyways) of migratory birds. The channel often has videos which are more highly education in nature, with beautiful illustration and graphics to showcase the flyways in which birds follow in migration. Here’s a video that was recently uploaded to their channel – A Call for Cooperation: Saving the Places Migratory Birds Call Home

Examples of videos on the channel:

This channel not on has education content like the above, they also cover personal birding experiences, research, and useful how-to videos! Check them out:

• Personal Birding Experiences

• Research

• How-to’s

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Everyone! This channel has a broad spectrum of content – from basic bird identification skills to advanced research in ornithology, this birding channel is for both beginners and experts alike. Be sure to check them out.

Link to the channel:

Check the channel out with this link.

2) The British Trust for Ornithology

This channel is another absolutely amazing channel that provides super education content. This channel features educational content in a fun and engaging way. This channel covers more content based on birds found in Britain. For all bird lovers and birders alike, this channel is a must-subscribe-to for anyone especially looking to sharpen their bird identification skills.

What I love about this channel:

What I personally love about this channel it its series: BTO Garden Bird Watch. This series covers extensive content on how to differentiate birds with a very similar plumage and call. One particular example would be how to tell apart the Blue Tit and Great Tit. They do so by explaining with photos, in detail on which features of the bird you should focus on. These are extremely informative.

Also, the #BirdSongBasics covers quizzes that you can do a bit of a virtual birding to train your birding by ear! What an ingenious way of birding, I must say.

Examples of videos on the channel:

• BTO Garden Bird Watch

• #BirdSongBasics Series

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Any British birder or casual bird watcher who’s hoping to hone him/her skills in birding by ear and Bird ID skills.

Link to the channel:

Check out the channel with this link.

3) DeesBackyardBirds

This channel features lots and lots of bird feeding videos taken from a live bird camera. They have also made some really nice compilations of bird videos and other wildlife too! DeesBackyardBirds hope to invite us to visit their backyard and enjoy the sights and sounds of all the birds that visit and live in Australia; from nest building to soaring the skies.

What I love about this channel:

I love how this channel has very nice compilations of Australian backyard birds, which is not too common in the birding space. They also commonly feature many new compilation series every few months.

Examples of videos on the channel:

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Any Australian birder or any birder who wants to know more about Australian birds in their backyard. Also great for any backyard birder who really loves bird feeding.

Link to the channel:

Check out the channel with this link:

4) Warbler Ridge

This channel features backyard birding with on bird feeding and birdbaths, from a wooded hillside in eastern Tennessee. Also, this channel has consistent uploads so you will consistently get access to the adorable birds being showcased!

What I love about this channel:

Looking at the adorable birds bathing in the birdbaths really makes me feel super relaxed. Imagine not being able to go outdoors due to weather or other reasons – this channel would be the perfect remedy! I love their series: Sunday Morning Bird Show, which is added to many episodes already uploaded at the time of writing this article!

Examples of videos on the channel:

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Anyone who wants to do a little relaxing bird watching therapy. Perfect for relaxing while shut-in indoors!

Link to the channel:

Check the channel out with this link.

5) Backyard Birds

This channel is managed by Jeff Hansen. He focuses a lot on nature education on birds done in a systematic way. Each video is normally packaged to feature a single bird species with the occasional how-to video. All videos filmed in the channel are original and filmed by himself

What I love about this channel:

This channel has a personal touch to it. Jeff Hansen has a pleasant voice, which he uses to voiceover his videos of birds. The videos often encompass a really nice over-the-shoulder kind of analysis of the birds in the video. The videos all have a slant into education and are set in a documentary style, all while still maintaining a personal touch! He also covers some how-tos occasionally.

Examples of videos on the channel:

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Anyone who’s looking to setup a backyard feeding station or anyone interested in backyard birds

Link to the channel:

Check out the link here.

6) Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc.

This channel is the brainchild of Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc. They are a nature shop business that sells different kinds of bird feeding products. These include bird feeders, bird food, and bird baths.

What I love about this channel:

They showcase lots of different types of products, with different testimonials on the products that work for them. It can be used as a great educational resource just to learn a bit more about bird feeding.

Examples of videos on the channel:

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Anyone who’s looking to start out with backyard birding or looking to feed the birds in their area. They are a great resource to learn about how to get started.

Link to the channel:

Check the channel out here:

7) Adventure Ed

This channel has a focuses on teaching the general public about nature, viewing wildlife and learning about the environment around them. The channel is managed by Eddie, a wildlife biologist from California. He hopes to inspire naturalists by providing content to people to observe nature, including bird watching.

What I love about this channel:

Eddie always takes on a fun approach to educating his viewers on really practical tips on how to enjoy nature. He sometimes goes into the specifics on how to identify certain types of birds like shore birds!

Examples of videos on the channel:

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Anyone who loves nature, not just birds! But also its a great channel to follow for beginners, because his tips are amazing!

Link to the channel:

Check out the link to the channel here.

8) Aves n Fauna

This channel is relatively new and aims to showcase nature experiences at beautiful destinations in India. They hope to spread and inspire the young and the old to discover their love for nature through their channel. They cover multiple nature activities, and one of which includes birdwatching.

What I love about this channel:

They showcase many different species of birds in India, which is not commonly shared on the internet. They have very interactive and personal voiceovers in their videos.

Examples of videos on the channel:

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Anyone who is interested in the bird species variety in India. They also showcase a very personal birding experience, which is what I really like personally.

Link to the channel:

Check out the link to their channel here.

9) Badgerland Birding

This channel is an educational, adventurous YouTube show about birding (based in Wisconsin), created by two brothers, Derek and Ryan Sallmann.

What I love about this channel:

This channel is more of a personal birding channel, which I really like because they face the same situations as we birders do! I like to see how they encounter birds and other wildlife in the field. One of my favorite channels that I personally subscribe to!

Examples of videos on the channel:

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Any birder looking for a personal birding kind of experience!

Link to the channel:

Check out the channel here.

10) Birding With Nick Upton

Nick Upton is a lifelong birder and professional birding guide. He takes his audience on virtual birding trips, each with a different theme, in a variety of countries. He talks about birds and their conservation issues affecting them.

What I love about this channel:

This channel has to be one of my favorites! Nick Upton is honestly really funny, and also a knowledgeable birder who wants to share his hobby and expertise with the community of birders. While most of his videos are short and showcase a short clip of a certain bird species, he also occasionally produces longer videos that are packed with backstories of a particular bird. He sure knows how to make his videos both entertaining and personal!

Examples of videos on the channel:

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Anyone looking for a unique virtual birding experience. Nick is hilarious and I’m sure any birder who likes to enjoy a personal birding experience will find this channel really enjoyable!

Link to the channel:

Check out the channel here.

11) Limeybirder

This YouTube channel is managed by Andy Wraithmell, nicknamed Limeybirder while working at Cape May Bird Observatory. originally from England and I’ve enjoyed watching birds most of my life. His videos mostly contain birds and wildlife in Florida especially at two of his favorite wild places, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and Bald Point State Park. He regularly posts content every Friday around noontime.

What I love about this channel:

He talks to this viewers in an engaging way, often with voiceovers for his videos of birds he took himself. He also provides a really personal birding experiences in describing the background of the birds, the environmental situation and his personal thoughts. A really entertaining channel and one of my favorites!

Examples of videos on the channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeI-LBighY4&ab_channel=Limeybirder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qWppRvZjRI&ab_channel=Limeybirder

Who should subscribe to this channel:

People who love a personal journey into birding with some guidance. Perfect for beginners who need a little perspective on birding and nature enjoyment

Link to the channel:

Check the channel out here.

12) Greg Baker

This channel is managed by Greg Baker, a birder who films birding videos from around the world; from Bhutan to Brazil. His videos are structured in a nice mix of documentary and personal voice-over style. He also showcases his journey on his overseas trips.

What I love about this channel:

I love how personal this channel can get. Greg takes us along on his birding journey in finding and identifying bird species from all over the world. It is a refreshing difference from all the other birding YouTube channels to see how he goes from country to country for his hobby.

Examples of videos on the channel:

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Anyone who loves to see an interesting take on birding from country-to-country. Highly recommended for those who want some virtual birding!

Link to the channel:

Check the channel out here.

13) Stefano Ianiro Wildlife

This channel is perfect for birders who are looking to improve their bird photography skills. Stefano is really personal and always give tips and tricks on how he personally takes his photos.

What I love about this channel:

Stefano always makes me feel like I’m learning something new every day. His personal approach makes me feel like I’m his fellow birder friend, offering me advice.

Examples of videos on the channel:

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Really passionate bird photographers and beginner bird photographers will really benefit from the advice he gives.

Link to the channel:

Check out the channel here.

14) Espen Helland

Espen is a location independent photographer seeking out wildlife on his travels. His channel focus a lot of photography skills, and in particular, bird photography. In his videos, he often attempts to give his own tips and tricks on how he takes his wildlife photos.

What I love about this channel:

He often really gives very practical tips, but he also balances it with his own birding journey. His videos resemble a vlog sometimes, offering his tips and experience as a birder while outdoors.

Examples of videos on the channel:

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Anyone looking to take better pictures of birds or birders who are looking to get more into bird photography!

Link to the channel:

Check the channel out here.

15) Lesley The Bird Nerd

LesleytheBirdNerd is a channel about birds as well as wild birds that she knows really well. This channel is filled with information about blue jays, including interesting FAQs, facts, and weird quirks! Lesley’s goal is to get others interested in birds and birding.

What I love about this channel:

Lesley is truly a bird nerd. She can even tell her blue jays apart! She often covers funny facts about birds that many don’t know of. She also delivers her content in a fun and engaging way.

Examples of videos on the channel:

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Anyone who loves blue jays, or anyone who just wants to know more about facts on birds!

Link to the channel:

Check the channel out here.

16) Leander Khil

Leander is the owner of this channel and commonly posts videos such as vlogs and the occasional education how-to video on birding. He often goes birding in different habitats and environments.

What I love about this channel:

I love how Leander takes his audience with him when he goes birding! I often feel like I am also right there with him when he goes on his trips. His vlogs feel very personal and it also often makes me feel like getting out the door and doing some birding for myself!

Examples of videos on the channel:

Who should subscribe to this channel:

Anyone who wants a personal touch, like a guide to birding, with some perspective of birding from different countries.

Link to the channel:

Check out the channel here.

Some Final Thoughts

Well, there you have it – 16 must-watch YouTube Channels! It’s been a long list, and if you’ve made it to the end, then make sure to check them out as I personally love these channels and have helped developed myself as birder. Happy birding outdoors!