Part 1A Common Backyard Birds We're going to begin our lessons where I think everyone should begin their birding - in your own back yard and around your home. The 17 bird species introduced in this section are some of the most common species you will encounter regularly in rural and suburban yards throughout New England. Anyone interested in learning how to identify birds by their songs and calls should focus first on the bird species that you are able to observe most frequently. Learning how to confidently identify the birds you encounter on a regular basic provides you with a solid foundation of skills to begin recognizing and identifying other less commonly encountered bird species.