Birds are such majestic creatures. We love to hear them chirp from the treetops and watch them soar through the sky. And since we love marveling at their beauty, sometimes we want to snap a pic when we spot a rare feathered friend. It can be a bit tricky, though, to capture them in photographs.
For all the bird fanatics who are amateur photogs, “Crap Bird Photography” was born. This Facebook group “is dedicated to those photos that aren't up to scratch", welcoming pics that come out blurry, shots where something got in the way, photos of birds looking goofy, over or underexposed pics, etc. As long as the photo has a bird in it and didn’t turn out too great, it can be shared here for the other 104k members to enjoy. We’ve compiled all of our favorite Crap Bird Photography posts for you to take a gander at, so be sure to upvote the ones that you think should be featured in National Geographic. (Or perhaps National Geo-crap-ic…) Then if you’re looking for more goofy animal photos, check out this Bored Panda piece next.
#1 Not Sure If This Osprey Was Sneezing Or If It Was Possessed. Either Way, Not A Good Look
Image credits: Mike Clarke
People’s fascination with birds has been around for a long time, but the term “bird watching” was coined relatively recently. According to the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), bird watching in the US began in the late 1800’s when conservationists began to raise concerns about the hunting of birds to use their feathers in the fashion industry. They proposed that rather than shooting the majestic creatures, people began to simply observe birds instead. Then in 1901, the book Bird Watching by Edmund Selous was published, popularizing the term.
After World War II, when binoculars had become more advanced and field guides with photos and descriptions or bird species were being published, interest in birding began to increase. Today, it’s still a wildly popular pastime, with organizations like the National Audubon Society, the American Birding Association and the National Wildlife Federation offering tips on how to attract birds to your own garden.
#2 The Important Thing To Remember In This Photo Is That I Am A Photography Teacher
Image credits: Sarah Whitney
ERIC explains that there are a few key ingredients for making birds feel at home, if you’re interested in inviting them to your yard to be watched or photographed. Perhaps the most obvious tactic in attracting any animal is feeding them. Birds love seeds like sunflower seeds or thistle seeds, but specialty items can bring in different types of feathered friends. ERIC mentions that suet cakes and sugar solutions will better your chances of finding woodpeckers or hummingbirds in your garden.
Water for drinking and bathing can also attract the attention of birds passing by. A yard with a variety of plants can be exciting for birds too. Just don’t tidy up too much, brush piles and dead leaves, sticks, moss, etc. can be great for birds to build nests with. Lastly, protection is important for many birds. A simple bird house can be appealing for them, as it will keep them safe from other animals and allow a break from constant sunshine or rain.
#3 I Got Photo Bombed By An Emu Sticking Her Head Up Just As I Was About To Take A Pic Of The Pretty Peacock Showing Off
Image credits: Carolyn Caz Anderson
#4 Loads Of Peacocks At The Resort This Weekend, Unique Legs On This One Though
Image credits: Kate Scott
Though bird watching has been popular for many years, it saw a huge surge in popularity during the initial lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic. eBird, an online database for birders to keep track of what they’ve spotted, saw a more than 40% increase in sightings in April 2020. Shops that sell bird seed and backyard birdfeeders also reported sale increases of 45-50%. Even Merlin, a bird identifying app, was installed on 200,000 new devices in February 2021, a 175% increase in downloads from the previous year. While businesses are now opening back up and society is slowly returning back to “normal”, it would make sense for the birding craze to die down. But the data suggests otherwise.
#5 I’ve Missed Placed My Ornithology Book. Could Someone Please Identify This Bird. Thanks In Advance
Image credits: Charlene Chakalos Gallagher
#6 Welcome, Drone! We Eat Your Kind, Here
Image credits: Betty Bambang Zydeco
According to Quartz, visits to bird pages on Wikipedia are still well above their pre-pandemic levels. Curious bird watchers have also been using the Audubon app at much larger rates to seek bird information. Rebeccah Sanders, chief field and strategy officer of the National Audubon Society, credits the timing of the pandemic’s onset and the sudden boredom as possible reasons for the rise of birding. Most places locked down in the early spring “when all these new birds are sort of floating through people’s backyards and environments”. She went on to note that “people were also looking out their window a little differently”.
#7 Accidentally Took This Today, Pretty Chuffed With How It Turned Out. Happy To See Me
Image credits: Amelia Kennett
#8 I Ran To Grab My Camera To Take A Picture Of This Awesome Bird…….turned Out To Be A Leaf!
Image credits: April Rose
#9 Over Exposed Herring Gul,is This Art?
Image credits: Dean Webber
So what’s the appeal with bird watching? Crap Bird Photography has over 100k members, so we can only imagine how many fans there are out there of professional bird photography. Well, it’s hard to deny that birds are fascinating creatures. Oddly enough, they’re the closest living relatives to dinosaurs, and they’re spread all over the world, naturally residing on all seven continents. There are plenty of reasons bird watchers enjoy the hobby, but one that many of them note is how low-tech it is. While fancy binoculars can make the process easier and apps are useful for identifying birds, very little technology is actually required to enjoy birding. Just take your eyes outside or up to a window and chances are, you’ll spot something.
#10 The Very Rare Pelican Orchid Blossoming
Image credits: Rebecca Moon
#11 It Can Be Extremely Difficult To Capture The Beauty And Elegance With Which An Osprey Takes Off. So Glad I Was Able To Nail It
Image credits: Nicole Wilde
#12 Sometimes When You Snap A Shot As You Think They Are About To Take Flight This Is What You Get. Big Ole Poo Bubble
Image credits: Ron Kemp
Another reason avid bird watchers love the hobby is because it connects them with nature. Being outside and actually taking time to observe our environment is something we can easily forget to do, with our hectic schedules and tendencies to stay indoors nowadays. But it can be eye-opening to really notice the birds around us and remember that we share our world with them. Even if you live in the center of a big city, you can always find birds nearby. On that same note, getting outside and having some fresh air is great for our mental and physical health. Birding can be a refreshing and relaxing break from our mundane office jobs and lives spent staring at screens.
#13 Had To Fix What I Missed
Image credits: Alma Drain
#14 You Hum It And I'll Play It
Image credits: Gaye Batiz
#15 I Meant To Get A Nice Close Up Of My Happy Duck's Face. I Hit The Macro Setting On Accident. So If You Ever Wanted To Look Up A Duck's Nose Today Is Your Chance!
Image credits: Candice Uebrick
Bird watching can also help people find a community and make new friends. Online groups like Crap Bird Photography may seem silly, but they’re a great way to bond with like-minded people. If you spot a bird you’re excited about, it’s great to have someone to tell who will share your enthusiasm. Bill Thompson, editor of Bird Watcher’s Digest, notes on the site that, “Bird watchers are, for the most part, the friendliest, most helpful, and most interesting people I’ve ever known. It makes no difference how much you know about birds or even if you know anything at all. If you’re interested in birds and want to learn, you’re one of the group—it’s an instant ‘in’.”
#16 How Long Do Worms Grow
Image credits: Colina Marr
#17 He Stares At Us Evilly As We Work
Image credits: Faye Mahoney Mchale
#18 Saw A Bald Eagle, Took Picture. Too Bright To See Phone Screen, Upon Review Camera Was In Selfie Mode
Image credits: Kent Smith
Bird watching also promotes habitat conservation. While it was started by conservationists over a century ago, the community continues to be full of individuals who are passionate about protecting animals and the planet. Bill Thompson notes that “the study of birds invariably touches on a number of other subjects”, including biology, history, geography, sociology, and politics. “Developing an interest in birds quickly reveals just how intimately connected we are with earth’s other inhabitants," Bill writes. "All living creatures are interdependent, but humans need birds in the world much more than they need us. Bird watchers, then, have the power to preserve and improve the planet for generations yet to come.”
#19 Tried To Take A Picture Of The Great Egret That Appeared Next To My Car
Image credits: Trecia Ogletree
#20 Grr!
Image credits: Bridget Kelley
#21 We Told You To Keep Your Mouth Shut!
Image credits: Alison Smith
Aside from simply watching birds, photographing them is another layer of the hobby. While it may be less relaxing when there’s a goal in mind of “getting the perfect shot”, taking pictures of birds can be extremely rewarding. According to wildlife photographer Esther Beaton, bird photography is an absolute thrill. She describes the act as hunting and stalking, causing her to become “calm, perceptive and aware” while she’s “in the zone”. Esther even mentions how addicting it can be “once you’ve had success”. She loves to hear the reactions audiences give to her photos as well. “It makes you feel proud when you’ve come up with a shot where others go ‘oooh, ahhh’.”
#22 Perfect
Image credits: Dan Ross
#23 When Lunch Ruins Your Portrait
Image credits: Jay Cline
#24 Can U See A Face At My Underflooff..hmmm That's U Hooman
Image credits: Jasleen Sarna
On her website, Esther also writes some of her “justifications” for doing bird photography. One of which being that “you can finally take that exotic trip to add another bird to your list”. Traveling is always exciting, but having the added motivation of searching for birds you couldn’t see at home is a great reason to take more trips. She also notes that bird photography can be inspiring for children to see, as it encourages them to also get out in nature and take part in conservation efforts. “Whether career or hobby, bird photography is intensely satisfying, both the process of being outdoors with the birds, and then doubly so afterwards when you get the pleasure of viewing your own piece of art,” Esther notes. “No wonder people get the bug.”
#25 Jabiru To Start
Image credits: Gavan Keane
#26 Dying Swan...confused Pigeon
Image credits: Stacey Ooms
#27 Sadly, This Is The Best Picture I Have Ever Taken
Image credits: Kerri Wallace
While these photos did not turn out how the photographers imagined, they're still quite entertaining (and probably better than anything I could take!). Enjoy the rest of these comical attempts at photographing elusive birds, and don't forget to upvote all of your favorites. Then let us know in the comments if you have any experience with bird watching or photographing! Do you find it relaxing and peaceful or does the difficulty of capturing the perfect shot frustrate you?
#28 "Out Of Focus" Mallard Pouring Water Out Of Its Mouth. "In Focus" Rock Covered In Guano. Do I A Get Double Crap Points?
Image credits: Veronica Lenzner-Vogt
#29 Not Something You Normally See At Coles. I Guess It’s Taking Advantage Of The Specials!
Image credits: Andrew Low
#30 He Has A Tiny Trampoline
Image credits: Tanya Kreil
#31 Pulled The Car Over To Take A Look At The Bald Eagle. But It Was A Crow With A Slice Of White Bread
Image credits: Cecilia Girvin
#32 Pelican...but It Sort Of Gulped At The Wrong (Right?) Time
Image credits: Paul Summers
#33 Picasso Couldn't Do Better
Image credits: Cryssee Fernandez
#34 I Attempted To Take A Photo Of The Swan, Entering The Water Gracefully And Elegantly. Didn’t Quite Go To Plan
Image credits: Christine Montgomery
#35 Pssst… Hey You… I See You
Image credits: Muneer Al Shanti
#36 Love A Good Sunset Photo
Image credits: Jace Mitchell Spicer
#37 How's This For Artistic Crap !?
Image credits: Vanessa Petri
#38 New Phone, Been Taken Panoramic Landscapes Then This Chap Came Along And Forgot To Switch Modes
Image credits: Dean Webber
#39 A Black Swan, Breaking The Sound Barrier
Image credits: Hayley Pearson
#40 Every Day, You And Your Camera, Can't I Get Any Peace!!!
Image credits: Beverly Baker
#41 Oooooops!!!!!
Image credits: Barbara Pereto
#42 I Love Oriole Season So Much!
Image credits: Joseph Clark
#43 Next Year's Met Gala Theme
Image credits: The Cryptonaturalist
#44 Home Renovations Have Taken An Awful Turn!
Image credits: Gaea Zim
#45 Does It Count Cause The Undies Are Clean? They Belong To Her Now Though
Image credits: Dominique Zivkovich-Brady
#46 Presented For Your Consideration
Image credits: Amy Lewis
#47 I Present: Magpie Being Roadkill. (He's Fine, Just Likes Lying In Weird Poses In Our Garden)
Image credits: Andrea Higgins
#48 Chippy
Image credits: Anna Simmons
#49 “If The Damn Paparazzi Keep Taking Photos, I’m Going To Give Him A Knuckle Sandwich!”
Image credits: Demond Natureismysolace McDonald
#50 Everyone Needs A Mini Me!
Image credits: Jane Grundy
#51 It’s All In The Timing … Bird Or Man?
Image credits: Bianca Elizabeth Piper
#52 I've Had It! I'm Livid! From Now On I Am Raising The Rent For Every Gallon Of Water Thrown Outside The Bird Bath! Water Doesn't Grow On Trees!!!
Image credits: Carla Moore-Williams
#53 Bad Feather Day
Image credits: Robina Jane Gugler
#54 Can't Decide If This Is The Most Amazing Photo I've Ever Gotten Or Wha
Image credits: Jacob McElligott
#55 Too Fast To Focus Too Close For Comfort
Image credits: Liz Wilks
#56 I Have Returned With Another Embarrassing Goose Photo
Image credits: Jenna Stauder
#57 The Crap Dog Photography Really Accentuates The Crap Bird Photography In This Masterpiece
Image credits: Mauri Erickson
#58 Got A Photo Of A Pīwakawaka (New Zealand Fantail) With Its Beak Open And It Was A Revelation
Image credits: Holly Neill
#59 Proof That Birds Have Teeth
Image credits: Karen Lukert
#60 She Loved It When I Was Feeding Her Mealworms, She Did Not Approve Of My Phone
Image credits: Kim Helena
#61 Rainbow Lorikeet: Photo Taken In My Garden
Image credits: David Taylor
#62 It’s A Crap Bird! Stole So Many Mandarins Then Had The Hide To Squawk At Me When I Said “Oi! What Are You Doing??”
Image credits: Beck Bardsley
from Bored Panda https://bit.ly/3lqtSFK
via Boredpanda
