I had often thought about purchasing a teaching tool to help identify the various birds at the backyard feeder. There are two main methods I considered: the electronic hand held unit, like the identiflyer, and the old fashioned book with audio tape or CD. here are my thoughts on each.

The Identiflyer breaks the birds into different categories, like part of the country, fields, forests, and so on. The book I purchased did not have a good method of quickly locating the bird you wanted, choosing the alphabetical method. These birds most definitely did not appear in alphabetical order in my backyard!

The Identiflyer button for the pictured bird is right next to the picture, so you don't have to search through tape or CD tracks to find the call you are looking for.

The Identiflyer is easy enough for young children to use. The book requires the manipulation of an index and the ability to read.

The Identiflyer can be used to entertain small kids while driving. Ask them to produce the sound a robin makes, and a quick skim through the cards allows them to do it! Very educational.

The only positive aspect that the book and CD contribute is the ability to lay on the couch in the evening, book in hand, headphones on, and train your ear. If you add a set of headphones to your Identiflyer, you have that covered as well!