Birds -- Creatures of a Habitat

Finding a bird that is rare within its normal range, or one with a specialized niche, is not a matter of luck. First, by studying a particular species in depth, we find that its roosting sites, nesting sites, feeding sites, and song perches are quite predictable. Sometimes this predictability holds for only one region or one season; sometimes it holds anywhere or anytime. Later as we become more familiar with a species, we can find it just by knowing the right combination of habitat characteristics -- by having a mental image of the species' habitats, but with experience the birder learns the particular combination of features within a habitat that attracts a particular species.