Become a Bird Language Expert

What You'll Learn
đ Governing Principles: Understand the mechanisms that determine bird activity including conservation of energy, and seasonal, meteorological, and chronological factors.
đˇď¸ Behavioral Categories: Distinguish baseline from non-baseline behaviors to know when birds are at ease versus feeling agitated and/or sensing danger.Â
ⰠAlarm Types: Recognize songbirds' calls, body postures, and movement patterns that indicate the presence and whereabouts of both ground and aerial predators.
đŚÂ Priority Birds: Discover the most important species, their role in impacting bird behavior, and their relevance to becoming proficient in bird language.
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Benefits
đ¸Â Incredible Wildlife Moments: Learn to avoid setting off bird alarms and instead develop the ability to get close to animals without them knowing you are there.
đż Deepen Your Connection to Nature: Gain a profound appreciation for the intricate web of life, so that every outdoor outing becomes a meaningful experience.
đ§ââď¸ Rejuvenate Your Mind and Spirit: Transform your time outdoors into a stress-relieving adventure that fosters inner peace and mindfulness.
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Why Choose Us?
đ§ Expert Instruction: Our lectures and other course materials are the same as those used in classes at elite universities to train professional biologists.
đ Proven Results:Â Hundreds of students have enhanced their outdoor skills through our programsâmany using their newfound expertise in wildlife jobs or conservation efforts.
đ Comprehensive Curriculum:Â Includes video lectures, analysis exercises, animations, and quizzes, giving you all the tools needed to become a bird whisperer.
What Our Bird Language Students Say...
Dr. Kathryn Sieving âââââ
"As a professional Avian Ecologist, I thought a âbird sitâ would be just a fun little exercise. Three hours later, I was deeply humbled. I saw bird behavior in a whole new way and learned things so fast that I never could have known using my usual approaches to bird-watching. At that point, I realized how fundamentally brilliant this work is â a must-experience for professional and amateur alikeâŚI can personally guarantee your nature experiences and skill set will be enriched beyond expectations."
Amanda Eyrich âââââ
"Iâm in Africa and have had two incidents where I was alone at night and had to walk through the bush. When I felt nervous, I remembered to lean on the birdsâtelling myself they would alarm me if a serious predator were around. It helped me greatly, and I felt very comfortable. Iâve loved every moment of this course and am applying it daily!"
Martin Ack âââââ
"Bird language blew my mind. I learned how birds communicate everything from resources to threats through vocalizations, flight patterns, and body language. Understanding these signals has opened up an entirely new way of observing nature. This course is a must for anyone who loves the outdoors!"
Katrina KĂśnig âââââ
"I never imagined this course would change my habits so profoundly. Iâve become more in tune with my senses and more connected to nature. Observing bird behavior has opened a whole new world for meâone I now share with my friends, all of whom are eager to learn what Iâve discovered. I wholeheartedly recommend this experience!"
Becky Stitt âââââ
"Now, when I hear birds sing, I feel grounded and connected. This course has unlocked a sense of spatial awareness and inclusion with nature that I didnât know was possible. Learning bird language has been truly transformative."
Get Our Comprehensive Product:
Bird Language Full Course

*Comprises all three component courses (basic, intermediate, and advanced).
Topics Covered:
đ Definition & Concepts
Learn what constitutes bird language, the role it played in human development, how it differs from 'traditional' birding, and why it remains important today.
đŻ Developing Skills & Expertise
Understand the ways to become proficient in bird language including individual (and group) 'bird 'sits', journaling and mapping exercises, and best practices for observing birds.
đ¤ The Five Voices
Recognize and distinguish between the main categories of bird activity that constitute baseline (unstressed) and non-baseline (anxious) behaviors.
â° Shapes of Alarms
Identify the auditory and visual signatures for a wide variety of bird alarms, including how each one uniquely identifies the presence of a specific type of predator.
đ Species to Observe
Discover which birds are the most reliable for conveying information and the vital role that parids (titmice/chickadees), raptors (birds of prey) and corvids (jays, crows, ravens) play.Â
Or Choose a Smaller Product:
Bird Language Individual Courses

Basic Course
Topics Covered:
đĽ Fundamentals: Learn what is meant by bird 'language' and its essential tenets.
đşď¸ History: Explore how bird language was essential to human culture & survival.
đ Learning Methods: Discover the bird 'sit' & other ways to master bird language.
đł Baseline Behaviors: Recognize what birds typically do in a relaxed state.
â ď¸ Â Alarm Behaviors: Interpret actions indicating predators & other disturbances.

Intermediate Course
Topics Covered:
đŁÂ Picking a Bird to Follow: Learn which songbird species are the best to study.
âď¸ď¸ Governing Principles: Understand the rules & constraints of bird behavior.
đ Behavioral Chronology: See how bird activity changes with the time & weather.
đŚÂ Ground Alarm Shapes: Identify the features of every ground predator alarm.
đŚ Aerial Alarm Shapes: Recognize the features of every aerial predator alarm.Â

Advanced Course
Topics Covered:
đ Advanced Alarm Shapes: Recognize complex bird alarms & what they mean.
đ¨âđŠâđ§ Other Learning Methods: Learn how to do group exercises & other activities.
đŚÂ Parids: Interpret the messages of titmice & chickadees and their importance.
đŚÂ Raptors: Understand the impact of birds of prey on songbird behavior.
𪜠Corvids: Decipher the sophisticated behavior of crows, ravens, jays, & magpies.
Course Learning Materials


đ Detailed Lesson Outlines
Each topic includes specific objectives and recommended tasks to help you stay organized, reinforce learning, and retain essential concepts.



đĽ In Depth Video Lectures
Immerse yourself in hours of expert-led video lessons covering the fundamentals of bird language. These lessons feature interactive maps and animations that illustrate the alarm shapes that indicate the presence of predators.



â Interactive Quizzes
Test your knowledge of topics covered in the video lessons with questions that not only validate your grasp of broad concepts, but also reinforce important details.



đ Guided Tutorials
Deepen your learning with step-by-step exercises that break down and analyze bird alarms and other behaviors, teach you how to recognize signature patterns, and enhance your situational awareness.



đ Naturalist Speak
Engage with fellow bird language enthusiastsâshare observations, post stories, videos, and photos, and receive feedback while learning from a thriving community of naturalists.


We're so sure that you'll love Bird Language that we're offering an outrageous guarantee: You have 14 days after the course starts to change your mind and ask for a refund. No hassle, no questions asked, no hard feelings!
Meet Your Instructor

Lee Burton
Known as The Outside Professor, Lee is the founder of Naturalist Studies and an adjunct instructor at the University of Florida and Texas A&M, where he teaches animal behavior courses.
He is certified in Wildlife Track and Sign by CyberTracker Conservation, is a Master Naturalist, and mentored under Jon Young, the founder of the Wilderness Awareness School. Lee is also recognized as a Bird Language Leaders Instructor.
His passion for wildlife ultimately led him to become the director for Conservation Centers for Species Survival, where he was profiled on Steve Rinella's Meateater podcast for his role in reintroducing the Scimitar-horned Oryx to sub-Saharan Africa.
Lee grew up in a small town in Texas where easy access to nature led to a love of the outdoors, instilled in him by his father and other relatives who taught him how to hunt and fish. As he matured, his curiosity about the natural world deepened, leading him to study animals, plants, and ecology in some of the most remote places in Asia, Africa, and South America. While these experiences heightened his understanding of the world's fauna and flora, he yearned for a deeper connection with nature.
Upon returning to the United States, Lee delved into Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), learning ancient skills like animal tracking, bird language interpretation, and wilderness survival. Developing these skills was a game-changer, allowing him to see nature in a whole new light and realize that he was an integral part of the natural world, not just an observer.
Letâs hear it from Lee himself:
âBefore learning bird language, I had a wealth of scientific knowledge but struggled to understand the way birds and other animals think. I couldnât get inside their heads to know where they would be, what their motivations were, or predict their movements. I felt like an outsider, always on the edge of their world, but never truly part of it.
After learning bird language, I could step into any outdoor settingâwhether it was my own property, a local park, or deep in the wildernessâand read the signs around me. I began to understand not just who was there, but why they were there, and what they were doing. Over time, I started being able to think like birds and other animals, predicting their movements, and understanding their behavior. It was as if I had been welcomed into their private world, where all their secrets were laid bare. This not only made me a more capable hunter and wildlife observer, but also a better naturalist, in the process transforming my wildlife adventures and deepening my connection to nature.
A few years later, a biology professor friend of mine asked if I would teach bird language to her students. The course I created became an instant hit, with students describing it as their favorite class. This success led to the development of other courses and the founding of Naturalist Studies, where I wanted to share this knowledge with a broader audience.
Now, Iâm thrilled to offer these same learning materials to others. Iâm deeply grateful for the opportunity to teach these skills and share this journey with you, as I believe that this course will fundamentally change your outdoor experiences forever, helping you see the wild in a way you never have before.â
Frequently Asked Questions
What learning materials are included?
Do I have lifetime access to the course?
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Can I post my own photos/videos to the Naturalist Speak community?
Can I be new to bird language, or is the course only for people with previous experience?
What bird families are covered in the full course?
I live outside North America; will the material still be relevant?
I am an experienced outdoorsman already, is the full course worth the investment?
Will the full course help me become a better wildlife observer or photographer?
I want to know more about animal behavior; will the course help me?
Is this course appropriate for my son or daughter?
