Read the following four paragraphs.
Birdwatching, also known as birding, is a recreational activity devoted to the observation of birds. Birding can be distinguished from birdwatching by intensity. Birding seems to suggest a more deliberate and systematic activity, while birdwatching is seen as casual. Both terms refer to an amateur activity as opposed to the formal scientific study of birds, ornithology. By whichever name, watching birds is one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in the United States.
The word birdwatching was first used as the title of a book in 1901. It was not until 1905 that the National Audubon Society was organized, named after the naturalist John James Audubon whose famous The Birds of America, containing illustrations of a wide variety of birds in North America, was published in 1827 and 1838. The Audubon Society has been at the forefront of promoting birdwatching and other conservation related activities.
Experienced birders use a number of strategies in making identifications. They know that the most important thing is to look closely at the bird, noting as many details as possible before it flies away. Novice birders often spend too much time looking at pictures in their field guides. Sometimes the smallest details are the most important in making an accurate identification, especially for birds like warblers with a number of species that are almost the same except for a single detail like a small stripe on the wing or a different color around the eye.
Although not absolutely necessary for making an identification in the field, equipment can enhance the experience of birding. A good pair of birding binoculars will make identification much easier. Other options include spotting scopes, telephoto lenses, cameras, and camcorders.
Decide where the following four sentences would fit best in the previous four paragraphs (one sentence for each paragraph). Click each sentence to see the suggested answer.
It is important to pay attention to details such as color, size, shape, markings, flight pattern, habitat, and song.
Sentence 1 would fit best in the middle of the third paragraph. It is a part of the narration of process, how to identify a bird.
Some people even use sound equipment to record bird songs.
Sentence 2 would fit best at the end of the last paragraph. It is part of the pattern of classification of different kinds the equipment.
Some estimates suggest that there are 50-60 million birders in the U. S.
Sentence 3 would fit best at the end of the first paragraph. It is part of the pattern of definition of birdwatching and birding.
Although humans have certainly been interested in birds for many thousands of years, it is only in recent times that the activity of tracking and identifying birds has been engaged in as a form of recreation.
Sentence 4 would fit best at the beginning of the second paragraph. It is part of the historical narrative.