When is the best time to go birding? When you read this.

Even early afternoon, the hottest part of the day and often considered the most challenging time for birds, can be a good time to spot certain species, said Dr. McGowan. Many birds rest when the sun is high, but birds of prey such as eagles and hawks soar on updrafts created when sunlight warms the ground. Vultures, another bird of prey, are easy to spot in the early afternoon because they “climb on the thermals and fly for miles and miles and miles” in search of food, he said.

Around dusk, many species become more active again, making it another popular time for bird watching. This may be partly territorial, said Dr. McGowan. He said birds let others know, “Hey, I made it through the day.” Don’t bother coming here and trying to steal my wife.

But good birding doesn’t stop after sunset. Whip-poor-wills and nighthawks, for example, feed on moths and other flying insects at night and forage when there is less competition from other species. And owls, whose finely adapted hearing makes them ferocious predators, “rule the night,” said Dr. McGowan.

Nocturnal birders should keep three things in mind to maximize their sightings, he said. First, consider the habitat you’re observing in: Birds may be more active at night near bodies of water, while forests are fairly quiet. Second, move calmly: stay on established paths or roads to avoid making noise and scaring away wildlife. And third, be prepared to identify birds by their vocalizations. Future prompts will explore auditory identification more deeply, but for now the Merlin Bird ID App can help.

“Birding at night isn’t about what you see, it’s about what you hear,” wrote Margaret Poethig, a participant in the New York Times Birding Project. Mrs. Poethig was lucky enough to hear barred owls exchange phone calls during a nighttime survey of nesting birds in the Maryland/DC area. “I feel like my heart stops at times like this when I’m birding,” she wrote.