This first example is of a robin.

Stage One

The first stage is to get the overall body shape, once you are happy with this then you can move to the next.

Stage Two

I have now added the basic shape of the tail.

Stage Three

Now I have added the head and the wing, the width of the head is the same as the length of the tail.

Measuring one shape against another will help you get shapes the right size.

Stage Four

Here I have added the beak, feather areas on the wing and a branch.

Stage Five

I have added the eye, legs and more detail to the drawing, this is the refining stage.

Stage Six

This is my final stage, I have lightly rubbed out the pencil lines so that I can put in the detail like the feathers on the wing.

I have also added shading to give the bird form.