Bird Watching Binoculars

"All the better to see you, my little feathered friends!"

Bird watching binoculars can be a terrific asset to the backyard bird watcher. When the birds are flitting about your bird feeders or their birdhouses or simply cavorting in the mister or the birdbath. You can play the childhood game of “I spy with my little eye”. Or, you can get up close and personal with birding binoculars.

Many people assume that binoculars are too expensive and difficult to use. However, the contrary is true.

They come in many shapes and sizes as well as a broad range of prices. But before you rush out and purchase a pair of bird watching binoculars there are some important things to consider.

2. Determine how you are going to use the binoculars.

3. Decide if they will be left in a single location convenient to the backyard or whether you will be taking them on birding treks.

4. Consider what is the comfortable weight of binoculars. Trust me, after holding binoculars to your eyes for a considerable length of time for bird identification purposes, your wrists and forearms may start shouting “I’m too tired for this anymore!”. And remember, bigger binoculars do not necessarily mean better bird watching binoculars.

Things to know:

Have you ever wondered what those numbers on your binoculars mean (ie. 8x25)?
I know that I used to be baffled by them. Well, it is really quite simple.
The first number is the magnification number. In the case of the example that I listed (8) the image will appear eight times larger.
The second number (25) is the diameter of the lens in centimeters. Obviously there will be more light allowed in to a lens with a larger diameter, which means a clearer image.
I don’t know about you, but I have a terrible time locating an object with my binoculars, or camera.

The most important thing to remember is to focus on the bird with your own eyes and then, when you have a visual concept as to its location try the binoculars. Like everything else your mother told you, “Practice does make perfect!”

Why use bird watching binoculars?

If you are satisfied with a long-range view of the birds in your backyard, don’t bother with binoculars.
But, if you want to see the minute details of the color patterns of their feathers; or focus in on a mom or a dad feeding their young; and if accurate bird identification is important to you, then consider purchasing bird watching binoculars.
A friend of mine came up with the best solution for making a good decision as to which binoculars to purchase.
He borrowed binoculars of different shapes, sizes and strength from friends and a cooperative storeowner. After testing various models he was able to make the best decision concerning his bird watching needs.

Other Options

There are other products available for birding adventures besides bird watching binoculars.

You might want to consider a camera with a telephoto lens. This enables you to make bird identification easier and then take a picture for future reference.
There are now many good digital camera binoculars on the market that make this process a lot easier.
There are also many good telescopes available on the market.

Whatever choice you make, if you take into consideration some of the points listed above you will be much happier with your decision.

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Happy Birding!

More information on Choosing Birding Binoculars

Compact Binoculars for Bird Watching

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