Bird Watching Gear, Birding Tips and Resources Quick-Start Guide

We thought it would be helpful to create a bird watching gear, tips and resource page so you can easily find birding gear recommendations, bird feeding tips, bird identification aids, bird conservation organizations and more all in one place.

beautiful mandarin duck pair - a great bird watching opportunity

Kind of like a quick-start guide for beginner birdwatchers. We will be adding to this page in the future as we discover new birding tips and further resources, so we recommend bookmarking it for your reference and convenience. Enjoy!

Birding Optics

Bird Identification

  • Best Field Guides - I always carry a field guide with me and these are some of the best I've used.
  • Best Birding Apps - I have found some of the new birding apps to be a nice addition to my traditional field guides for both visual and song ID.
  • best birding apps
  • Bird Identification - If you recently seen a bird you can't ID, use our Bird ID page to submit you photos (if any) and description of your mystery bird and we'll try to ID it for you.
  • Cornell Bird Guide - I love Cornell's site for learning about bird species. For each bird they give ID info along with several color photos, range, life history information and more.

Feeding Birds

best bird feeders
  • Bird Feeders - List and description of different types of feeders for attracting different types of birds. Top-rated feeder of each kind.
  • Bird Seed Preferences - Includes bird seed chart of different types of seed and which birds prefer them. Attract the birds you want with the right kind of seed.
  • Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder - Many go to war with squirrels over stealing seed from their feeders. Here is a comparison chart and review of the best squirrel-proof bird feeders.
  • Cleaning Feeders - Tips for keeping feeders clean to prevent the spread of bird diseases from feeders.

Bird Houses

  • Free Bird House Plans - Easy, basic bird house plan made from wood. Also links for bluebird, robin, wren, kestrel next box plans.
  • gilbertson bluebird house plans
  • Bird House Dimensions - Chart that specifies dimensions for bird houses based on species preference.
  • Bluebird Nest Box Plan - Several plans for Eastern, Western & Mountain Bluebirds.
  • Winter Roost Box - Plans for a winter roost box to keep the birds cozy warm (well, warmer) during the cold months.

Bird Bathsheated bird bath

  • Bird Bath Buying Guide - Features to look for when buying a bird bath.
  • Bird Bath Heater - De-icers to place in your existing bird baths to keep water from freezing on cold winter days.
  • Heated Bird Bath - Built-in heater keeps water from freezing. Energy-saving thermostat only turns on when temperature falls.

Bird Conservation Organizations

  • Cornell Lab of Ornithology - Organization committed to conservation,cornell lab ornithology scientific study and public education of birds for people of all ages.
  • Audubon - Their mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife and their habitats.
  • American Bird Conservancy - Conservation of birds and habitat throughout the Americas by halting extinctions, protecting habitats, eliminating threats and building capacity.

Participate in Bird Studies

participate in Cornell Lab of Ornithology Project Feederwatch
  • Project FeederWatch - Gather data for population studies by recording the birds you see in your backyard during the winter. Sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
  • Christmas Bird Count - Participate in Audubon's annual count between mid-December and early January. There are many locations to choose from in your local area. All volunteers welcome, from novice to experienced birders.

Mandarin Ducks photo courtesy of Pete Birkinshaw

Our Favorite
Bird Watching Binoculars, Squirrel-Proof Feeder & Hummingbird Feeder
Read Our Reviews:
nikon monarch binoculars for birdwatching
Nikon Monarch M5
Best mid-priced bird watching binoculars. Waterproof, shockproof, multi-coated ED-Glass.
best squirrel proof bird feeder no batteries required
Squirrel-Proof
No batteries, adjustable, easy to clean...and no squirrels!
"Best New Product" Award.
use bird bath heaters to defrost ice during the winter
Bird Bath Heater
Keeps your bird baths ice-free down to -20 F. Low-operating costs ~$1/mo
Click Images or Links To View More Info
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