Welcome to binoculars-birdwatching.com! Birding is a wonderful hobby that can be enjoyed by anyone with little or absolutely no investment other than your time. Whether you’re young or old, rich or poor, a loner or the life of the party, watching birds is something you can do in your own yard, while on vacation, at bird sanctuaries, or where ever and whenever you want.

All you really need to get started is your curiosity and interest in birds and nature. Without spending a dime on any equipment, you can easily search the internet for a list of birds common to your area and simply observe your yard for a few weeks. How many birds can you identify? What are they up to? What are they feeding on? Can you tell the difference between the different bird calls and songs? Are you seeing the same birds every day? This is a great way to get started and to see if birding is a hobby you’d like to pursue.

If after a few weeks of observation you still have the itch, it might be time to start thinking about a pair of binoculars. This will allow you to get close up with the birds you are watching and help you estimate sizes and spot bill, wing, and tail characteristics that are difficult to see with the naked eye.

By far the most common question I get by both beginning and veteran birders is “What kind of binoculars for bird watching should I buy?” There are many right answers to this question. Some will swear by the latest and greatest in new technology and insist that you break the bank and spend upwards of $1000. Obviously, this is nonsense. Of course, most of these binoculars are great, but we’re not splitting the atom here. We’re looking at birds. And there a number of very affordable binoculars for bird watching that offer outstanding, and some outright spectacular, results. And if you accidently drop them off a cliff, you won’t be inclined to follow.

I have owned close to 10 pairs of binoculars and have literally tried hundreds of different brands and models. Every time my local bird club meets, a member has a new toy that they can’t wait to show off. On this site, in addition to providing general information and advice on birding, I will be listing reviews of binoculars for birding that I have personally used in a bird watching environment.  I will be placing an emphasis on models that perhaps aren’t made to be binoculars for bird watching, but which perform as good or better than binoculars that claim to be birdwatching only.

In addition to a pair of binoculars, you might also want to pick up a field guide or book on birding. Although most information can now easily be found for free on the internet, having a hard-copy guide can really come in handy when you see a rare bird you want to identify and there is no way to quickly access a computer or the internet.