Looking for essential equipment for beginner birding?
The good news! You really don’t need a lot to get started with birding.
The bad news! The amount of buying guides and helpful advice out there can be very overwhelming (trust me, I’ve been there).
Below, I share my recommendations on what to buy, what to pack, and what to wear as a beginner birder heading out on your first birding day trip—but my best advice for you is this:
Don’t go too hard with your research. In my experience, this is the quickest way to kill a new hobby before you’ve even got started. When you’re unfamiliar with something, having too many options to choose between can be overwhelming—so overwhelming that you might get stuck and end up choosing none of them!
Here are my top tips to avoid this:
- Decide on your budget
- Read this guide 😉 and 1–2 official guides from resources you trust (see Helpful Links)
- Search your shortlist on a relevant subreddit to see what real users think
- Order your stuff
- Get birding!
What to buy to get started with birding
This is the essential equipment for beginner birding that’s worth investing in:
- Binoculars: I love my Nikon Prostaff 3S 8×42 binoculars. Sadly they don’t seem to be available anymore, but these look like good alternatives for beginners: Nikon Prostaff P3 8×42 or Nikon Monarch M5 8×42
- Binocular accessories:
- Lens cleaner, like the Nikon Lenspen
- [Optional] Chest harness: I got this one in a bundle and find it useful to ease neck strain on longer days where I’m taking fewer breaks
- Day backpack: This was probably the thing I researched the most. I decided on the Cotopaxi Lagos 15L and I’m happy with my choice! Not too big, not too small, and lots of nifty features. I actually haven’t used the Hydrapak yet but I definitely will on trips without easy access to drinking water.
Note: I’m more interested in spotting birds than photographing them. If you’re looking for beginner bird photography equipment, I recommend checking out the r/Photography_Gear subreddit.
What to pack for a birding day trip
Here are the other essentials I always take with me on a birding day trip:
- Phone (with a full battery and your favorite birding app installed!)
- Water bottle
- Sunscreen
- Insect spray
- Wet wipes
- Snacks
What to wear on a birding day trip
This will definitely depend on where you are, and what the weather is like! Here’s what I recommend for Florida birding trips:
- Sportswear (good to soak up the sweat!)
- Hoodie / lightweight waterproof jacket / warm jacket just in case. Uniqlo has a lot of good options.
- Long pants: I usually wear leggings, even when it’s hot. It helps to prevent bug bites, and stops long grass tickling me and making me feel like I’ve been bitten even if I haven’t!
- Comfy shoes
- Hat / visor: I usually take one with me but tend not to wear it because I find it harder to spot birds when I’m wearing it!
- I also keep an old towel in the car to wipe down / brush off sand before the ride home.
Hope you found this useful!
What essential equipment for beginner birding did I miss? Feel free to get in touch to let me know!
Happy birding,
Elli
