Binoculars and spotting scopes
Terms used to describe binoculars and scopes, the dos and don’ts of buying binoculars, and links to articles about binoculars and scopes. Read More “Binoculars and spotting scopes”
Gear & Products
Whether you’re looking for more information about bird feeders, binoculars, books, or other products, the gear featured in this section can help you enjoy watching birds more.
Artist Jonathan Alderfer describes National Geographic’s Field Guide to the Birds of North America
The guide’s lead illustrator tells us about its 300 new illustrations, new range maps for subspecies, and the process of creating the book Read More “Artist Jonathan Alderfer describes National Geographic’s Field Guide to the Birds of North America”
Kenn Kaufman describes his new Field Guide to Advanced Birding
Kaufman, author of several books and contributor of our regular “ID Tips” column, explains what’s new in the ground-breaking 2011 edition of his field guide Read More “Kenn Kaufman describes his new Field Guide to Advanced Birding”
An interview with Richard Crossley, author of the Crossley ID guides
Crossley describes how to use his eastern bird guide, where the idea for it came from, and why making birding more popular is important Read More “An interview with Richard Crossley, author of the Crossley ID guides”
What you need to know about waterproofing
Would your binoculars survive a spill into a stream? Here’s how to know. Read More “What you need to know about waterproofing”
What you need to know about tripods
Rock-solid advice for finding a stable tripod that’s just right for your needs Read More “What you need to know about tripods”
What you need to know about lens coatings
Lens coatings are easy to overlook, but they’re critical for seeing a bird’s true colors Read More “What you need to know about lens coatings”
Interview with David Allen Sibley, author of The Sibley Guide to Birds
In a 2001 interview, Contributing Editor David Sibley, author of our column “ID Toolkit,” tells how his field guide came to be and that its success surprised him Read More “Interview with David Allen Sibley, author of The Sibley Guide to Birds”
Making the connection
The trick to taking great photos of birds is making the right connection between your digital camera and your spotting scope Read More “Making the connection”