Best Binoculars for Birdwatching

Whether you are an avid bird watcher of many years or an amateur who just wants to identify the animals at your bird feeder, a quality set of binoculars is a necessity. To choose the right binoculars for you, decide on your price range and avoid unhappy surprises by taking the following factors into account before you make a purchase:

Max Magnification

Though it is tempting to get the highest magnification available, many professional bird watchers recommend no more than 7x to 8x magnification. This means that objects appear 7 to 8 times closer than they actually are. When you look through 10x magnification lenses, hand tremors are noticeable and make focusing harder, even though you can see in great detail. It also makes tracking a moving bird more difficult!

Field of View

If you are purchasing binoculars for bird watching, choose a model with the largest field of view you can afford, because this will help you scan an area to find that bird you can hear but can't see yet. Anything over 350ft at 1000 yards is acceptable, meaning that at a distance of 1,000 yards, you will be able to see a space 350 feet wide.

Weight

If you'll be doing a lot of hiking while bird watching, look for smaller, lighter models to save your neck from serious strain. Heavy-duty binoculars can be more powerful, but might be impractical for lugging around on long hikes in the wilderness.