Headed to a spring migration hotspot? Don’t forget the essentials. From binoculars and field guides to lightweight rain gear and comfort items, here’s a practical packing checklist to help you stay comfortable, prepared, and focused on the birds.

Smart bird feeders with cameras are the one piece of birding tech I didn’t expect to love—and now can’t imagine living without. From seed eaters to hummingbirds, these feeders capture the birds you always miss, while helping you learn, steward, and enjoy your backyard in a whole new way.

Looking for meaningful Valentine’s Day gifts for birders? From smart bird feeders and binoculars to journals, décor, and backyard essentials, this gift guide celebrates bird lovers—and the birds they love—long after February 14.

For many new birders, buying your first pair of binoculars is the moment the hobby truly begins. Suddenly those distant specks resolve into sparrows, warblers, hawks, and herons. Plumage patterns pop. Behaviors become visible. And the birds that were once “little brown somethings” become identifiable wonders.