Bird Watching Clothing

Once you have decided to begin bird watching it’s common to race right out and want to buy tons of new supplies and bird handy type things that will make your bird watching all the more fun for you but first you’ll want to know what types of things you should buy. You’ve probably already gone and selected the area you want to visit, bought a nice set of binoculars and even picked up a field guide for the types of birds you want to see but did you remember to pick out the right kind of clothing?

Yep. Clothing is a very important piece of the bird watching puzzle and if you get it wrong you may seriously inhibit yourself when it comes to birding. The first thing to be aware of is that when you’re bird watching you’ll obviously be outside and that means preparing for birding in all kinds of weather, on all kinds of terrain, and in many different situations. Everyone wishes they could bird watch on beautiful sunny days but some of us have to deal with different climates and sometimes that means going out in weather that may not be ideal.

When bird watching you should definitely have some sturdy shoes, a long sleeved shirt, a vest with various pockets and pouches, long pants, and a good jacket to wear over top of everything else. It’s best that this jacket be water and wind proof as well just in case of inclement weather. Your boots especially should be carefully chosen because they’ll need to work in lots of different situations whether it’s a rocky floor or mud or swampy areas. You want your shoes to hold up well and not be holding you back when it comes to finding your birds. In the autumn the weather, depending on where you live, is either comfortably cool or still slightly warm. For cool weather, wear a sweatshirt with a vest over it just for the sake of pockets. For weather that is slightly warmer, wear a long-sleeved shirt with a pack to carry your things in. Either way, when in the woods it is always important to wear a long-sleeved shirt to protect against bug bites and scratches from branches and trees.

Long pants are also a must when bird watching in the woods. Many areas in which birds tend to live involves climbing through prickly bushes, and to avoid getting scratched (as well as getting bitten by bugs or ticks or small critters), it is always important to wear long pants for safety and for comfort as temperatures can quickly drop in the woods getting very cold. Long pants also make it easier to sit and crawl if you need to to get closer to a bird.

Also, if you are an extreme or experienced bird watcher that wants to get as close to the birds as you can, there are lots of different types of camouflage clothing you can wear to help keep the birds from seeing you while you study them. Or, you can wear regular clothing, but be sure it contains colors that blend in well with the surroundings of the area you are in. Usually tan and earthy colors are best. Whether you are a cautious or an adventurous bird watcher, bird watching clothing should always be comfortable and safe and protect you from anything you might come up against while you’re out on your bird watching trips.