Safety While Birding

One of the most important things to be aware of while you’re out on a bird watching trip or even just in your local area bird watching is that safety always comes first. This is especially important if you decide to go bird watching out in a local forest. Forests can have hunters in them and if you aren’t wearing a safety vest you may not be seen or noticed which can become a fatal situation especially if you’re dressed in camouflage so as not to be seen by the birds when you are studying them. It’s much more important for a hunter to be able to see you then for a bird to not be able to see you.

The best way to be safe is to be sure that you are visible to others that may be in the same area as you are. This can be done by wearing an orange safety vest to alert others of your presence and by staying in areas where you know there wont be any hunters.

You also want to be sure that there aren’t any animals or threats that might come from your surroundings that could be a source of harm to you. If an area is known to have bears or mountain lions or something similar prowling around then it’s probably no a good idea to go out into those areas during the times that those animals are active - especially at night. You also want to always bring some protection with you like some bear spray to make sure that you have something to defend yourself with. When in doubt stay in areas that are patrolled by rangers or similar protective authorities that will be able to help you out in a dangerous situation.

You also want to be sure that you have an emergency kit on you at all times because you never know what can happen when you’re out in the wild. Stay away from fallen trees, large rushing rivers, steep slopes, and rocky cliffs that could prove dangerous or even deadly if you approach them in the wrong way. A simple mistake while out bird watching could cause you serious injury so be sure that your safety is always the top priority. This also means not climbing trees you won’t be safe in or able to get down from and protecting yourself in layers of clothing and bug spray to ward off insects and scratches or cuts.

Remember to wear the proper clothing on these outings and to have ways of staying in contact with others. At the very least this means a whistle that you can blow if you get into some kind of danger. The best idea though is to take a friend or a family member with you that also enjoys birding too because you can keep each other safe and enjoy pointing out various birds to each other and comparing your notes on them. Birding is always more fun with a friend especially if it’s someone who shares your passion and enthusiasm so bring a buddy along and keep each other safe.