Best Gifts for Bird Lovers and Backyard Bird Watchers

Bird lovers are unusually easy to shop for once you stop thinking only about bird feeders. The best bird-watching gifts can help someone attract more birds, identify the visitors they already have, create a better backyard habitat, or simply spend more time enjoying what's happening outside.

That gives you plenty of choices for Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, housewarmings, and other occasions. Whether you're shopping for a serious birder or someone who simply keeps an eye on the chickadees outside the kitchen window, these gifts can make backyard bird watching even more enjoyable.

1. A Good Pair of Binoculars

You don't have to travel to a wildlife refuge to make good use of binoculars. Even in a small backyard, they reveal details that are difficult to see from a window or patio chair.

For casual backyard bird watching, compact, lightweight binoculars are often more useful than a large, powerful pair. Something that's easy to grab is more likely to be used when an unfamiliar bird suddenly appears at the feeder.

2. A Bird Bath

Food gets much of the attention in backyard birding, but birds need reliable sources of water for drinking and bathing too. A bird bath can also attract species that aren't particularly interested in your feeders.

Choose one that's relatively shallow, stable, and easy to clean. Placement matters too: birds generally appreciate nearby shrubs or branches where they can perch before approaching the water.

3. A Bird Identification Guide

Even people who have watched birds for years encounter visitors they can't immediately identify. A good regional field guide gives them something to reach for when that happens.

Some bird lovers prefer apps, but there's still something satisfying about keeping a well-used field guide near the window. For a beginner, look for one organized by region rather than a comprehensive guide containing hundreds of species they're unlikely to encounter.

4. A Bird Feeder Designed for the Birds They Love

Rather than buying a generic feeder, think about the birds your recipient particularly enjoys. Different feeder designs and foods appeal to different species, so a hummingbird enthusiast has very different needs from someone hoping to see finches, woodpeckers, or cardinals.

Feeders aren't the only way to provide food, either. Birds eat far more than birdseed, including insects, berries, fruit, nectar, nuts, and seeds produced naturally in the landscape. If you're not sure what to buy, find out which birds regularly visit the recipient's yard before choosing a feeder.

5. Native Plants for Birds

Some of the best bird feeders don't look like feeders at all. Native trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowering plants can provide seeds, berries, insects, shelter, and nesting habitat while helping to create a more complete backyard ecosystem.

Native plants can also play an important role in creating a backyard habitat that supports both birds and pollinators. If you'd rather let the recipient choose the plants, a gift certificate to a good native-plant nursery is an excellent alternative, particularly when you don't know the light, soil, deer pressure, or available space in their garden.

6. A Window Bird Feeder

A window feeder brings birds unusually close and can be particularly entertaining from a kitchen, home office, or favorite chair. It's a good choice for someone who enjoys watching birds but doesn't necessarily want to head outside with binoculars every time something interesting appears.

Look for a design that's easy to remove and clean. Because feeders can bring birds close to glass, it's also worth thinking about window safety and placement rather than simply attaching one wherever the view is best.

7. A Wildlife Camera

A wildlife camera answers one of the more intriguing backyard questions: What's out there when we're not looking?

Depending on where it's placed, a camera may capture birds along with deer, foxes, raccoons, rabbits, opossums, and other nighttime visitors. For someone interested in backyard nature generally rather than birds alone, checking the camera can become a hobby of its own.

8. A Nest Box

A properly chosen nest box can provide valuable nesting habitat, but this is one gift where details matter. Entrance-hole size, box dimensions, height, location, ventilation, and protection from predators should suit the species you're hoping to attract.

Avoid decorative birdhouses that look charming but aren't designed with birds in mind. A functional nest box is a better gift than an ornamental one if the goal is actually to have birds use it.

9. A Rain Gauge

Bird watchers spend a lot of time paying attention to the same thing gardeners do: what's happening outside. Rain changes bird activity, food availability, puddles and other water sources, and the general rhythm of the backyard. During extended dry periods, knowing how to help birds during droughts and heat waves can become particularly important.

A rain gauge gives someone another reason to step outside after a storm and see what happened. The World's Coolest Rain Gauge® is particularly suited to a bird- and nature-lover's garden because it's useful without looking like a piece of weather equipment. The solid copper collector and bright blue floating tube make it a decorative feature as well as a working rain gauge.

10. A Comfortable Bird-Watching Spot

Sometimes the best bird-watching gift is simply a better place to watch. A comfortable outdoor chair, small garden bench, weather-resistant cushion, or side table can turn a good viewing location into a place someone actually uses.

Consider where the birds already congregate and where the recipient naturally likes to sit. The right gift may be less about attracting additional birds and more about making it easier to enjoy the ones already there.

11. A Heated Bird Bath for Winter

For bird lovers in cold climates, keeping water available in winter can be difficult. A heated bird bath or bird-bath heater can help keep water accessible during freezing weather.

Choose equipment specifically designed and rated for outdoor use. This is a particularly thoughtful Christmas gift because it's immediately useful during the season when natural open-water sources may be limited.

12. A Birding Experience

Not every bird gift needs to go in the backyard. A guided bird walk, wildlife refuge visit, birding festival, nature-center membership, boat trip, or guided owl or eagle program can make a memorable gift.

For someone who already owns plenty of birding equipment, an experience may be far more appealing than another object. It can also introduce them to species and habitats they wouldn't encounter at home.

13. A Bird Journal

A simple notebook can become a record of which birds visit throughout the year. Dates of first spring arrivals, nesting activity, unusual visitors, migration periods, and winter residents become much more interesting when you can compare them from year to year.

It doesn't have to be an elaborate birding log. A beautiful notebook and a good pen may be all that's required, especially for someone who already enjoys keeping track of what's happening in the garden.

14. Something for the Pollinators Too

A bird-friendly yard and a pollinator-friendly yard have a great deal in common. Native plants, water, shelter, reduced pesticide use, and a slightly less manicured landscape can benefit many forms of backyard nature.

That makes a native plant or other habitat-related gift a good choice even when you're technically shopping for a bird lover. The result may attract butterflies and native bees as well as birds, making the backyard more interesting throughout the growing season.

15. Membership in a Nature Organization or Preserve

A membership to a local nature center, preserve, botanical garden, or birding organization can provide outings throughout the year without adding anything to the house.

Look for an organization the recipient can actually visit. Trails, guided walks, lectures, seasonal programs, and members-only events make the gift more tangible than a membership that exists mainly on paper.

Choosing a Gift for a Bird Lover

The best choice depends on how the person enjoys birds. Someone who loves identifying species may appreciate binoculars or a field guide, while someone who simply enjoys watching the backyard may prefer a bird bath, comfortable viewing spot, or wildlife camera.

And don't overlook habitat. In fact, there are many ways to attract birds to your garden without a bird feeder, from providing water and shelter to leaving natural food sources in place. One of the most satisfying gifts for a bird lover can be something that makes their own backyard a little more welcoming to the wildlife they enjoy watching.