How to Do Effective Birdwatching at Night?

Do you know that birdwatchers who are aware of the places where the nocturnal birds are will always have a higher chance of seeing more birds? Checking different birds at night can be a whole new adventure that you never thought you would witness.

Some people are not cut out to wake up in the morning. Even if they try their best to wake up, they might not enjoy it because they are cranky. You have to be in a good mood when you do birdwatching. You would need to be patient too. 

There is something that you should know: birdwatching at night is recommended for people who have done birdwatching. You are recommended to be with someone else who knows what to do when you are doing it for the first time. Once you get to experience it, you will realize that it is highly rewarding. You will feel like you are a great birdwatcher because of it.

The Differences Between Night Birds and Day Birds

You may enjoy watching a lot of birds during the daytime so you do not understand why there is a need to check out the birds at night. They have some differences that you may find interesting such as the following:

  • Night birds will be able to see clearly at night while day birds will not be able to see in dim light.
  • The eye size of these birds will also differ. Night birds will usually have big eyes while day birds will have small eyes.
  • Night birds will only have a few cones while day birds will have a lot of cones.

There are also some birds that you can only see at night. Will you pass up your chance to see some nocturnal owls? Some birds can only be found in certain areas. 

Some of the nocturnal birds that you may find are the following:

  • Nighthawks
  • Frogmouths
  • Kiwis
  • Kakapos
  • Woodcocks

Through birdwatching, you will be able to develop your senses. Birdwatching in the daylight is going to be easy. You can see your surroundings. At night, you have to rely on the night vision devices that you have invested in. The better your items, the clearer that you will be able to see at night. Remember to consider the weight of these items. The heavier they are, the less comfortable it would be to walk around in the area.

You may be used to hearing some of the day birds’ songs in the morning. You are going to experience a completely different sound when you start birdwatching at night. It may be different but you will get to appreciate it too.

Some Tips for Effective Birdwatching

Birdwatching is fun and easy for some people. Remember that this can be great if you generally love birds. If you don’t, then you might start to gain a penchant for it in the long run. For now, you need to be familiar with some tips to make birdwatching effective for you.

  1. Plan where you are going to go ahead of time.

It is ideal to have a detailed plan of how and where you are going to birdwatch. You can brainstorm with different people regarding the areas that they know. You can also research the types of birds that you will see there.

Some people would birdwatch from their backyard first. They feel like this is the first step to make them more familiar with seeing birds in the evening. It will be a different experience. Plus, you will start to feel more prepared when you go to another area.

You can go near any body of water because there is a big chance that there are birds there.

  1. Bring the right equipment with you.

Can you imagine if you would do birdwatching without night vision devices? It can be very problematic. You will not be able to see the different birds properly. Plus, it will also be difficult to see when the bird is far away. Having the right gadgets will allow you to see the birds even if from a distance.

  1. Wear the right clothes.

Do you think that your clothes will not matter? They will! You need to have comfortable clothes. It is best to wear clothes that you would wear when you are going on a hike. It might get cold at night so make sure that you will stay warm.

  1. Do not forget to bring your camera.

It will be ideal if you can take great pictures of the bird at night. You cannot imagine just how dramatic your pictures are. Once again, do not forget to bring the right equipment for you because it will make a lot of difference. A camera with good infrared night vision will make a lot of difference.

  1. Have your friends with you.

Some people are competitive and they would like to birdwatch alone. If you are trying to watch and note as many birds as you want, then you can do it alone. If you have never done this before, then bring your friends with you. Make sure that they are also avid birdwatchers. It will make a lot of difference with the experience that you will have.

Conclusion

Birdwatching during the day can be a fun experience. Birdwatching at night is going to be different. It is going to be rewarding and it will make you feel like you are a true birdwatching enthusiast. Even if you are just starting now, you can create fun new experiences on your own or with friends. Are you ready to see some birds that you will only see at night? Keep track and take note of the birds that you see. Other bird enthusiasts may get jealous especially when you see some birds that are very hard to spot in the wild.

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