Last updated on January 2nd, 2022 at 10:36 am
Both spotting telescopes and binoculars are great choices for birding, as they both allow you to see birds closely and monitor their activity, but how are they different? When should you use which?
Spotting telescopes and binoculars for bird watching have different uses. A telescope is good for when you want to sit in one spot and watch birds from a long distance, whereas binoculars are good for being mobile and watching birds at closer distances. Telescopes are also better for photography.
When To Use a Telescope for Bird Watching
Birders use a small and portable type of telescope called a spotting scope.
It has a wider lens than binoculars, so they let in more light and produce a more detailed, brighter image. However, they also tend to be more expensive.
They also have a much higher magnification level on average, usually between 15x and 60x compared to 6x to 12x.
They are heavier, more robust, and slower to move around. Most people who use telescopes do so with a tripod and set up in a particular location to watch.
Telescopes are good for watching birds that fly or nest high up in the air, like hawks or other birds of prey. They are also good for photography.
Many telescopes come with the ability to mount a DSLR camera like the Canon EOS Rebel from Amazon.com.
This camera takes high-quality pictures and has an 18-55mm lens plus a wide-angle lens.
Some telescopes even come with attachments for a smartphone camera. An example is the Gosky 20-60×60 HD Spotting Scope.
This telescope, sold on Amazon.com, has a powerful 20x to 60x magnification range.
It allows you to dock your smartphone in place to take photos through the lens.
If you already have an astronomer’s telescope buried somewhere in your garage, you may find that it has a much larger magnification.
Some have up to 500x power. But ask yourself: Do I really want to lug around that old Criterion Dynascope RV-6?
How To Choose a Telescope for Birding
Telescopes vary in the size of the objective lens and the size of the eyepiece.
Most birders should look for a telescope that has a 60mm objective lens and a 20x eyepiece, which is good for general use when you don’t need extra high power.
For very long distances when you need a lot of detail, you might prefer a 30x or 40x eyepiece.
Keep in mind that eyepieces only sometimes have a plastic cup to accommodate glasses. If you wear glasses, be sure that you find one that does.
The SVBONY SV13 Spotting Scope from Amazon.com, for example, is a great choice for eyeglass wearers.
For general use, the Huicocy 20-60x60mm Spotting Scope sold on Amazon makes for a great choice.
It even offers a range of magnification so that you can adjust your field of view.
How To Use a Telescope for Bird Watching
To use a telescope for birding, first research good places to set up your bird watching station.
Places near nesting sites or feeding stations are good choices, as is a place near water sources like lakes and rivers.
If you’re hoping to see a particular kind of bird, research its habitat and behavior to find the best time and place to watch.
Unlike binoculars, you can’t be very mobile with a telescope.
It’s best to find one location to stay while you’re birding instead of using them to explore as you go.
That said, it is possible to scan a large area from one location with a telescope.
The average scope has a large maximum zoom, so you can stake out a spot in an open area and watch birds from a great distance in many different directions.
When To Use Binoculars for Bird Watching
Since spotting telescopes have only one lens, you get a narrower field of view.
However, binoculars have a wider field of view than telescopes because they have two lenses.
They can also be found at budget prices, whereas telescopes are nearly always more money.
Binoculars have enough magnification for most bird watching, usually between 6x and 12x.
By contrast, a telescope can have a magnification thirty times that.
They are lightweight, easy to carry, and good for seeing detail at close distances, and are more difficult to stabilize than binoculars.
They may provide a shaky image at high magnification, but they’re great for watching easy-to-spot targets at close range at low magnification.
Binoculars are good for bird watching when your subject is perched not too far away or when you want to be mobile, like hiking through a birding area.
How To Choose Binoculars for Birding
Binoculars vary in several ways, like the diameter of the objective lens, the magnification power, and the length and type of the eyecup.
The numerical measurement of a pair of binoculars refers to the objective lens diameter and magnification power.
For example, a pair of binoculars like the Nikon Prostaff 8×42 Binoculars have a magnification of 8x and a diameter of 42 millimeters.
These binoculars, sold on Amazon.com, are a great choice for most birders.
Binoculars with a larger objective lens are bigger and let in more light, providing a more detailed image.
When paired with high magnification, this means a powerful set of binoculars that shows you a clear image from a distance.
You should also look for a pair of binoculars that are waterproof and fog proof, like the Celestron Nature DX42 Binoculars.
These binoculars are available on Amazon and have rubber armor to make them even more indestructible.
How To Use Binoculars for Birding
Before you get started with your binoculars, it’s important to get the settings just right:
- Adjust the barrels so that they fit the width of your eyes.
- Find something to focus on and adjust the lens’s focus with the central wheel while keeping both eyes open.
- Close each eye, focusing each lens with its diopter adjustment.
Consider finding a different pair if your binoculars do not have diopter adjustments or a central focus wheel.
These features are key to a good birding experience, and without them, binoculars are much less powerful.
You can carry binoculars with you and look for birds while you move.
However, you’ll need to remember that birds are more likely to come out while you’re still and quiet.
Consider hiking to a location and setting up for a while, even if you don’t need to in order to use your equipment.
You may not need to stay as long as you would if you were using a telescope.