Gift guide

Christmas gifts for birders and bird lovers: 27 ideas for every budget

We make one of the gifts on this page (#17, labeled “Ours”) and sell none of the others, with no affiliate links.

The best gifts for birders are things they'll actually use: a waterproof notebook under $25, a feeder or birdbath, a binocular harness, a year with a local bird club, or a guided trip. For a birder who has everything, give a morning out together or a book of every bird they've seen (ours). Choose binoculars with them.

Here are 27 ideas, sorted by budget, then by who they’re for, from small treats under $25 to a book of every bird they’ve seen. Where there’s a real product to name, we name one, with the price we saw, the shop and the date.

Updated

A Birdfolio, a personalized hardcover book of every bird one birder has seen, open at the Painted Bunting and the Harlequin Duck, each painting with the date and place the bird was first seen
The one gift on this page that we make: a Birdfolio, open at the Painted Bunting and the Harlequin Duck. Paintings: John James Audubon, The Birds of America (1827–38); John and Elizabeth Gould, The Birds of Europe (1832–37)

Quick picks

Gifts for birders at a glance, with the prices we saw
ForTryPriceWhy
A birder who keeps a life lista book of their birds (#17, ours) or a write-in journal (#4)From $79 or $22It celebrates the birds they’ve already seen
A backyard birdwatchera squirrel-proof feeder (#10) or a wild-bird store gift card (#13)$36.95 or you chooseMore birds at the window, all year
A beginnera field guide (#7) and a morning out together (#25)$45 and freeThe words and the company to get started
A family that birds togetherSibley’s bird flashcards (#6) or a bird trivia game (#9)$20.00 or $25.00Learning the birds together, at home
A bird lover who doesn’t go birdingAudubon’s birds in a tiny book (#3) or a camera bird feeder (#22)$13.95 or $199.99Birds to enjoy from the armchair or the window
A birder who wants to learn morea birding course (#24) or a bird club membership (#16)$239.99 or $60Lessons, walks and talks with people who know the birds
Someone who cares about conservationa puffin to adopt (#19) or a donation in their name (#27)$100 or you chooseA gift that helps the birds too
A birder who has everythinga morning out together (#25) or a book of their birds (#17, ours)Free or from $79Time together, or a keepsake of what they’ve seen
Last minutea gift card by email (#17, ours) or a club membership (#16)From $79 or $60Nothing to ship, so both work at the last minute
Under $25a waterproof notebook (#1) or a lens pen (#2)Varies by shop or $12.95Useful on every walk

Other makers’ prices are the ones we saw on their own shops; each idea below shows the shop and the date. Prices change, and the budget groups are rough guides: prices vary a lot by shop, size and model.

Christmas gifts for bird lovers (2026)

The best Christmas gifts for bird lovers are things they’ll use all winter: a squirrel-proof bird feeder (#10) or a birdbath (#11) for the cold months, The Backyard Birdwatcher's Bible (#8) or Sibley’s bird trivia game (#9) for long evenings, a lens pen (#2) or Sibley’s bird flashcards (#6) for the stocking, or a book of every bird they’ve seen (#17, ours). For a day out together, join a Christmas Bird Count (#26).

Shopping late? A club membership (#16) or a donation in their name (#27) can be bought online today: more last-minute gifts.

Christmas picks by budget
BudgetTryPrice
Under $25a lens pen (#2) or Sibley’s bird flashcards (#6)$12.95; $20.00
$25 to $50The Backyard Birdwatcher’s Bible (#8) or Sibley’s bird trivia game (#9)$45.00; $25.00
$50 to $100a birding association membership (#16) or a book of every bird they’ve seen (#17, ours)$60; from $79
Over $100a camera bird feeder (#22) or binoculars, chosen together (#20)$199.99
Freea Christmas Bird Count together (#26) or a morning out together (#25)Free

Other makers’ prices are the ones we saw on their own shops; each idea shows the shop and the date. Prices change.

What are some good Christmas gifts for someone who loves birds?

Something that brings the birds closer through the winter, or something to enjoy indoors on a cold day: a squirrel-proof bird feeder (#10), a birdbath (#11), a bird jigsaw puzzle (#5) or Sibley’s trivia game (#9) for the holidays, or Audubon's Birds of America (#3). For someone who keeps a list of the birds they’ve seen, a book of that list (#17, ours) is a keepsake. Not sure what they have? Give your time: a morning out together (#25).

Gifts under $25

Good stocking stuffers for birders: small things they'll use on every walk, and a few to enjoy at home.

A yellow male and an olive female American Goldfinch perched on spiky purple thistles
American Goldfinches on thistle, from the book-size edition of The Birds of America. John James Audubon, The Birds of America (1840–44)

  1. 1. A waterproof field notebook and a pencil

    A pocket notebook is the one thing almost every birder carries. It holds the day's list, a rough sketch of a bird they couldn't name, and a note of where they saw it. Look for all-weather paper: it takes notes in a drizzle and doesn't turn soft in a damp pocket.

    Tuck in a pencil, which still writes on wet paper. If they like to sketch, a few colored pencils turn it into a proper present.

  2. 2. A lens pen or cleaning kit

    Binoculars pick up dust, pollen and fingerprints on every walk, and a smudge on an eyepiece can hide the bird. A lens pen fits in a shirt pocket: a soft brush slides out of one end, and a cleaning tip sits at the other. The original LensPen is made for binocular, camera and spotting-scope lenses, and its tip is made never to dry out.

    It's hard to get wrong, even if you don't know their gear.

    The original LensPen: $12.95 at LensPen, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

  3. 3. Audubon's Birds of America: the Tiny Folio

    John James Audubon's Birds of America, printed from 1827 to 1838, showed every bird life-size. Abbeville's Tiny Folio puts all 435 of its plates in a chunky little hardcover you can hold in one hand. Roger Tory Peterson and Virginia Marie Peterson arranged the birds in modern order and wrote the introduction. It suits birders and armchair bird lovers alike, and it fits in a stocking.

    The pictures are small, about 4.5 inches across. For bigger editions, up to a coffee-table book, see our guide to Audubon's Birds of America book.

    Audubon's Birds of America, the Tiny Folio: $13.95 at Abbeville Press, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

  4. 4. A write-in life-list journal

    A life list is every kind of bird someone has ever seen. A life-list journal gives each new bird a line or a page, with room for the date, the place and a few words. David Allen Sibley's Birder's Life List and Field Diary has an entry for each of the 923 species found in the US and Canada, and a checklist at the back. The Cornell Lab's Birder's Life List & Journal is a similar book.

    Lovely for someone who likes writing things down. Not sure which kind suits them? Our guide compares birding log books, journals and apps. Rather print your own? Our free printable life list does the same job.

    The Sibley Birder's Life List and Field Diary: $22 at Penguin Random House, checked October 28, 2026. Birder's Life List & Journal: $19.95 at Annie Bloom's Books, checked October 2, 2026. Prices change.

  5. 5. A bird jigsaw puzzle or board game

    For rainy days and family evenings. Pomegranate's Backyard Birds puzzle is 1,000 pieces of Casey Girard's bird portraits, from the American Crow to the Tufted Titmouse, with a key that names each species. Doing it together is a gentle way to learn the birds at the feeder.

    For a family that likes games, Wingspan from Stonemaier Games is a step up in price: 1 to 5 players attract birds to their wildlife preserves from hundreds of bird cards, in 40 to 90 minutes.

    Backyard Birds, 1,000 pieces: $24.95 at Pomegranate, checked October 28, 2026. Wingspan: $65 at Stonemaier Games, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

  6. 6. Sibley Backyard Birding Flashcards

    A deck of 100 common North American birds, with David Allen Sibley's portraits from The Sibley Guide to Birds. The front of each card shows the bird twice: male and female, say, or adult and young. The back gives its names, size, voice and habitat, with a range map. Pull a card, guess the bird, turn it over. A checklist card lets them tick off the ones they've seen.

    It suits a beginner, a backyard birder, or grandparents learning the feeder birds with their grandchildren. A keen birder will know most of the cards already. The publisher's current deck is the revised and updated one, from 2023.

    Sibley Backyard Birding Flashcards, Revised and Updated: $20.00 at Penguin Random House, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

Gifts from $25 to $50

Mostly for the backyard: gifts that bring more birds to the window, or a gift card to choose their own, plus two bird books, a bird trivia game and a stamp that helps wetlands.

A red male and a brown female Northern Cardinal perched on a leafy branch
Northern Cardinals, regulars at many backyard feeders. John James Audubon, The Birds of America (1840–44)

  1. 7. A field guide to North American birds

    A field guide is the book a birder reaches for to put a name to a bird. The Sibley Guide to Birds, Second Edition, covers all of North America in one hardcover of 624 pages, written and illustrated by David Allen Sibley. It's too big for a pocket, so it often lives in the car or by the kitchen window.

    Most birders already own a guide, so check their shelf first. A guide to a place they're about to visit can be the better gift. We compare the main field guides in our pick of the best bird books, and the big picture books in our guide to coffee table bird books.

    The Sibley Guide to Birds, Second Edition: $45 at Penguin Random House, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

  2. 8. The Backyard Birdwatcher's Bible

    A big illustrated book about backyard birds, from Abrams. Each bird gets a profile, how to identify it, where it lives and what it eats, with photographs of the male and the female and a range map. Other chapters follow a bird's life from hatchling to adult and explain songs, territories and nests. Then come feeders, birdhouses and plants to bring birds to a yard, and a chapter on birds in art, from Audubon to Taiichiro Yoshida's metalwork birds.

    It suits someone who feeds the birds and wants to know more about their visitors, beginner or not. At 416 pages and 7⅜ × 9⅝ inches, it's a book for the shelf or the coffee table, not for a walk. More big bird books: the best coffee table bird books.

    The Backyard Birdwatcher's Bible, hardcover: $45.00 at Abrams, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

  3. 9. Sibley Birder's Trivia: a card game

    A quiz in a box: 400 questions about North American birds on 200 cards, in five categories, from identification and anatomy to bird names, behavior and birds in culture. Each card has an easier question worth one point and a harder one worth two, and players choose which to answer. The identification questions use Sibley's own bird portraits. Play in teams, one-on-one, or alone.

    It suits a keen birder who likes a quiz, and a family that plays games together. For a beginner, Sibley's flashcards are a gentler start.

    Sibley Birder's Trivia: A Card Game: $25.00 at Penguin Random House, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

  4. 10. A squirrel-proof bird feeder

    A feeder brings the birds to the window, and squirrels are the usual problem. On Brome's Squirrel Buster feeders, a squirrel's weight pulls a cover down over the feeding ports, so the birds eat and the squirrel doesn't, without harming it. The Squirrel Buster Mini holds 1 pound of seed and has 4 ports, for a small yard or a balcony.

    Ask what they already have, and which birds they'd like to see more of. The bigger models cost more.

    Squirrel Buster Mini: $36.95 at Brome Bird Care, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

  5. 11. A birdbath

    Birds need water all year, to drink and to bathe. A shallow bath, kept clean and filled, can bring in birds that never visit a seed feeder. Where winters freeze, a heated birdbath keeps a patch of open water when it's hardest to find.

    A heated bath needs an outdoor outlet within reach of its cord, so ask before you buy. A garden center or a wild-bird shop sells both kinds.

  6. 12. A native shrub or tree

    A plant that grows wild in their area feeds birds for years, with berries, seeds and the insects that live on it, and gives them shelter. The National Audubon Society's native plants database suggests plants for a zip code, and where to buy them nearby.

    A gift card from a local native-plant nursery lets them choose in spring. If you'd rather give the plant itself, ask the nursery what will grow well in their yard.

    Source: National Audubon Society: Native Plants database, read October 7, 2026.

  7. 13. A gift card for a wild-bird or feed store

    Let them choose their own seed, suet and feeders. Wild Birds Unlimited is a chain of bird-feeding shops, and one of its stores says its gift cards come in a range of amounts and can be spent in the store or online, on feeders, seed, binoculars or gifts. A local feed store, garden center or independent wild-bird shop works just as well, and the people behind the counter can usually tell them which seed the birds near them like.

    Each Wild Birds Unlimited store has its own owners, so buy the card from the store nearest them, and ask whether other stores take it. You choose the amount: enough for a few bags of seed, or for the feeder they've had their eye on. It suits a backyard birder who already knows what they like.

    Source: Wild Birds Unlimited Albuquerque East: Holiday Gifts, read October 19, 2026.

  8. 14. A Federal Duck Stamp

    Sold by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which says 98 percent of the price goes to buying and protecting wetlands for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Signed, it lets them visit national wildlife refuges for free. Each stamp has new art and is valid from July 1 to June 30; most US post offices sell them.

    It suits someone who loves ducks, refuges or wildlife art, and it slips into a greeting card.

    Source: US Fish and Wildlife Service: Federal Duck Stamp, read October 2, 2026.

Gifts from $50 to $100

Gifts that make birding more comfortable or more sociable, a puffin to adopt, and the one gift on this page that we make.

  1. 15. A binocular harness

    Binoculars on a neck strap feel heavy by the end of a long walk. A harness spreads the weight across the shoulders and stops them swinging. Vortex's GlassPak holds full-size binoculars in a case on harness straps, with side pockets. Cotton Carrier's Skout G2 is a sling-style harness that locks the binoculars to the chest.

    Check what binoculars they carry before you choose, and keep the receipt in case the fit isn't right.

    Vortex GlassPak Binocular Harness: $34.99 at Vortex Optics, checked October 28, 2026. Cotton Carrier Skout G2: $99 at Cotton Carrier, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

  2. 16. A bird club or birding association membership

    A year with a local bird club or Audubon chapter brings guided walks, talks, and people to go birding with. For a keen birder, the American Birding Association is a national option: members at its $60 level get 8 print issues of Birding magazine a year.

    Many clubs sell memberships online, so it works at the last minute too. Ask first: they may already belong.

    ABA membership with Birding magazine: $60 at American Birding Association, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

  3. 17. A Birdfolio: a book of every bird they've seen Ours

    A personalized hardcover of their own life list: every species beside a classic painting, with the date and place they first saw it. Best for someone who already keeps a list, in eBird, in iNaturalist or in a notebook. Just starting out, or never kept a list? Another idea on this page will suit them better for now.

    Books and gift cards go on sale on November 15. Until then, you can look inside a Birdfolio.

    Prices: Standard $79 (up to 300 species), Complete $99 (up to 1,000 species), Grand $129 (over 1,000 species). US shipping included.

    Don’t know their list? Give a Birdfolio gift card. It’s emailed right away, never expires and comes in the same amounts ($79, $99, $129), so it’s an easy last-minute gift. They add their list when they’re ready, and we print their book then.

    Have their file, and their OK? Make the book yourself, add a dedication, and we send it straight to them. It usually arrives in about 2–3 weeks (3–4 weeks in November and December): faster options.

    Look inside a BirdfolioAbout gift cards

    The front cover of a Birdfolio: a dark green hardcover titled The Birds of Margaret Hill, with Audubon's painting of two Hermit Thrushes on a berry branch and the number 400 species below it.
    The Birds of Margaret HillHermit Thrush, J. J. Audubon, 1827–38

  4. 18. A birding festival ticket

    Many regions hold a birding festival in spring or fall, with guided walks, talks and field trips led by people who know the local birds. Our calendar of US birding festivals lists their dates by month and state.

    A ticket, or a weekend there together, makes a trip of it. Prices vary a lot, so check the festival's own website.

  5. 19. Adopt a puffin

    A gift that helps seabirds, with a real bird's story attached. Audubon's Project Puffin, founded in 1973, brought Atlantic Puffins back to islands off the coast of Maine where they had been wiped out more than a century ago. For a donation of $100, they become the adopter of a puffin that nests on Eastern Egg Rock, one of those islands. Audubon sends a biography of their puffin, with a picture and its most recent activities, and a certificate of adoption with their name on it.

    It suits someone who loves seabirds or the Maine coast, or a grandchild who'd like a bird of their own, and it can be renewed each year. Audubon's other symbolic bird adoptions have ended: its gift center has closed, and it suggests a gift membership with a year of Audubon magazine instead.

    Adopt one puffin: $100 at National Audubon Society, checked October 19, 2026. Prices change.

    Source: National Audubon Society: Adoption Center, read October 19, 2026.

Splurge gifts over $100

Big gifts for a keen birder: optics, a camera feeder, a trip or a course. Most are personal, so the safest way to give them is to choose together.

A Great Blue Heron bending its long neck low over marsh grass
A Great Blue Heron. To fit it on the page life-size, Audubon bent its neck down. John James Audubon, The Birds of America (1827–38)

  1. 20. Binoculars, chosen together

    Binoculars are personal: the weight, the magnification and how they fit someone's eyes all matter. Audubon's buying guide lists 8x42 among the sizes that suit birding, and says brightness and a wide view matter more than power. (8x42 means 8 times magnification and front lenses 42 millimeters across.) Two 8x42 pairs to ask about, at different prices: Celestron's Nature DX and Nikon's Monarch M5.

    Shop together, or ask exactly which pair they want. Most birders already own one, so a harness or a lens pen is the safer surprise.

    Celestron Nature DX 8x42: $179.95 at Celestron, checked October 28, 2026. Nikon Monarch M5 8x42: $339.95 at Nikon USA, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

    Source: Audubon: How To Choose Your Binoculars, by Wayne Mones, read October 7, 2026.

  2. 21. A spotting scope, chosen together

    For shorebirds, ducks and hawks too far away for binoculars. A spotting scope magnifies much more, so it stands on a tripod. It's a big, personal purchase, so choose it with them, ideally where they can look through a few first, at a shop or a birding festival.

    Ask whether they already have a sturdy tripod: a scope needs one.

  3. 22. A camera bird feeder

    A feeder with a built-in camera records the birds that visit and sends them to a phone, so they can see who came while they were out. The Birdfy Feeder is one: it alerts them when a bird stops by and can name the species. On the basic kit, naming the birds is a subscription; a kit with it included costs more.

    Before you buy, check that their Wi-Fi reaches the spot where it will hang, and that they're happy using a phone app.

    Birdfy Feeder, basic kit: $199.99 at Birdfy, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

  4. 23. A guided birding trip

    A day or a week with a local guide, somewhere with birds they haven't seen yet. New places mean lifers: birds they've never seen before. A good guide knows where the birds are, and often finds them by ear first.

    A half-day walk is a smaller version of the same gift. Tell the guide how far they like to walk; our guide to birding with less walking has ideas for an easier day.

  5. 24. A birding course

    A course teaches what a field guide can't: how birds live, and how to know them by shape, song and behavior. Many Audubon chapters, nature centers and bird clubs run beginner and bird-song classes, in person or online. For lessons at home, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Bird Academy sells online courses that are self-paced, with no deadline, so they can go back to the lessons as often as they like. One of them, Ornithology: Comprehensive Bird Biology, is a university-level course on bird anatomy, behavior, ecology and conservation, with a certificate for those who pass.

    That course also needs the Handbook of Bird Biology, a 700-page textbook sold separately, so it suits a keen birder who wants to know how birds work, not just their names. For a beginner, a class with a local club or nature center is the gentler start. Ask first whether they'd enjoy lessons on a screen.

    Ornithology: Comprehensive Bird Biology, online course: $239.99 at Cornell Lab of Ornithology, checked October 19, 2026. Prices change.

Free gifts, and giving back

Gifts of time and of giving. Two cost nothing at all; with the third, you choose the amount.

A Blue Jay with an acorn in its bill perched on a branch above a green forest
A Blue Jay with an acorn, a familiar bird on a winter morning out. Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Birds of New York (1914)

  1. 25. A morning out together

    Offer to drive, bring the coffee and go wherever they'd like to go birding. The company is the gift. Write it in a card with a date, so it really happens.

    Not sure where to go? A nearby wildlife refuge, or a walk run by a local bird club, is a good start.

  2. 26. A Christmas Bird Count together

    Every year from December 14 to January 5, volunteers across the Americas spend a day counting birds. Anyone can join, beginners included, and it's free: how to join a count.

    Each local count picks one day, set by its organizer, so sign up early. Someone who lives inside a count's area can even count the birds at their own feeder, if they arrange it first.

  3. 27. A donation in their name

    A gift of any size to a bird-conservation group, or to their local Audubon chapter or bird club, in their name. American Bird Conservancy offers gift memberships that come with a personalized card from you and its magazine.

    Ask which cause they'd choose. A card saying where the gift went makes it easy to give in person.

    Source: American Bird Conservancy: Ways to Give, read October 7, 2026.

Gifts for the birder who has everything

For a birder who has everything, give an experience or a keepsake rather than more gear: a guided trip or festival weekend somewhere with birds they haven’t seen yet, a morning out together, a donation in their name, or a book of the birds they’ve already seen (ours).

  • a guided birding trip (#23): new places mean new species for their list
  • a birding festival ticket (#18), with guided walks and talks
  • a morning out together (#25): you drive and bring the coffee
  • a donation in their name (#27), to the cause they’d choose
  • a puffin to adopt (#19), with a biography of their own bird
  • a book of their life list (#17, ours)

Skip binoculars and field guides unless they’ve told you exactly which ones they want.

Gifts for a new birdwatcher

Someone just starting out needs three things: a way to name the birds, a place to write them down, and someone to go with. Start with a field guide (#7) and a waterproof notebook (#1). Then add a morning out together (#25), or a walk or a class with a local bird club: many welcome beginners, and a birding course (#24) takes them further. No binoculars yet? Shop for a pair together (#20). More in our answer to what to give a new birdwatcher.

An American Robin with a grey back and orange breast leaning forward on a branch above a few leaves
An American Robin: a familiar bird, and a good one to start with. John Gould, with Elizabeth Gould and Edward Lear, The Birds of Europe (1832–37)

Gifts for bird lovers who don’t go birding

Not everyone who loves birds goes out to look for them. For a bird lover at home, choose something lovely to look at, or something that brings the birds closer. Audubon’s paintings are a classic: the Tiny Folio (#3) costs little, and our guide to Audubon’s Birds of America book compares the bigger editions, up to a coffee-table volume. A framed print of a bird they love works too; here’s how to frame a classic bird print so it doesn’t fade.

For the yard, a camera bird feeder (#22), a birdbath (#11) or a native shrub or tree (#12) brings the birds to the window. Ask what they already have, and which birds they’d like to see more of.

Four Painted Buntings, bright blue, green and red, perched on a leafy branch
Painted Buntings. Audubon called them Painted Finches. John James Audubon, The Birds of America (1827–38)

Gifts for life listers and milestone birds

Many birders keep a life list: every species they’ve ever seen, each counted once. (More on what a life list is, and on the life list vs year list.) Round numbers are big moments: the 100th species, the 500th. If someone you know is close to one, these mark it well:

  • a book of every bird on their list (#17, ours), with the date and place of each first sighting
  • a write-in journal (#4) for the next few hundred
  • a guided birding trip (#23) to somewhere with new birds

More ideas for the big day: gifts for a birder’s milestone.

Personalized gifts for bird lovers

A personalized gift for a bird lover comes in two kinds: something with their name on it, like an engraved feeder or a journal with their name on the cover, or something made from their own birds, like a book of every species they’ve seen (ours). The first suits anyone who loves birds. The second suits someone who keeps a list.

A journal with their name on the cover

Quill & Finch, a shop that ships to the US, makes hardcover birding logbooks with a name on the cover and spine. Each has 202 pages, with 100 entries for the bird, the place, the date and the weather, and a dotted page beside each for a sketch. They're made to order, so the shop doesn't take returns.

Sparrow Personalized Birding Logbook: $35.00 at Quill & Finch, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

An engraved bird feeder

Northwest Gifts sells a cedar feeder with a clear acrylic front, engraved with the words you choose: a name, a quote or a short poem. It's made in the USA, and the shop engraves it in 2 to 5 business days before it ships. It suits a backyard birder.

Custom Engraved Bird Feeder: $55.00 at Northwest Gifts, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

A painting of their favorite bird

Many wildlife artists paint to order. Eric Sweet, a painter whose shop has a section of wildlife and bird paintings, prices a commission by its size, and says the final price depends on the size and the detail. He expects a small piece to take one to two weeks once it's started, and a big one longer, so ask early and send a photo of the bird you have in mind.

A commissioned painting: from $5 per square inch at Eric Sweet, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

Something from an independent maker on Etsy

Etsy's makers engrave names on birdhouses, feeders and ornaments, print them on mugs and shirts, and paint birds to order. Prices and quality vary from shop to shop, so read the reviews, check how long the maker needs, and spell the name out carefully: a personalized gift usually can't go back.

A book made from their own sightings (ours)

This one is ours. A Birdfolio is personalized in a different way: it's printed from their own list of the birds they've seen, with a classic painting for every species and the date and place they first saw it. It suits someone who already keeps a list (more about it).

Most personalized gifts are made to order, so allow extra time, and check the spelling of the name twice before you pay.

Gifts for backyard birdwatchers

For someone who watches from the kitchen window, the best gifts bring more birds closer: a squirrel-proof bird feeder (#10), a birdbath (#11), a native shrub or tree (#12) or a camera bird feeder (#22). Ask what they already have first, or give a wild-bird store gift card (#13) and let them choose. From November to April, they can also count their feeder birds for science with Project FeederWatch.

What are some good gadgets for bird watchers?

Good gadgets for bird watchers include a camera bird feeder (#22), which sends pictures of the birds that visit to a phone, a phone adapter that takes pictures through binoculars or a spotting scope, and the free Merlin Bird ID app, which suggests a bird's name from a photo or a recording of its song. Each line below says what to check first.

  • A camera bird feeder (#22). It records the birds that stop by and sends them to their phone, so they see who came while they were out. Check that their Wi-Fi reaches the spot where it will hang.
  • A phone adapter for binoculars or a scope. A clamp that holds a phone's camera over the eyepiece, so they can photograph what they see through it; birders call it digiscoping. Celestron's NexGO Universal Smartphone Adapter fits eyepieces from 1 to 1.75 inches across, on spotting scopes, binoculars and telescopes, and a wide range of phones, usually with the case still on. Measure their eyepiece first.
  • The Merlin Bird ID app. Free from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, for iPhone and Android. It suggests which bird they saw from a photo, a recording of its song, or their answers to a few simple questions. The app costs nothing, so make your time the gift: set it up on their phone together and try it on the birds outside.
  • A spotting scope, chosen together (#21). With a phone adapter on it, it becomes a long lens for ducks, hawks and shorebirds too far away for binoculars.

NexGO Universal Smartphone Adapter: $41.95 at Celestron, checked October 28, 2026. Prices change.

Sources: Apple App Store: Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab, read October 19, 2026; Google Play: Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab, read October 19, 2026.

Birding gifts for dad, mom and grandparents

A parent who has watched birds for decades usually has the gear, so give time instead, like a morning out together (#25), or something that celebrates the birds they’ve already seen (see gifts for life listers). Ideas for each kind of parent, from the window watcher to a birder in their 80s: bird watching gifts for dad, mom and grandparents.

Retirement gifts for birders

The best gifts for a retired birdwatcher fill their new free time outdoors: a guided birding trip (#23), a festival ticket (#18), a year with a bird club or Audubon chapter (#16), or a Federal Duck Stamp (#14), which gets them into national wildlife refuges free. For a send-off from colleagues, a book of the birds they’ve seen (#17, ours) is something they’ll keep. More ideas, with prices: retirement gifts for birders.

Last-minute gifts that arrive today

Short on time? These arrive by email or can be bought online today. A promise in a card counts too.

  • A Birdfolio gift card, emailed to you right away to print or forward (ours). They add their list when they’re ready.
  • A bird club or ABA membership (#16), bought online.
  • A donation in their name (#27), made online.
  • A walk booked with a local guide, or a written promise of a morning out together.

Ordering a printed Birdfolio? A book ships within 7 business days and usually arrives in about 2–3 weeks (3–4 weeks in November and December). Express shipping is $30 more and takes about 1–1.5 weeks (2–3 weeks in November and December). You see your delivery dates before you pay. Short on time? A gift card arrives by email right away, and they make their book whenever they’re ready. Delivery details

Gifts to skip

  • Binoculars chosen without them. They’re personal; shop together instead.
  • Very powerful binoculars, such as 15x or 20x. Audubon’s binocular guide says too much magnification makes binoculars useless: they magnify every shake of the hand too. And front lenses bigger than 42 millimeters make them too heavy for most people to carry all day.
  • A field guide they may already own. Ask, or check their shelf.
  • Novelty items, unless you know their taste.

Life-list gifts compared: journal, poster or printed book

GiftWho fills it inNeeds their list?FormatPriceBest for
A write-in life-list journalThey do, by handNoA book with a line or a page for each species$22 (see #4)Someone who likes writing things down
A checklist posterThey tick species offNoA printed list of a region's birdsVaries by shopA beginner, or a wall at home
A personalized life-list posterA poster maker, from their listYesTheir species names on one sheetVaries by shopSomeone who wants their list on the wall
A book printed from their own records (Birdfolio, ours)We do, from their own file or typed listYes, or give a gift card and they add it laterA hardcover with a painting for every species$79 to $129, US shipping includedSomeone who already keeps a list

Prefer to write by hand? A journal suits them better. Already keep a list in an app? A printed book saves the typing. Look inside a Birdfolio.

Questions people ask about gifts for birders

What does every birder need?

Binoculars, a field guide and a notebook: a way to see the birds, a way to name them and a place to write them down. Most keen birders already own all three, so the best gifts add to the kit, like a lens pen or cleaning kit (#2) or a binocular harness (#15), or give them more time outdoors, like a morning out together (#25).

What to buy someone who likes birdwatching?

Something they’ll use on their next walk, or something that brings the birds closer to home: a waterproof field notebook and a pencil (#1), a squirrel-proof bird feeder (#10) or a birdbath (#11). If they keep a list of the birds they’ve seen, a book of that list (#17, ours) is a keepsake. Not sure what they already have? Ask, or give your time.

What are some unusual gifts for bird lovers?

A Federal Duck Stamp (#14), which helps protect wetlands and gets them into national wildlife refuges free; a camera bird feeder (#22), which sends pictures of the birds that visit to a phone; a day together on a Christmas Bird Count (#26); or a native shrub or tree (#12) that feeds birds for years. For someone who keeps a list, a book of every bird they’ve seen (#17, ours) is theirs alone.

What is a good present for someone who loves birds?

Something that brings birds closer. For the window, a birdbath (#11) or a native shrub or tree (#12); for the armchair, Audubon’s paintings in the Tiny Folio (#3) or a framed print of a bird they love. If they go out birding too, start with what every birder needs. More ideas: gifts for bird lovers who don’t go birding.

What is the best gift for someone who enjoys birdwatching?

One that adds to the time they spend watching birds: a morning out together (#25), a lens pen (#2) or a binocular harness (#15) for the kit they already carry, or a squirrel-proof bird feeder (#10) that brings the birds to the window. Skip binoculars unless you choose them together: the fit is personal.

What’s a nice small gift?

For a birder, a lens pen (#2), Audubon’s birds in the Tiny Folio (#3) or a waterproof notebook and a pencil (#1): each costs under $25 at the prices we found. More: gifts under $25.

What are some good gifts for wildlife lovers?

Gifts that help wildlife, or bring it closer: a native shrub or tree (#12) that feeds birds for years, a birdbath (#11), a Federal Duck Stamp (#14), which helps protect wetlands for national wildlife refuges, or a donation in their name (#27) to a conservation group.

What are some good gifts for outdoor lovers?

Things that make a day outside easier, or a day out itself: a waterproof notebook (#1), a binocular harness (#15), a birding festival ticket (#18) or a guided birding trip (#23) somewhere with birds they haven’t seen yet.

What are some good gift ideas for birds?

For the wild birds themselves, give food, water or shelter: a squirrel-proof bird feeder (#10) for seed, a birdbath (#11), heated where winters freeze, or a native shrub or tree (#12) that feeds them berries, seeds and insects for years. Each one is a gift for the person who watches them, too. (This guide is about wild birds, not pet birds.)

How do you make a birding gift box?

Pick one theme, choose three or four small things that fit it, and add a note. For a birder who walks: a waterproof notebook and a pencil (#1), a lens pen (#2) and Sibley's bird flashcards (#6). For a backyard birder: a small feeder (#10) and a bag of the seed it takes. A shoebox lined with tissue paper does the job.

To add a bigger present without guessing, print a gift card, such as a Birdfolio gift card (ours), and lay it on top.

What colors not to wear when birding?

Bright colors that stand out, such as bright white, red or orange. In wild places, muted colors that don't contrast sharply with the surroundings help: the birds still see you, but they're less likely to fly off before you see them, writes Kenn Kaufman, Audubon magazine's field editor. He adds that the evidence is slim, and that in a busy city park, where birds are used to people, it hardly matters.

Two more of his tips: birds see ultraviolet light, so clothes washed in a detergent with optical brighteners can look bright to them, and in hunting season a bright orange cap is the safe choice. Giving a birding cap or shirt? Choose a muted color.

Source: Audubon magazine: Ask Kenn: Can I See More Birds By Wearing Camouflage? (Kenn Kaufman, Fall 2026), read October 18, 2026.

Is birding a cheap hobby?

Birding can be a cheap hobby: watching birds is free, and a beginner needs little more than a notebook and a field guide, such as the Sibley Guide (#7) at $45. The costs come with gear and travel. Binoculars are the big one: the two pairs we name (#20) cost $179.95 and $339.95 at their makers' shops, and keen birders also travel to see new species.

All together, US birders spent more than $107 billion in 2022, on binoculars, feeders, cameras, trips and more, the US Fish and Wildlife Service found.

Source: Audubon magazine: Birding Is a Booming Hobby, and a Big Business (February 20, 2025), read October 18, 2026.

More questions

What is a good gift for a birder who has everything?

An experience or a keepsake rather than more gear: a guided trip or festival weekend somewhere with birds they haven't seen yet, a morning out together, a donation to a bird-conservation group in their name, or a book of the birds they've already seen (that one is ours). Skip binoculars and field guides unless they've told you exactly what they want.

What are good gift ideas for a retired birdwatcher?

Gifts that fill their new free time outdoors: a guided birding trip, a festival ticket, a year with a local bird club or Audubon chapter, or a bird-song class at a nature center. A Federal Duck Stamp gets them into national wildlife refuges free. More ideas, by budget: retirement gifts for birders.

What is a good gift for a new birdwatcher?

A field guide, a pocket notebook, and a morning out with someone who knows the local birds. A membership of a local bird club is a good next step: many run walks for beginners.

What are good stocking stuffers for birders?

Small things they'll use or enjoy: a waterproof notebook and a pencil, a lens pen for their binoculars, Audubon's Birds of America in the palm-size Tiny Folio, a bird jigsaw puzzle, or a write-in life-list journal. All cost under $25 at the prices we found.

What's a good gift for a bird lover who doesn't go birding?

Something that brings the birds to them: a bird feeder, a birdbath, or a native shrub or tree for their yard. A camera bird feeder shows them who visits while they're out. For the armchair, a book of Audubon's paintings or a framed bird print. Ask what they already have first, and which birds they'd like to see more of.

Are binoculars a good gift for a birder?

Only if you choose them together. The weight, the magnification and how they fit someone's eyes all matter, and most birders already own a pair. A harness or a lens pen is a safer surprise.

What should you not buy a birder?

Binoculars chosen without them, very powerful binoculars (15x or 20x), a field guide they may already own, and novelty items unless you know their taste. When in doubt, ask, or give your time.

What is a life list, and why make it into a gift?

A life list is every species of bird a person has ever seen. Many birders remember where and when they saw each one, so a book of their list, with the date and place of every first sighting, holds years of their life. More: what a life list is.

Can I give a Birdfolio without knowing their bird list?

Yes. Give a gift card: it's emailed right away, never expires, and they add their own list whenever they're ready. Birdfolio gift cards.

What are good last-minute gifts for birders?

Anything that arrives by email: a gift card, a club or Audubon chapter membership bought online, or a walk booked with a local guide. Or write a card promising a morning out together.

Who birders are

What do you call a person who likes watching birds?

A birder or a birdwatcher: the two words mean the same, someone who watches wild birds as a hobby. A twitcher, in informal British English, is a birder who will travel long distances to see a rare bird, and an ornithologist is a scientist who studies birds. Someone who loves birds without going out to look for them is simply a bird lover.

This guide has gifts for both. For someone who watches from home, start with gifts for bird lovers who don't go birding.

Sources: Cambridge Dictionary: birder, read October 18, 2026; Cambridge Dictionary: twitcher, read October 18, 2026; Cambridge Dictionary: ornithologist, read October 18, 2026.

What percentage of people birdwatch?

About 37 percent of Americans aged 16 and older, some 96 million people, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service's 2022 national survey. It counted anyone who tried to identify birds around their home or traveled at least a mile to see them.

Most watch from home: 91 million watched birds around the home, and 43 million traveled to see them, so many did both.

Sources: Wyoming Game and Fish Department: Birding is for everyone (August 1, 2026), read October 18, 2026; Audubon magazine: Birding Is a Booming Hobby, and a Big Business (February 20, 2025), read October 18, 2026.

What is the average age of a bird watcher?

The average American bird watcher is 49, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service's 2022 national survey. Older people are a large share: 44 percent of the 96 million were over 55. But it isn't only a hobby for retirees: about 30 percent of Americans aged 16 to 34 watch birds too.

Sources: Audubon magazine: Birding Is a Booming Hobby, and a Big Business (February 20, 2025), read October 18, 2026; Wyoming Game and Fish Department: Birding is for everyone (August 1, 2026), read October 18, 2026.

About this guide

Compiled by Birdfolio, a small company that makes books from birders’ own sightings. We chose ideas that birders use and that someone who doesn’t bird can buy without guessing. Where an idea has a real product, we name one or two and link the page where we saw the price, usually the maker’s or publisher’s own shop, with the date we checked it. Where we couldn’t check a price, the idea stays general.

We haven’t tested the products of other makers. We sell none of them, and there are no affiliate links on this page, so we earn nothing if you buy them. Birdfolio is independent and not affiliated with eBird, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or iNaturalist.

Last updated . More help: our guides for birders, including the painters behind the classic plates, and the questions and answers.

Sources