If you’re looking for a gift for someone who is obsessed with the birds in their backyard or even in the local park, we have some great suggestions. From practical bird-watching essentials to funny items that will make them smile when they’re feeling under the feather, these are the perfect gifts for a backyard bird watcher (also known as a birder).
Best Gift Ideas for Backyard Bird Watchers
The Backyard Bird-Lover’s Guide
This colorful book is a favorite among garden bird watchers to help them identify which species are visiting their backyard. The book has information about more than 135 American bird species as well as tips on how to attract and observe them like a pro.
Two Tier Steel Bird Bath
A bird bath is a simple yet effective way to attract birds to the backyard. This two-tier steel bird bath will do just that whilst looking stylish in your garden too. The bath has been handcrafted as part of the Happy Gardens collection over on Etsy so it’s got a premium allure compared to your run-of-the-mill bird baths at your local garden store. The design has been cleverly thought through with space for a planter underneath to keep the bath well balanced.
Hanging Bird Bath
If you’ve not got room for a freestanding bird bath like the one above, this hanging bird bath is a great alternative and much cheaper too. The iron chains and S-hook at the top allow you to hang it from a tree in your backyard where it will attract smaller birds who like to have some protective cover from branches when bathing so they have somewhere to flee if danger approaches.
Water Mover for Bird Baths
According to Bird Watchers Digest, birds are more attracted to moving water than they are to still water. However, you don’t need to go out and build an expensive water feature, simply add this water mover to your bird bath and it will create ripples across the surface. The water mover works with any bird bath and is easy to install as it runs off D-cell batteries so there is no wiring required.
Bird Watching Binoculars
Amateur bird watchers don’t need to worry about having some top-of-the-range binoculars for use in their backyard, instead, these Nikon Prostaff 3S binoculars are recommended by Audubon as the best entry-level choice.
If you’re not familiar with Audubon, they are the leading American non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of birds in the wild. Their reviews noted that the Prostaff binoculars scored highest for clarity, brightness, and color rendition in their category.
Backyard Birds Art Print For Each State
This print features stunning watercolor paintings of the birds commonly found in backyards across each state in North America as reported by Cornell Feederwatch data. Shown here is the Texas edition which features 25 backyard birds from Texas from the common Mourning Dove and Northern Cardinal, to the lesser spotted European Starling. The design is printed onto UltraPro Satin paper and measures 19″ x 13″. Keep in mind that it is not framed.
Window Bird Feeder
Window bird feeders are one of the safest type for reducing window collisions and also give a great up-close view of it’s users by bringing them right to your home. This one goes even further as it’s made from clear acrylic so you will get an excellent view of the local species. Window feeders are renowned for being difficult to keep in position but this one comes with three suction cups to keep it nice and secure.
Personalized Bird Box
If you’re looking to buy a personalized gift for a bird watched, this custom bird box is a great choice. The wooden box can be personalized with both the recipient’s name and your name as a lasting reminder of who bought it. This thoughtful gift idea is sure to get you bonus points with the family this holiday.
Funny Bird Watching Mug
This funny mug would make a great bird gift for your dad, especially if he loves birds and has a great sense of humor too. The mug is perfect for sitting next to the window with a coffee whilst looking out for birds in the back yard and is sure to give him a smile with every use.
Telescopic Camera Lens
If your recipient is a budding bird photographer, they’re going to need a dedicated telescopic lens for their camera. You’ll want to look for one that’s at least 100mm to ensure enough optical zoom to capture the animals up close. Remember, you’ll need to ensure a lens suited to their camera, the one shown here is ideal for a Canon mirrorless camera (M-seres) which is popular among amateur photographers.
Monocular with Smartphone Holder
If you’re not ready to splash out on a full-blown camera lens, this monocular with smartphone holder is a great alternative and produces images that are perfect for looking back at on your phone or for sharing on social media. Whilst they might not be winning any awards just yet, it’s a great way to break into backyard bird photography.
Bird Bingo
Bird Bingo is a board game as a way of sharing bird watching with the whole family in a fun and educational way. If you’re familiar with regular bingo, the concept is very similar. Included are 12 bingo cards and 64 bird tokens to draw from. There’s also a game board and brightly colored counters to mark off your card so that the game can be reused over and over again. It also comes with a leaflet that provides fun facts about all the birds featured in the game so that everyone can learn as they play.
Bird Nesting Heart
This heart shaped hanger isn’t just to make your garden look more inviting, they are filled with Alpaca fiber which birds can use to line their nests. The wool-like material is great for them to use as it keeps the nests warm and comfortable. The nesting hearts are approximately 8″x7″ and are sold directly from a farm that keeps Alpacas over on Etsy.
Hummingbird Feeder
If your recipient is hoping to attract hummingbirds to the garden, you’ll need a dedicated hummingbird feeder as they like to feed off nectar rather than regular birdseed. This retro-looking feeder has a glass bottle in the center that can be filled with nectar (this can easily be made at home using 1 part sugar with 4 parts water). Hummingbirds will then be attracted to feed from it via the five perches around the bottom and the dedicated feeders disguised as flower heads.
If you think they’ll like this, we have a whole guide dedicated to hummingbird gifts.
Birder’s Journal
This journal makes a great gift for birders with over 100 pages for documenting sightings. Unlike most bird watching journals that are blank inside, this one has dedicated pages laid out for field observations as well as 30 full-color images by John James Audubon (first person to make a complete pictoral record of the birds in North America and namesake of the non-profit Audubon mentioned earlier). The journal also includes tips for watching birds and a life-long checklist to keep track of those species observed.
Backyard Birds Jigsaw
Often times there just aren’t that many birds hanging out in your backyard, particularly around noon when they are least active. During these downtimes, a jigsaw puzzle is a great activity and with this backyard bird-themed puzzle they can still satisfy that craving to enjoy looking at wildlife. This 1000 piece jigsaw measures 30″x24″ and is sure to offer many hours of enjoyment.
Bird Seed Ornaments
If you know someone who has been looking for a way to attract more birds into their backyard, then birdseed ornaments are the perfect gift and are easy to replace. We’d always recommend making your own if you can, this DIY birdseed ornament recipe from The Spruce gives you simple step-by-step instructions that work out very cheap.
However, they do take some time to put together so these stunning owl-shaped birdseed ornaments are a great ready-made alternative that will add a touch of character to the backyard. If you’re feeling cheeky, you could even pretend you made them yourself, we won’t tell anyone!
National Geographic: Backyard Guide to the Birds of North America
This is the second bird guide we’ve included but this one is aimed at more experienced bird watchers. Produced by National Geographic, the guide has information on over 150 different species that can be found in North America along with range maps and detailed drawings. As you’d expect from National Geographic, the photography in this guide is outstanding.
Owls of the World: A Photographic Guide
The National Geographic field guide is great as a catch-all for the different species that might roam your backyard. However, this photographic guide a great gift for owl lovers as it provides in-depth coverage of the 249 species of owls. Written by leading owl expert Heimo Mikkola, the book covers identification of each type and insight about their habitat and calls. For anyone keeping their eyes wide open for some owls in their backyard, this is the perfect gift.
Birds on a Wire Wall Print
This stunning wall canvas print is a modern take on the infamous watercolor paining “A Perch of Birds” by Hector Giacomelli first painted back in 1880. This print brings the image right up to date featuring 19 finches in vibrant color that would make a great gift for any birder, amateur or professional. The print is available on five different canvas sizes with framed/unframed options for each. You can also get it as a digital file to print yourself.
Solar Bird Feeder
Our final gift idea for bird lovers is another feed, only this one acts as a lantern too thanks to a built-in solar charger. The LED light will detect when it gets dark and light up the beautiful mosaic design to provide a nice feature for the garden at night. The feeder is easy to refill and has been designed with a slopped roof to protect the birds from the elements whilst they dine.
