Birdwatching (or birding) can involve some time spent crouching stock-still in a field, but there's also time spent researching and stalking your prey, and the pay-off, when your plumed or feathered quarry arrives, can be well worth your patience.
The best birdwatching locations around the world can be closely guarded secrets amongst birdwatchers or 'twitchers', but there are plenty of sources willing, and able, to point you in the best birdwatching direction.
Birds are some of the world's most colourful and melodic creatures, and getting to know their sounds and social behaviour can be an enlightening experience, especially in the company of other birdwatchers: scarlet macaws, with their curved beaks and bright plumage are arrogant, intelligent animals, ibis are graceful and stately, and cormorants accomplished fisher-birds, while the friendly faced Puffin is reserved, and the Bald Eagle is clever, intimidating, and a deadly hunting machine.
There aren't any best birdwatching targets, it depends on what kind of birds interest you, and the kind of experience differs with the birds watched.
Birding in Papua New Guinea for example where there are 400 endemic birds on the islands will give you an exotic and varied experience.
The Astrapias with their meter long white tail feathers are a truly amazing site to see.
The best birdwatching destinations don't have to be a long way away from anywhere else, and while some of the best birdwatching can be done in far off exotic jungle locations like Ecuador's Tandayapa Valley, or the old Asa Wright Plantation in Trinidand and Tobago, but some of the best birdwatching can be done from the comfort of a pretty English coastline, or a Scottish glen.
For travellers looking for a new holiday experience, birding is worth considering, it's inexpensive, can be carbon neutral and involves peace, quiet and contemplation in the great outdoors; and it can easily develop into a real passion which you can do wherever you go.
The diverse range of bird life and habitats means you can bird watch almost anywhere.
Bird watching travel specialists know the best destinations and tend to choose areas with a good mix of birding opportunities, sunshine, authentic food and accommodation, and local cultural attractions.
Best bird watching experiences can be based around a single location: an agroturismo farm or a camps or lodge in an area of great scenic beauty for example, and since these locations rely heavily on best birdwatching tourism, you can often fix a DIY custom birding holiday, using local guides provided by the hotel if necessary, in addition to a more organised tour with a group from a specialist travel company.
The best birdwatching experiences don't even necessarily need to involve travel.
You can begin birding in your own backyard and start looking for the best birdwatching spots in your own area.
The best birdwatching locations around the world can be closely guarded secrets amongst birdwatchers or 'twitchers', but there are plenty of sources willing, and able, to point you in the best birdwatching direction.
Birds are some of the world's most colourful and melodic creatures, and getting to know their sounds and social behaviour can be an enlightening experience, especially in the company of other birdwatchers: scarlet macaws, with their curved beaks and bright plumage are arrogant, intelligent animals, ibis are graceful and stately, and cormorants accomplished fisher-birds, while the friendly faced Puffin is reserved, and the Bald Eagle is clever, intimidating, and a deadly hunting machine.
There aren't any best birdwatching targets, it depends on what kind of birds interest you, and the kind of experience differs with the birds watched.
Birding in Papua New Guinea for example where there are 400 endemic birds on the islands will give you an exotic and varied experience.
The Astrapias with their meter long white tail feathers are a truly amazing site to see.
The best birdwatching destinations don't have to be a long way away from anywhere else, and while some of the best birdwatching can be done in far off exotic jungle locations like Ecuador's Tandayapa Valley, or the old Asa Wright Plantation in Trinidand and Tobago, but some of the best birdwatching can be done from the comfort of a pretty English coastline, or a Scottish glen.
For travellers looking for a new holiday experience, birding is worth considering, it's inexpensive, can be carbon neutral and involves peace, quiet and contemplation in the great outdoors; and it can easily develop into a real passion which you can do wherever you go.
The diverse range of bird life and habitats means you can bird watch almost anywhere.
Bird watching travel specialists know the best destinations and tend to choose areas with a good mix of birding opportunities, sunshine, authentic food and accommodation, and local cultural attractions.
Best bird watching experiences can be based around a single location: an agroturismo farm or a camps or lodge in an area of great scenic beauty for example, and since these locations rely heavily on best birdwatching tourism, you can often fix a DIY custom birding holiday, using local guides provided by the hotel if necessary, in addition to a more organised tour with a group from a specialist travel company.
The best birdwatching experiences don't even necessarily need to involve travel.
You can begin birding in your own backyard and start looking for the best birdwatching spots in your own area.