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Bird-watching, often referred to as "birding," is a captivating hobby that attracts nature and animal lovers alike. Whether you're a seasoned birder or just beginning to explore the avian world, having the right birding equipment can completely transform your birding experience. One of the most essential pieces of bird-watching equipment is the scope or telescope. A high-quality scope lets you observe birds in detail from significant distances. We've researched and gathered together a list of the best bird-watching scopes, and the Gosky 12×55 Monocular Telescope is our favorite. It's handheld, lightweight, waterproof, and allows you to see a thousand yards ahead.
Our Top Picks For Bird Watching Scopes
The Best Bird-Watching Scopes
Best Overall
The scope has an objective lens of 50 millimeters. It weighs 1.53 pounds, and its dimensions are 3.25 x 2.12 x 6.96 inches. Moreover, it has a multi-coated lens. This product is capable of providing 12 x 55 high power magnification. Allow you to see objects twelve times close and clear along with a bright image.
Pros
- Best for hiking, bird watching, climbing, wildlife watching, and hunger
- High power monocular scope promises to provide crystal clear view and bright pictures
- It comes with rubber armor which makes it waterproof, fog-proof, shockproof, and dustproof
Cons
- Autofocus on some mobile phones is not good
Most Lightweight
This telescope comes with an objective lens of 60 millimeters. It weighs 0.63 ounces that adds to portability. This product will provide your crips and clear image due to its ten times magnification and 60mm object. The lens present is a BAK 4 prism, and it is fully multi-coated.
Pros
- It has a compact body that is also waterproof and fog proof
- Accessories you will get include a smartphone holder and two-section aluminum tripods
- You can easily use this item in a humid environment or even during rainy days without any worry
Cons
- The stand for holding a telescope is not very strong
Most Affordable
This telescope weighs 4.6 pounds, and its dimensions are 20.5 x 9.25 x5.1 inches. It is designed and shipped from the USA. The HD spotting scope will provide you with a clear and bright viewing experience due to its 60X magnification without any aberrations. Moreover, it has two fine focus knobs that are going to allow smooth and accurate focusing.
Pros
- Multi-coating present on the lens eliminates the reflection and makes it scratch-resistant
- It has an O-ring for 100% water, shock, and fog prevention due to its IP67 rating
- Provide you heavy-duty function, but it is very lightweight
Cons
- You can not easily use it with the tripod
Best Ergonomic Design
This product is made in the US, and the company will provide you with a lifetime replacement guarantee, as per the manufacturer’s policy. The weatherproof rubber armor construction and non-slip feature make it an ideal choice to be used outdoors in any weather. This product has a high-definition military-grade optic to provide you with a great viewing experience.
Pros
- Great BAK4 Prism and multi-coated glass lens provide you better light transmission
- You can use it with any tripod
- It comes with a metal counting screw for avoiding falls
Cons
- Sometimes there are issues in focus
Most Durable
This scope comes with other accessories like a table tripod, phone adapter, Bluetooth remote, visor cap, cleaning cloth, and 80mm lens. Moreover, you also get a protective and soft bag to keep your lens and scope safe. You can gift this to a bird-watching lover! This is a 100% weatherproof scope that you can use outdoors without worrying about its wear and tear.
Pros
- It comes with a 45-degree angled design and offers 20x to 60x magnification
- The Dual Focus Speed is going to give you instant zoom and reduces the image shakiness
- It also has adjustable 12 to 14mm Eye Relief for a comfortable viewing experience
Cons
- The focus knob is a bit hard to turn
The Best Bird-Watching Scopes Buying Guide
Are you planning to set on a journey of bird-watching? Well, you will want to make the experience as good as possible and don’t want to miss any great scenes. To make this happen, you need a good scope for bird spotting or recording. If you are starting bird watching as a hobby or looking to buy a scope with objective lenses for your use, you have to be careful about a few things. You will see different types and various features in the market, so you need to pick the right one as per your need.
The following buying guide is going to assist in picking up the best quality scope for bird spotting:
What Are Different Types of Scope Available for Bird Spotting?
The majority of the telescopes you will see in the market are either angled or straight type. Here’s a detail for both types:
Straight
In this, the eyepiece is going to follow the light path from the objective lens. Some other key highlights of this type are as follows:
- You can easily find the object you want to watch.
- Sometimes it is cheap in comparison to the similar 45-degree model.
- It is very much easy to use when you are hiding at any place.
- It is straight in design, making it easy for the user to aim in any desired direction.
Angled
- You can easily follow the moving bird with this type.
- This type is going to avoid strain on your neck.
- Easily watch birds in treetops.
- When using a tripod, taller people can easily view things.
- The angle of the eyepiece is not going to affect the performance.
What Magnification You Will Need in Your Bird Spotting Scope?
The magnifications present in terms of telescope ranges from 15x to 60x. In some unique instruments, you can even get more power. On average, if a telescope has a fixed eyepiece, you can use 20x to 30x as a standard choice. Most of the scopes you will see inside the market have a different range of interchangeable eyepieces as needed. For general use, a wide angled scope of 20x to 30x will be good. On the other hand, for long-distance work, you can go for 40x.
When planning to use high magnification, there may be a dramatic decrease in field view and image brightness. Moreover, the shimmer in the air can also be problematic, and shaking from the support can also be prominent. This feature means that you should use a high-power eyepiece in bright conditions to watch stationary birds. A big lens doesn’t guarantee that it will be better.
What To Consider When Buying Best Bird Spotting Scopes?
Below are some essential things which you need to consider when buying scopes for bird spotting:
Field of view
When you talk about the field of view, the measurement calculation is relevant to the width of an area, which an observer sees at an approximate distance of 1000 meters. Moreover, there is an angular field of view. As a general rule, the more you zoom in, the more you reduce the field of view. A wide FOV is beneficial for better image quality or finding and scanning a particular type of bird you want to observe.
Optical design
In terms of optical design, there are two types. One is refractive, and the second is catadioptric.
Most of the scopes you find in the market are refractive. The picture quality is slightly less, but they have good sturdiness and availability. They are best for outside scoping, and you can use them on any terrain. Moreover, they need less maintenance.
Catadioptric scopes are costly in contrast to refractive. Its price is five times higher. They are hard to maintain due to their sensitive construction. But you will get sharper image quality even at high levels of magnification.
What Is the Price Range for Bird Spotting Scopes?
You can expect to pay the price between $34 to $930. The price variation will be due to the lens diameter, magnification power, multi-coating lens, and the overall durability of the scope. Some scopes are waterproof, fog-proof, and offer excellent protection against shock. You might also see some products with other accessories like adapters for mobile, tripod stand, protective bag, different lenses, and much more. The price of such a bundle is high in contrast to a single scope. But it provides better value for money.
Getting Started
Now that you know more about birdwatching scopes, it’s time to get yourself a scope and head to the nearest wildlife viewing center or park. However, if you want to learn even more before you get started, watch this video from Clifton Cameras:
People Also Asked
Angled or straight scope- which one should you choose?
Angled scopes are better as they are easy to set on lower tripod height and offer better stability. However, if you want to do quick focus, then straight is better. You can pick any as per your need.
What is the best magnification for spotting scope?
For the majority of the birding situation, an eyepiece between 20x to 30x will be very effective. Zoom eyepieces are best for birding. Some of the popular choices are 20x to 40x, 20x to 60x, and 25x to 50x.
What to look for in the birding scope?
Look for an objective lens at least 60mm or 85 mm in diameter to get a bright image.
