The Backyard Naturalist recommends three basics for beginning birders: Bill Thompson's Young Birders Guide, Droll Yankees Bird Lover Feeder, Carson 30mm Binocular

For Junior Birders

Inspiring Junior Birders

If you’re looking for birding gear to inspire and encourage young birders, we recommend starting with the three basics:

  • A good field guide

    Recommended:   The Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of North America
    An excellent Peterson Field Guide written for kids.

    • Covers 300 of the most common birds in all of the United States and Canada
    • Loaded with color photographs and drawings
    • Range maps & fun facts.
    • Authoritative information about each bird, its vocalizations, and its habitat.

  • Binoculars

    Recommended:   Carson Hawk 30mm Kids Field Binocular
    Powerful binoculars designed and scaled for kids.

    The Hawk from Carson Optical is an ultra deluxe 30mm field binocular for children. Durable and lightweight, these binoculars offer professional quality optics for junior birders. Features include:

    • Non-slip rubber grips
    • Center focus
    • Soft pouch case & neckstrap

    • The upgrade option: Take a look at the Outdoor Adventure Set for Kids that includes the Carson Hawk binocular along with a compass, pocket flashlight and signal whistle with two built-in thermometers. All in a handy carry-all pouch with a belt loop. See details here.

  • A bird feeder

    Recommended:   Droll Yankees Bird Lovers Feeder Series

    Entry-level feeders to get kids excited about feeding wild birds.

    The Backyard Naturalist recommends a window feeder like Droll Yankees OWF for Junior Birders.Well-designed and affordable feeders that birds LOVE!!! Kids will love them, too.

    Droll Yankees Observer Window Feeder brings the action even closer.

    The Backyard Naturalist carries the full line of Droll Yankees feeders and we are happy to help find just the right one for you.

    • A bird house

    Recommended:   Build your own bird house!

    One that we often recommend is a
    Build-a-Wren-House-Kit
    Build a Wren House Kit

      Build your own Wren house and host a Wren or even a Chickadee or Titmouse family in the Spring!

    • Comes with easy assembly instructions.
    • Metal hanging cable.

    With a feeder and a bird house in place, you have a great start on a backyard bird habitat! There are more ways you can encourage a variety of birds to visit your backyard, too! Hint: It’s just three humble elements. You’ll find easy steps and simple tips in our resource section on Habitats. Start with ‘Every Backyard Can Be a Haven for Wild Birds‘. And we’re here if you have any questions or need help along the way.

More Recommendations for Young Naturalists

Discover more about nature in your own backyard! We have a variety of nature-themed puzzles, games and projects to inspire and encourage children of every age. Come by the store to see what’s new, because not everything is mentioned on our website and our selection varies. See a sample of favorite nature-themed items we recommend for kids on these pages:
Earth Science Projects & Kits
Nature Activities & Project Kits
Nature Games, Toys & Puzzles
And for an overview of the fun and educational products we have for your children or grandchildren, see our ‘For Kids’ product menu.