I.D. Bird Cards:  Where to Bird with Children
Navigation Bar for I.D. Bird Card
Learning Toolkit
Serious Birding and Serious Family Fun

Also, if you have ever gone on a guided birding field trip (or are
yearning to go) outside the United States or to southeast
Arizona, Alaska or some other great birding spot in North
America, and you wished you could share this experience with
your children, you have to check out Nestling Tours at
www.nestlingtours.com.

Nestling Tours is the only professional tour company offering
guided bird trips to families with children.  They are currently
offering trips to Costa Rica, Ecuador, and other great birding
destinations.  They also have some North American trips to
southeast Arizona, the Rio Grande of Texas, and other
destinations.  They continue to prove that you can bring
children along on birding trips, allow for other fun family
vacation activities and include the children in numerous
birding activities.  Something to consider for your next family
vacation when you want the children to have a great time and
you want to also be able to enjoy some great birding.
Checking out a Blue-footed Booby with
Nestling Tours in San Blas, Mexico.
Nestling Tours in Southeast
Arizona in 2005.  Great looks at
the Whiskered Screech-Owls at
Ramsey Canyon.
Where to go Birding with Children

Children enjoy exploring nature. Birding can be
particularly gratifying for children because birds can
be found most anywhere. Though an occasional bird
trip can be physically exhausting (birding at 13,000 ft.
in Ecuador), it is often satisfying for children to go
birding at a comfortable walking
pace in a nearby location.

Remember, birding can be done anywhere, and
resources to find productive birding spots are
everywhere.
  • Check your local library! Searching the library
    catalog with the words “birding” or “bird
    watching” and your state name, can yield
    excellent books to try out in the field. Many of
    these birding location guides give clear
    driving directions, describe locations and
    habitats well, and describe which birds to
    look for and when.
  • The internet has extensive resources.  Try
    Googling your state name along with the
    word "birding" or "bird watching".  I recently
    tried "Georgia Birding" and found a number of
    useful sites.
  • Bird watching guides for nearly every state
    and for many specific locations (such as
    national parks, major cities, and other
    destinations) are available for purchase.
    Check out bird seed retailers, which often
    carry local bird watching guides. The
    American Birding Association publishes the
    "Lane Series" of bird guides for many states
    and carries a host of other bird guides,
    catalogued by state.   Check out www.
    abasales.com.
  • Finally, if a spot looks like it might be
    productive, check it out. I found my first rare
    bird at the lake near Kenosha Pass on
    Colorado Highway 285, when I pulled off the
    highway because I saw a number of ducks
    and needed a driving break.  Nearly every day
    unusual and interesting species are spotted
    by birders who are simply following a hunch,
    admiring a flock, or taking their favorite local
    nature walk.