Choosing a Birding Tour

Picking the best from the nest

Bird watching tour companies in Canada are everywhere. There are dedicated birding tour companies that offer nothing but birding to other organizations such as universities, museums, Audubon clubs and private groups running tours that may incorporate more or less bird watching in their schedules.

When deciding on a birding tour company, consider your preferences:

  • Group size
  • Services included
  • Pace and level of activity
  • Tour leader
  • Travel dates
  • Price

Bird watching enthusiasts are the best to ask for trip advice. You can also judge a tour company by things such as a reasonable advertising presence, whether or not they respond promptly to your request for literature, whether the literature and/or website is clear and well organized, and how honestly they answer your questions.

Bird watching tours that are smaller are usually better than large ones, as they take less time to complete activities, make less noise in the presence of birds and give the participant more personal time and access to the tour leader. Ideal group size is about 5 participants, but of course smaller numbers mean more expensive tours.

Birding tour companies for this reason often offer group sizes of about 6 to 16 participants, with one or two tour leaders. Some exceptions apply, such as large numbers on an expedition cruise ship, but in general, the more people, the less efficient the bird watching, though the cheaper the tour will be.

Bird watching tour prices also vary greatly based on services included. Some companies include airfare, meals, accommodations, professional paid leaders, transportation and transfers, baggage handling, gratuities and optional birding excursions; others do not. Check the fine print, and be sure to ask the company you're considering.

Bird watching does involve some odd hours, as birds are most active during the early hours of the day. Some tours are vigorous, rising early and spending most of the day in search of birds. These tours will see more birds but can be tiring. A more relaxed tour offers more sleep, but fewer birds! You can judge a tour pace by previous bird lists, as those that include a lot of shy birds or night birds are bound to be more aggressive. Level of activity and pace of the tour are important to consider. Decide what's right for you. Bird watching requires a modest amount of physical activity, including walking and hill climbing, sometimes on uneven or wet terrain. Bird watching is a continuous activity, though the groups will rest as necessary.

Birding tour leaders are the most important component of a birding tour, as they are responsible for bird finding, identification and interpretation as well as tour logistics and being sensitive to the needs of the group.

Bird tour leaders should be experts. Paid professional leaders are generally better than volunteer leaders; those trips with volunteer leaders or those getting the trip for free may be less expensive however. Inquire about the tour leader, and ask how he or she likes to run birding tours. Ask for biographical outline and ask around for others' experiences with the leader.

Your leader should have experience in the tour area, as repeated exposure in an area is necessary to master bird identification and to learn the calls. They should have ornithological knowledge to understand the distribution, ecology and behavior of the avifauna in the area. Finally, your leader should share your other interests. For instance, a tour leader with naturalist skills will be able to identify plants and other animals; others may know a lot about the culture of the tour area. Base your decision on these factors as well.

Upon registration and deposit, you should receive past or prospective bird lists and general information sheets such as what to pack. Final tour information and meeting instructions will generally be sent a couple of weeks prior to the trip, and a tour log or report is often mailed to all participants after the tour.

Bird watching participants tend to be experienced birdwatchers, and know how to use binoculars. If you have never been bird watching before, let the company know so they can suggest ways you can prepare for the tour.