Links & Resources for Birders

This page is intended to direct birders to interesting links on the Internet. We welcome your suggestions for this page.

TRAVEL CANCELLATION INSURANCE

When registering for a Field Guides tour we encourage you to consider purchasing trip cancellation (including medical emergency) insurance to cover your investment in case of injury or illness to you prior to or during a trip. Our agent, CSA Travel Protection, will insure for trip cancellation and interruption, medical coverage, travel delay, baggage loss and delay, 24-hour accident protection, and emergency medical transportation. Participants covered by Medicare should be aware that Medicare does not provide coverage outside the US; a CSA Travel Protection policy does. The following link will take you to CSA Travel Protection’s site, where you can read more about coverage, check rates, and purchase insurance. (New York and Hawaii residents see important note below.)

CSA Travel Protection trip cancellation insurance

We look forward to seeing you on a Field Guides birding tour soon!

Important note for residents of New York or Hawaii

Currently we are unable to offer CSA insurance policies to residents of New York and Hawaii. We have had clients from these states provide positive feedback after acquiring insurance with InsureMyTrip in the past and would suggest that company as an alternative. Please let us know if you have any questions about this.

TRAVEL INFORMATION

We like our clients well informed, and we think all birding travelers will find the following links useful in planning and preparing for their travel:

U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets (with information about each country and safe travel tips), along with US Passport Information

Canada’s Travel Information & Advisory Reports — For another view of the world, Travel Information & Advisory Reports from Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (with information about each country and safe travel tips)

Britain’s Travel Advice — And for a third view of the world, Travel Advice from Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (with information about each country and safe travel tips)

The Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Home Travel Information Page (with health information about each country and recommended vaccinations or medications)

BIRDING & TRAVEL GEAR

ABA Sales — The sales arm of the American Birding Association. Large catalog features many books and publications for birders. Also optics, tripods, videos, audio, CD-ROM, software, checklists.

Big Pockets — Apparel and outdoor gear for birders.

BIRDING ORGANIZATIONS & ONLINE RESOURCES FOR BIRDERS

African Bird Club – Has a focus on Africa and publishes the African Bird Club bulletin twice yearly.

American Birding Association — “North America’s largest membership organization for active birders: increasing knowledge, skills, and enjoyment of birding, contributing to bird conservation.” ABA publishes Birding magazine bi-monthly and the Winging It newsletter monthly, both full of lots of information and timely news of interest to birders of all levels of experience. ABA also organizes regional birding conferences and a biennial birding convention.

Neotropical Bird Club – Has a focus on the New World tropics and publishes Neotropical Birding twice yearly and Cotinga once yearly.

Oriental Bird Club – Has a focus on the Oriental region and publishes Birding Asia twice yearly and Forktail once yearly.

Xeno-canto — The popular online archive of bird sounds from around the world (along with some photos and video clips as well).

BOOK SOURCES FOR BIRDERS

Buteo Books — Another large catalog specializing in birds & ornithology; has a large stock of used, out-of-print, and rare titles. Also features audio, video, and software.

Wild Sounds — A UK outlet featuring popular birding & natural history books, bird & wildlife guides on CD, cassette, video, CD-ROM & DVD, gentle atmosphere recordings on CD & cassette, and field recording equipment.

BIRDER’S EXCHANGE

Birder’s Exchange — Do you have some old binoculars or other equipment you would like to see put to good use? Here’s a program that aims to assist in the conservation of Neotropical migrants and resident birds by filling a need for basic equipment and tools in Latin America and the Caribbean.

SOFTWARE

Thayer Birding Software — Some powerful birding software to get you set up both learning more about birds and keeping track of what you’ve seen. A good link section to other birding-related sites also.

WORLD CHECKLIST UPDATES

Updates to Clements’ Birds of the World — If you use Clements’ Birds of the World as your world checklist, here is the place to go to keep track of the latest updates.