Using the Birding Backpack Kit

Request the Birding Backpack Kit

Want to get out in nature and reduce stress? Borrow and try our new birdwatching (or “birding”) kit at the library and join one of North America’s fastest growing pastimes! Recommended for all ages!

Library Materials to Help you Learn More

Bushnell Binocular Instruction Manual

View Manual [PDF]

Helpful Tips

• Be quiet: Loud noise will easily startle birds. Whisper if you must speak.
• Move slowly: Abrupt movements will spook birds. You need to be quiet and move even more slowly as you approach a bird or a flock.
• Study habitat: Birds adapt to specific habits. For example, woodpeckers need trees, pheasants need bushes, and meadowlarks need wide open fields. What you see will depend on where you look.
• Sun at your back: It is much easier to see colours and identify birds. Looking into the sun shadows the birds and makes identification difficult.
• Do not wear bright clothes: Bright clothes, such as white and yellow, standout in nature and make your movements noticeable which will spook the birds.
• Be patient: Bird watching is often about being patient and waiting for the birds to show themselves.
• Start in your backyard: Try birdwatching in your own backyard and keep an eye out for birds in your neighborhood. This will help you become familiar with the species that live in your area. 

Online Bird Watching Resources

Birds Canada

North Okanagan Naturalists Club

Central Okanagan Naturalists' Club

South Okanagan Naturalists Club

Atlas of the Breeding Birds of BC

Cornell's All About Birds

Birding in British Columbia

Did you make something awesome using this kit?

Share your creation/photo with us on social media! Remember to use #ORLMakes so everyone can appreciate, learn, and marvel at your invention!

Tell us what you thought! 

We want to know all about your experience using this Library of Things kit at home. Please take a few minutes to fill out this short survey.

Lending Policy

• This kit can be borrowed for 4 weeks.
• 1 renewal if no one else is waiting for the item. 
• The borrower is responsible for lost, missing, and damaged pieces (see content list with prices included with kit).
• Return the kit to a staff member at the front desk of your nearest ORL location. Do not use the book drop or leave them outside the library. ·
• BC One Card patrons: Library of Things kits must be checked out and returned to one of the Okanagan Regional Library branches.