Relax and Have Fun:  Go On A Bird Watching Holiday

Bird watching is now one of the most popular pastimes for people all over the World.  A hobby that started out as a mere backyard interest, watching the fascinating life of your local wild birds in your own garden, has now led to thousands of people taking extensive bird watching holidays each year.  Some only have chance to take a short weekend getaway every once in a while, others manage to jet off on 14-day bird watching extravaganzas and have the chance to watch numerous rare and interesting birds. 

In the USA alone, there are more than 1000 different species of birds, all of which have their own unique traits and features.  By visiting as many different areas and habitats, you will be able to witness the difference in call patterns, sounds, shapes, and even different beaks.  As a bird watcher you do not have much time to distinguish between the birds just by seeing how it moves between the trees, or the shape or span of the wings.  It can be frustrating for a newbie bird watcher out there on his or her own for the first time, not knowing what to look for, or what type of bird you have discovered.  This is one reason why a bird watching holiday can be a great way for you to learn about your new.  Bird watching holidays are often organized by clubs who also arrange guided tours with a large group of people who love to help others discover the love of bird watching.  You can learn a lot from others in the group with more experience – probably a lot more than if you are struggling to digest information from the silhouette you just witnessed then spending ten minutes thumbing through a reference book!

The Best Bird Watching Holiday Destinations

Once you set your mind on going on a bird watching holiday, you will not be short of potential places to visit.  Here are just a select few that have been rated some of the best bird watching destinations in the world: 

• Panama has some wonderful bird watching holiday locations.  A number of companies arrange weeklong tours to spot Resplendent Quetzals and Umbrella birds.  There are around 960 different bird species in the Panama area, so this could be a place to visit more than once if you want to get a glimpse of them all.
  
  
• South Africa is a great destination. Kruger Park, Pretoria, Hluhuwe Game Reserve, and everywhere in between are ideal locations to begin your bird watching holiday.  Birders can experience a great variety of local birds, migrants, and endemic birds that make up the almost 850 species that can be found in this stunning region.
  
  
• Costa Rica has often been considered a Mecca of bird watching.  With such exquisite locations such as the reserve of Bosque de Paz and the La Ensenada refuge Costa Rica is one of the most popular bird watching holiday destinations to be found. 

Once you have decided to take your first bird watching holiday, you could “get the bug” and one day find yourself on the sandy beaches of The Grand Bahama Island.  Grand Bahama Island has the distinction of being the 2nd most bird-populated island in the Bahamas.  The Rand Nature Centre is home to West Indian Flamingos, Red-legged Thrushes, the endangered Bahama parrot, as well as numerous other species of birds. You could spend a day kayaking in the crystal clear waters, during which time you will have the chance to spot some rare birds native to the Mangrove swamps, and the spectacular Caribbean Pine Forest. 

There are countless opportunities to spot some truly rare and magnificent bird species at any of the bird watching holiday destinations mentioned here. It is now up to you to decide whether you would like to combine the option to visit some beautiful locations with the chance to fit in some quality birding time and thrill your bird enthusiast soul.