Many birding festivals offer boat-based tours, giving birders unique opportunities to see a variety of birds. Birding by boat can be a unique experience, one every birder should try at least once, but in order to make the most of it, birders should know what to expect on board and how to make the most of the birding.

Why Bird by Boat?

Birding from a boat can give birders close, intimate views of waterfowl, shorebirds, waders and raptors in a variety of habitats such as bays, coasts and wetlands.


Boat-based birding is also the only opportunity most birders have to visit offshore waters for pelagic birding. Depending on the boat and how it is handled, it can serve as a blind to bring birders much closer to birds, particularly more wary species that inhabit rich riparian habitats. Seeing birds so closely and without causing stress the birds might feel if they were disturbed is an opportunity birders don't want to miss.

Prepare the Boat

There are many types of boating tours offered, on many different types of watercraft – pontoon boats, inflatable Zodiacs, motorboats, sailboats, yachts and airboats may all be part of different birding tours, as well as personal fishing boats and rowboats. Whether the boat is your own or if you are a guest on a tour, it is important to be sure the boat is properly prepared for the excursion.

• Listen to all safety information and familiarize yourself with safety equipment on board the boat, including where life jackets and other safety equipment is stored.
   

• On a larger boat, walk around the vessel to note where exits are located and how to move comfortably around the boat, not only for ease of birding but in case an evacuation is necessary.
   
• If you are birding on your own boat, check all safety features before leaving the dock, including ensuring that there is adequate fuel and the radio is working properly.
   
• On your own boat, let any guests know about proper boat safety and safety features, and watch guests carefully for proper behavior during the tour.

Prepare Your Equipment

Before setting sail on a birding boat tour, whether in a group or privately, birders must take steps to protect their equipment.

• Protect field guides, optics, cameras and other gear from water exposure, including mist or spray that may surround the boat as it travels.
   
• Take along the proper field guide for the expected birds, such as appropriate coastal species or pelagic birds. Studying those guides before the trip can make identification easier.
   
• Dress appropriately for the expected weather, bearing in mind that temperatures are often lower on large bodies of water, and breezes can be stiff when boats are in motion.
   
• Clean optics before the trip, and take along suitable supplies to keep them clean for the clearest possible views, since spray and debris can accumulate quickly on lenses.
   
• Opt to leave spotting scopes or other large equipment behind unless it is absolutely necessary. The uneven motion of a boat poses too great a risk for damage to the equipment, and on most boat tours, the continual motion would minimize the usefulness of high-powered optics.

Where to Go Boating

There are many locations that are perfectly suited to birding by boat. Coastal bays, lagoons and estuaries may be more easily reached by boat than from the shoreline, and large lakes, rivers, marshes and wetlands can be more thoroughly explored from the water than from pathways, roads or boardwalks, particularly when there is abundant vegetation that could obscure views from land. Different tour companies often offer boating tours with naturalist guides, and birding festivals often feature birding by boat tours on local waterways with experienced birders to guide the excursion. Large, protected wetlands, such as the Florida Everglades, are often best explored by boat because much of the land is inaccessible otherwise.

Tips for Birding by Boat

No matter what type of boat you may be birding from or where it may be sailing, to make the most of any birding by boat tour…

• Follow all safety guidelines on board and in the water, not only for yourself but for the birds. Keep the boat's speed down to avoid startling birds, and keep distant from sensitive bird areas, such as active rookeries.
   
• Protect yourself from excessive sun exposure by wearing appropriate sunscreen and a hat if necessary, and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
   
• If you are susceptible to seasickness, take appropriate precautions to minimize any discomfort by avoiding spicy, greasy foods or alcohol, getting enough sleep before the trip and using any anti-nausea medication as necessary.
   
• Secure all loose equipment properly so no items may inadvertently be tossed overboard in case of swells or sudden motion.
   
• Do not overcrowd the boat either in terms of too many people aboard or too much overall weight. Take into account the weight of equipment on board when planning ballast.
   
• If sailing with a tour company, be sure to arrive on time. Pelagic and coastal tours, in particular, are time-sensitive to be able to sail appropriately with tidal changes, and tours are often planned to maximize the best birding times.
   
• Choose only reputable tour companies that can offer the best possible birding experience. This should always include safeguarding the birds and avoiding excessive stress on local avifauna.
   
• Be aware of additional wildlife, such as snakes, alligators, manatees and other animals that share the rich ecosystem, and take no steps to stress or antagonize any wildlife.

Birding by boat can be a remarkable experience, whether it is a pontoon boat on a large lake, an airboat through a mangrove swamp or a sturdy cruiser along the coast, and when a boat glides within a few feet of a foraging rail, a nesting heron or a hunting raptor, it will be an experience birders will never forget.

Photo – Everglades Birding © Rasmus Bøgeskov Larsen