6 Best Spotting Scopes for Birdwatching in 2024

Birdwatching is a great hobby to pick up, but if you’re new in the area, there is a lot of information spotting scopes. It might even be overwhelming when you start to hear about different types of optics and zooms, but worry not, in this article, I’ve compiled a list of top-notch birdwatching scopes to suit every level.

Quick Recommendations

After testing and using a wide range of scopes in various locations and weather conditions, I believe the Swarovski ATS 80 HD is the best spotting scope for most birdwatchers. It offers exceptional image clarity, outstanding color fidelity, and is both durable and lightweight – ideal for serious birdwatchers who need performance and portability. It’s a scope that can be used for the rest of your life and you won’t get tired of it.

Next, the Vortex Viper HD 20-60×80 is what I think is unbeatable value for money. This scope delivers a super sharp and bright image, while being robust and weather-resistant. It’s a bit on the heavy side, but if you’re going to use it mostly stationary, it’s going to last you a lifetime if you’re good towards it.

Finally, the best compact option – and my personal favorite – the Nikon Fieldscope ED50, a small and nimble scope that’s become a staple in my birdwatching gear. It really strikes a good balance between performance, portability and price. It might not be as good in low-light conditions, but it’s a scope that super easy to always have with you. If you pair it up with a nice light tripod, you’re going to have a great time with this scope.

Why Trust Me

As a biologist and someone who’s been passionate about nature my whole life, I’ve spent countless hours birdwatching. Growing up with a dad who loved observing birds, I also developed the same fascination – so much so it became both my hobby and my career.

My master’s thesis was all about restoring coastal bird habitats, which deepened my understanding of where our feathered friends thrive. Today, I run my own nature restoration company as well as working for the Danish Environmental Protection Agency to help preserve and enhance natural areas.

I’ve used many different spotting scopes over the years for different kinds of tasks, so I’ve developed quite an understanding of what works and what doesn’t. Being together with my friends and colleagues have also allowed me to try out their scopes and hear their opinions. Spotting scopes aren’t cheap, so it’s not like you go out and buy a new one all the time.

When to Use a Scope

You might be wondering if you actually need a spotting scope, or you’re fine with a good pair of binoculars – and you’re not alone. It’s a big investment and another piece of gear to bring on your trips.

When you’re trying to watch birds that are way off in the distance or want to catch those fine details that binoculars just can’t capture, a spotting scope really comes into its own. They’re particularly useful in open spaces like wetlands, coastal areas, and grasslands where the birds might be far from any accessible viewing spots.

Scopes are fantastic for situations like observing waterfowl on large lakes, checking out shorebirds on mudflats or intertidal zones, or spotting raptors soaring high up in the sky. Plus, during migration seasons when birds gather in huge numbers, having a scope is a real bonus.

If you want to get a closer look at the birds, study their behavior, or identify species that are distant, a spotting scope lets you observe and appreciate them without disturbing their natural activities – it’s pretty much a must-have.

It’s also a useful tool when you’re in the field and you need to figure out where certain species’ of birds are hanging out, which can help you determine the best route to get closer to them.

How I Chose and Tested

Like choosing any other product, selecting the best spotting scopes involved a lengthy process that combined personal experience, professional expertise, and thorough research. Here’s how I arrived at my selections:

• Optical Quality: I prioritized scopes with exceptional image clarity, brightness, and color fidelity. High-definition lenses, quality glass materials like ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass, and effective coatings were key factors. This is one of the main features of course. No matter how cheap or durable or portable a scope is, if the optics are bad, you should never buy it – you’re going to be frustrated when your friends can spot the birds far away while you can’t even focus with your scope.
• Durability and Build: Considering that birdwatching often takes place in varying outdoor conditions, I focused on scopes that are waterproof, fogproof, and built with robust materials to withstand the elements. Nothing is worse than broken equipment.
• Ease of Use: User-friendly features such as smooth focus mechanisms, comfortable eyepieces, and ergonomic design are actually way more important than what you might initially think. I’ve always thought that if everything else is good, it doesn’t really matter if the eyepiece is comfortable, it’s easy to manoeuvre, but once you’ve tried a good scope, there’s no going back.
• Portability: For birders who are constantly on the move, I evaluated the weight and size of each scope, highlighting compact and lightweight options without significant compromises on performance. This might not be as important for the casual birdwatcher, but in my line of work I really need it to be portable and it’s a key feature for me, and also the reason why I love the Nikon Fieldscope so much.
• Value for Money: Price is another super important aspect. Scopes are not cheap, and as with all other equipment, you get what you pay for. I tried to include usable scopes in all spectrums and there are therefore some budget-friendly options that still deliver quality, as well as premium models that offer advanced features.
• User Feedback and Reviews: It’s amazing how far you can get talking to other birdwatchers and reading reviews online and on YouTube. My best tip is never to listen to one reviewer. Always check with multiple sources. So, when you’re done reading this guide, go look for reviews of the ones that you find the most enticing! You might also be able to go to your local spotting scope dealer and try out some of the scopes on this list to see for yourself. There’s always a bird nearby.
• Personal Experience: Drawing from my own birdwatching adventures from casual bird trips with friends to professional observations during my work in nature restoration I’ve come to find out what really works, what doesn’t and what scopes are worth trying out.

Here are my top picks for the best spotting scopes for birdwatching:

• Best Overall: Swarovski ATS 80 HD
• Best Value: Vortex Viper HD 20-60×80
• Best Budget: Celestron Ultima 80
• Best Compact: Nikon Fieldscope ED50
• Best High-End: Zeiss Victory Harpia 85
• Best Under $500: Kowa TSN-601

Best Overall: Swarovski ATS 80 HD

• Objective lens diameter: 80 mm
• Magnification: 20-60x
• Eye relief: 17 mm
• Close focus: 16.4 ft (5 m)
• Weight: 59 oz (1.67 kg)

The Swarovski ATS 80 HD is my pick for the best overall spotting scope. It stands out for its exceptional optical performance and rugged durability. With an 80mm objective lens and high-definition optics, it really delivers crystal-clear images even in challenging low-light conditions.

It’s also a pretty comfortable lens with great ergonomics. I actually had access to one of these scopes during my time as a biology student, so it’s a scope that I’ve used a lot (with the benefit of not having to pay for it).

Best Value: Vortex Viper HD 20-60×80

• Objective lens diameter: 80 mm
• Magnification: 20-60x
• Eye relief: 20-15 mm
• Close focus: 22 ft (6.7 m)
• Weight: 67 oz (1.9 kg)

The Vortex Viper HD represents the best value for money on this list, as it offers some premium features at a mid-range price. Its HD extra-low dispersion glass provides a very sharp and bright image while also being waterproof and fogproof, suitable for various weather conditions.

It’s hard to convey how much of a great deal this is. Many people swear by this scope and I often use it when visiting the great migrations here in Denmark.

Best Budget: Celestron Ultima 80

• Objective lens diameter: 80 mm
• Magnification: 20-60x
• Eye relief: 18 mm
• Close focus: 26.9 ft (8.2 m)
• Weight: 57 oz (1.61 kg)

It’s hard to find a good spotting scope for around $200, but this one is ideal for beginners or birders on a budget as it provides solid performance without breaking the bank. The Celestron Ultima features multi-coated optics and an 80 mm objective lens, delivering actually decent image brightness and clarity.

I would recommend most people to check this scope out and use it to see if you actually really need a scope, and then from there assess your needs and look for better scope.

Best Compact: Nikon Fieldscope ED50

• Objective lens diameter: 50 mm
• Magnification: 13-30x
• Eye relief: 13 mm
• Close focus: 26.2 ft (8 m)
• Weight: 16 oz (470 g)

The Nikon Fieldscope ED50 is perfect for birders who prioritize portability. For the price and weight, it has amazing clarity and viewing with minimal chromatic aberration. This is my personal favorite, as it’s tiny in size and super lightweight and therefore easy to pack with me on longer trips.

It might not be as good in low light as the others, but at least I can have it with me without breaking my back. When writing this article, I actually have it aimed out my office window as the great autumn migration is beginning in Denmark.

Best High-End: Zeiss Victory Harpia 85

• Objective lens diameter: 85 mm
• Magnification: 22-65x
• Eye relief: 13-15 mm
• Close focus: 11.5 ft (3.5 m)
• Weight: 68.2 oz (1.9 kg)

For those seeking top-tier performance and are not afraid to dig deep in their pockets, the Victory Harpia 85 offers unparalleled optical excellence. Its 3x wide-angle zoom and DualSpeed focus deliver stunningly detailed and vibrant images.

I recently went to a large birdwatching exhibit on the island of Lolland in Southern Denmark, where Zeiss was there to demo their products, and I got to try out this scope. I’ve always loved my Nikon Fieldscope, but trying out this scope was a whole other experience. Instead of using my tiny Nikon in my office, this one would be absolutely amazing to have. Comparison really is the thief of joy.

Best Under $500: Kowa TSN-601

• Objective lens diameter: 60 mm
• Magnification: 20-60x
• Eye relief: 15 mm
• Close focus: 19.6 ft (6 m)
• Weight: 26.3 oz (745 kg)

At around $500 we start to move into a territory where scopes become good. The TSN-601 strikes an excellent balance between quality and affordability. It delivers quite to clarity and is also a pretty bright scope for a 60 mm. It’s even pretty compact and lightweight, so it also makes it a great option for birders on the move.

Notable Mentions

• Leica APO-Televid 82. On a recent family trip to the Faroe Islands I met a guy using this scope. It had a lot going on. It offers amazing optical performance with its apochromatic lens system and had a super sharp and contrast-rich image. I haven’t had the opportunity to use it more than what I did up there for a short time, but it’s definitely worth checking out.
• Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 20-60×80. The Legend Ultra HD is a very reliable mid-range option. It offers bright and clear views that are impressive for its quite low price. It’s not the most lightweight and portable scope, but it’s still not as heavy as some of the more expensive scopes. Another plus is its waterproof construction that really adds to its practicality in unpredictable weather – which is quite common here in Denmark at least.
• Athlon Optics Ares G2 UHD 20-60×85. It’s a solid mid-range scope. Not particularly lightweight, but it offers amazing clarity for its price. It’s a close competitor for best value scope for me, but I can’t really pick it over the Vortex Viper HD.

Final words

It’s important to keep in mind that you might actually not need a spotting scope. They’re a big investment, and is a tool created to solve specific tasks. My best advice is therefore to assess your own needs and reasons for wanting a spotting scope before making the investment.

Talk with other birdwatcher friends or go to your local ornithology society. They usually have a lot of scopes and are super friendly and will let you try out their different models. Stores that sell scopes are also willing to let you look at the different models, and I really think you need to test it out in real life before you make up your mind which one you need.

When that is said, a good spotting scope can really elevate your experience, allowing you to catch those important details of birds from a comfortable distance, or finding out where you need to go next to get closer to the birds you want to see.

Starting out with a cheaper model will let you assess whether a scope is for you without financially ruining you (scopes can get SUPER expensive). As your passion and knowledge grows, you might decide to upgrade to a higher-end model with features that are more aligned with what you need.

The most important thing is to pick a scope that suits you and is one that you actually bring with you on your trips. Happy birdwatching!