Birding Gear Exchange
Overview of the Program
Our Birding Gear Exchange gives birding gear to new birders in need - permanently - keep the gear, bird more, and share your love of birding! A primary goal of Chicago Bird Alliance is to promote equity in birding and this program supports this goal - we want more people birding and we don’t want lack of birding equipment to be a barrier.
How it Works
There are 2 categories of equipment: Field Guides and Binoculars, which are available to all birders who attend 1-2 eligible events; and Advanced Optics (spotting scopes, tripods, cameras and lenses) which requires an application, due to limited availability of equipment.
Field Guides and Binoculars - closed for 2023
Field guides and binoculars are the best way to improve your birding identification skills. To be eligible to receive field guides, birders (any age) must attend at least one eligible event. To be eligible for binoculars, birders (any age) must attend at least two eligible events.
Eligible programs include any of CBA’s bird outings. Birders must be sure to sign in with a trip leader at each event. At the conclusion of their qualifying event(s), birders can coordinate with the trip leader to receive their free field guide or binoculars. These must be picked up at a CBA bird walk. Participants under 18 must attend with a parent/guardian.
If you have completed the prerequisite walks, email us with the name of the trip(s) you attended and the walk leader(s), and we will arrange to get the gear to you.
Available Field Guides - closed for 2023
The Sibley Guide to Birds, 2nd Edition
The Crossley ID Guide
Peterson Guide to Gulls of the Americas
Peterson Guide to Seawatching
Hawks at a Distance: Identification of Migrant Raptors
The Shorebird Guide
The Warbler Guide
Available Binoculars - closed for 2023
Binoculars - Celestron Nature DX 8x42
Advanced Optics: spotting scopes, tripods, cameras and lenses
Advanced optics such as spotting scopes and cameras with telephoto lenses can dramatically improve your ability to bird, allowing you to learn from photographs and identify birds from a distance. Advanced optics can be quite expensive, and we have a limited supply to give away every year. Therefore, this equipment requires a short application in order to be considered. We ask applicants to demonstrate a commitment to spreading awareness of birds locally, and present a clear financial need. We will give preference to people belonging to communities that have been traditionally marginalized, and to science teachers. Please understand that due to to a limited supply, we will not be able to award advanced optics to every applicant.
Available Advanced Optics
new -Vortex Razor 16-45x65mm (spotting scope) and Manfrotto 290 Xtra Tripod with Fluid Video Head (tripod)
Cameras - none available at this time, please check back later.
Fill out a request using the Apply button below and we’ll respond with 2 weeks.
Donations
Would you like to help grow the birding community? If you’d like to help support this program, we are seeking donations of equipment such as scopes, tripods, camera bodies and lenses in gently used to new condition. Please email us. While we appreciate offers for binocular donations we are unable to accept them at this time.
We are also seeking cash donations to purchase binoculars, field guides and other equipment for distribution. Chicago Audubon is a 501(c )(3) organization. All donations are fully tax deductible.