A question for the avian photographers...

Do you wear camoflage clothing while photographing birds? If so, do you find it helps you get closer?

Thanks!

Sometimes I do wear a bag blind but generally I just don't bother. It hasn't made any real difference that I can see. What does make a huge difference is staying still and waiting. The birds are pretty good at sensing whether or not you're there to cause them mischief or not. I don't think they really care too much about your fashion statements.

That said, muted and dull colours are preferable IMO, partly because birds do use bright colours for territorial displays and partly because bright colours and un-camoflaged big lenses tend to attract the "looky-Lou's" and the folks who want to talk about equipment whether you're busy shooting or not

Thank you, Ed. I did just purchase a Kwik Camo bag blind but haven't had a chance to try it out. I bought it to use along the shores of ponds, lakes, etc. for shorebird and waterfowl photography but I think it may be too restrictive when I want to wander around stalking birds. I'm just wondering if camo clothes would be useful for stalking birds on the go.

Hi Tom

My favorite things for getting close to the birds are a cheap tripod stool I bought at a camping store and a thermos of coffee. I find that when I stake out a location and sit down and prepare to wait the birds do come.

We're so enormously big, slow and clumsy compared to most birds (possible exception of emus et al who don't roam freely around here) that the little beauties always seem to know I'm there even if I use camo. By sittting and waiting I've had some really neat experiences though like the marsh wren who decided I was good for keeping predators away and settled in about 2 1/2 feet from me for a nice long sleep. I could probably have reached out an touched him in the 5 hours we spent together. (Did I mention he was so relaxed he never bothered to get up and sing so I didn't get a single shot the entire day?!?!?).

Nevertheless, going out and waiting quietly (although not silently) does seem to work well. Every one of my most successful images has been taken this way with the birds fully aware of my presence but not concerned abou me being there.

I wear neutral colored clothing - who knows if it makes any difference, but it can't hurt. I doubt camo does anything unless you go so far as to wear a gilly suit and stay perfectly still. I regularly use a bag blind though. There are many circumstances where you just can't get images without some kind of blind. Having photographed over 500 species in North America, I can say this with authority.

I wear camo all the time. And stay still for long periods. Some species absolutely don't care, but others are more chary of human presence. And, since I also photograph mammals, camo is especially useful, because there are only a few wild mammal species that will tolerate human presence.

As a rule of thumb I generally only wear camo to hide my activities from people. The sight of long lenses draws them like flies to honey. The stories I could tell!

On the few occasions I tried to photo waterfowl in flight I did wear camo, but I was using decoys too. Steve's right about the mammals, at least outside of parks. Camo is a help there, but usually more important to hide you from people than from the animals.

Here's another rule of thumb: If the critters are spooky enough to require camo, they're usually going to alert at the first click of the shutter and flee at the second. But if they know you are there and choose to come close anyway, they aren't much bothered by the shutter.

I never wear camo. Just neutral clothing. I HATE bag blinds and the only time I use one is when I shoot with my buddy Bob!

Thanks for the replies, my friends. I hope for more replies. The reason I ask this question is that I noticed my successful approach ratio went up markedly when I covered my 500mm lens with camo tape. So I was curious to see if others wore camo clothes and how camo clothes may help before I invest in expensive camo clothes.

Ah ha!! So there ARE disadvantages to those big massive white 500mm and 600mm lenses that everybody else has!! I KNEW there was a reason I don't have one!

Then again, it could be that I don't have $6000 laying around...

I dress in neutral colors, but don't worry about what I wear too much. I have never used a bag blind. I agree that nothing works better than patience and just staying put for a while. With "only" my 400mm, I've gotten pretty good at being patient, and I enjoy just soaking up the surroundings.

I think it depends on what kind of birds. In an area where they are used to people, I think just sitting still is enough. In areas where they see people but are actually wild, the neutral colors etc. is a good approach. Finally we come to what I call "wary birds." These are late season ducks, snow geese, etc. For these you need camo clothes and a face mask I think. I include hurons and egrets living in wild areas in this last caegory because they too are very wary. Instead of a blind, I generally wear good camo (including mesh face mask) and sit in a natural blind. As a long time duck hunter and bird watcher, I'll agree that birds are very sensitive to movements. I try to not look up when ducks are circling in just over head. What a blind does for you, even if it's just a simple piece of camo material stretched between two small trees, is shield your small movements of aiming the camera etc.


Kent in SD