Adaptive birding equipment research
Many disabled birders are not able to hold binoculars, or cannot easily get into position to see through a spotting scope on a tripod.
Adaptive birding equipment makes using optics possible!
Mounts that attach to mobility devices, like wheelchairs, can hold up optics and allow access to close-up views of birds. But what features of these mounts — and of optics, for that matter — are important? What makes this equipment user-friendly for people with limited hand or body function? What equipment currently exists that is easy to use and works well for this purpose?
We wanted to find out.
In early 2023, Doctorate of Occupational Therapy student Alex Field, studying at Western Michigan University, and occupational therapist and Access Birding owner Freya McGregor conducted the first (ever!) formal research on adaptive birding equipment.
Watch the recorded presentation from April 2023 to learn what we discovered, including our evidence-based recommendations for optics and mount manufactures to create products that will work for the widest variety of birders.
Download the transcript of this presentation. Please note this transcript was automatically generated and has not been edited for accuracy.
Resources shared in the chat during this presentation:
Some states have organizations or government agencies which design custom adaptive equipment or provide funding to disabled folks to purchase adaptive equipment. The Michigan Assistive Technology Program and the Massachusetts Assistive Technology Program were both mentioned.
Bushnell used to make Falcon 10x50 binoculars with a lever focus (rather than a knob). Although they are no longer sold, used pairs can be found on eBay and Amazon.
For examples of custom-built wheelchair mounts for birding check out FSHD Birder and Birdie Buddie for ideas!
We hope this information is useful for:
Disabled birders trying to find birding equipment that better suits their needs;
Occupational therapists, recreational therapists and other healthcare providers working to support participation in birding for clients who have access challenges;
Nature centers and birding organizations, to help them think critically about what loaner birding equipment they have available for birders to use; and
Optics designers who are interested in designing products that are the most useful for the broadest variety of birders.
We are currently preparing a manuscript on these findings to submit to a peer-reviewed journal, and will link to that here once it is available. We anticipate this is likely to happen in the fall of 2023. If you’d like to hear about it once it is published, please sign up for the Access Birding newsletter or follow us on Instagram @access.birding or Facebook.
If you would like to work with Access Birding on accessible product design for birding or nature exploration, please reach out! We’d love to work with you to help develop birding equipment that is as user-friendly as possible for the broadest variety of birders. (And guess what? As well as helping advance access and inclusion in this wonderful hobby, making your products accessible will make your client base larger and should increase your profits!) Book a free customized consulting package discovery call to talk about how this might look, or get in touch directly.