Over the past year, we’ve profiled about 60 bird guides from 35+ countries. Each of them brings unique knowledge of their own local conditions.
Now, while continuing the series as before, we add another format. In this one, instead of one guide answering many questions, many guides answer just one. Hopefully, by putting the same question to many professional birders from around the world, we will see patterns emerge. For our fourth post in this series, we asked
What’s the most surprising or memorable reaction you’ve seen from a guest while birding?
Visitors from Western Europe are surprised by the variety and abundance of species in Hungary. In Costa Rica, guests are amazed by the variety of other wildlife. Gabor Orban, Hungary/Costa Rica
Gasping, cheering, hugging & jumping with joy at lifers. Mohamed Bargache, Morocco
Guests gasping in awe at the Green-breasted Pitta, trembling at the Shoebill, celebrating Albertine Rift endemics, or crying at lifers. Magada Haily Miriam, Uganda
Tears often flow when someone has a “wow” moment. Asherita Viajera, Colombia
Celebrating a rare bird with rum in the field — the guest ended up tipsy, saw 13 of 18 target birds, then passed out. Dibyendu Ash, Sikkim, India
One guest became emotional after spotting the Great Blue Turaco for the first time. Its size, colors, and graceful movement through the canopy left her speechless. She said it was one of the most beautiful moments of her life. Moments like that remind me how special birding in Rwanda can be. Jacques Habimana, Rwanda
My most memorable reaction which I will never forget, I had two clients (a couple ) who I went birding with in Tarangire national park, I did my best to get all the lifers he wanted and only one bird was missing in his life list and the bird wa a Grey Crowned Crane, I did my best to find the bird and luckily at around 4 PM boooom a pair of GCC were displaying in an open area, the guy jumped out and went down on his knees and proposed to his girlfriend. This was so amazing, and the guy told me this was his moment, as the girl loved these birds. Furaha Amiri Mbilinyi, Tanzania
Guests keep saying “Wow, wow, wow, wow…” Steven An, China
Clients shouting “OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD!” at every new bird or site. Ernesto Reyes Mouriño and Tania Piñeiro, Cuba
After a friend asked me to find a Black-breasted Buttonquail for a wealthy European, the client pulled out a cheque-book and asked me what I wanted for payment. I declined his offer, but this was after his third visit to Australia attempting to find them. He took us all out for dinner at an expensive restaurant in Brisbane instead. This was many years ago, though. Tom Tarrant, Australia
Most surprising was when we were both completely stunned seeing a Whiskered Pitta mating display in the wild! The care the male Pitta gave to the female is very human-like! Not a feeding station but a real wild Whiskered Pitta pair. That same individual also ” levitated” vertically off the ground without flapping its wings, where my guest and I were just too stunned to see that! Irene Dy, Philippines
Throwing rocks to flush a possible pheasant (or any other thing) that was well hidden, without any success. Zhang Lin, China
After so many years of working as a bird guide, I’m constantly consternated by birdwatchers who have just seen a lifer bird and then turn away the next second, say “let’s go” to look for the next lifer. I’m always delighted by some (mostly birdwatchers from the UK!) who thank me after every sighting of a great bird species or nice view. Simply lovely! Rolf Nessing, Germany
It was in the Taita hills in SE Kenya a few years back when I was leading two guests to that area to look for the endemic “Taita three” i.e, apalis, white-eye, and thrush. We followed the local guide to his spot, and the first bird we went to look for was the Taita Apalis. While the local guide was ahead and I saw on the rear we came across a small busy stream with few tall trees and a lot of climbers, I signalled everyone to stop and the local guide said, “we have not reached the spot for the apalis” I fetched my phone from the pocket and played the Apalis call and in less than 15 secs the bird responded and flew close by, one guest was very surprised and he gaze to me like for one minute after they had a satisfying views of the bird and said,” How did you know the bird was here?” and i answered jokingly that, ” I am a highly experience bird detective”. Issac Kilusu, Tanzania
One of the most memorable moments was when a guest spotted a Blyth’s Tragopan, a rare and stunning bird, deep within the forest after a long and patient search. The guest was so overwhelmed with joy that they burst into tears. It was a powerful reminder of how deeply birding can touch people and connect them to nature on an emotional level. Rofikul Islam, India
One particularly delightful experience comes to mind from a birdwatching tour I led through the lush Western Ghats forest on a bright afternoon, guiding a lovely Portuguese couple. We were searching for the Sri Lanka Frogmouth at its day roost, navigating a path occasionally obstructed by fallen trees and low branches that required us to duck and weave. When we reached a dense patch of undergrowth, I gently pointed out a pair of frogmouths just 10 feet away, saying, “There they are!” However, the couple struggled to spot them, their faces showing confusion as the birds’ remarkable camouflage blended seamlessly with the surroundings. We tried using subtle hand gestures to guide their eyes, but speaking wasn’t an option as we didn’t want to disturb the roosting birds, and it likely wouldn’t have helped anyway. It wasn’t until my client set up his camera on a tripod and I offered to focus the lens on the birds that they finally saw them clearly. The moment they realized the extent of the frogmouths’ camouflage, their expressions of shock and wonder were truly heartwarming, especially as they tried, with great difficulty, to locate the birds again with their naked eyes outside the camera’s viewfinder! Savio Fonseca, Goa, India
“You see, that’s why I hired you!” with a big laugh and a big smile on my client’s face. Beyond identifying and showing birds, I also love telling stories of birds: how the Whooper Swan was saved from the brink and became the national bird of Finland, how the Barnacle Geese colonized the Baltic Sea… I think it’s appreciated! Samuel Bloch, Finland
Many guides describe guests reacting to birds with strong emotion — gasping, cheering, laughing, or even crying at their first sightings of rare or beautiful species. Whether spotting a Whiskered Pitta in the Philippines, a Great Blue Turaco in Rwanda, or a Blyth’s Tragopan in India, such moments often leave visitors awestruck and deeply moved. Others recall humorous or surprising reactions — from celebratory drinks in the field to incredulous questions about a guide’s “detective” skills. These stories show how birding can bring joy and connections across cultures and continents.
Photo: Whooper Swan, Hokkaido, Japan
Guiding a Canadian birder, we saw 50+ species together, several lifers for him… And so, while driving back to the city, I asked him what was his highlight of the day. His answer was: “Crossing the Danube by ferry.”