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Puzzles can be a great activity, made even better when you combine puzzles and birds. But can puzzles actually help you be a better birder? Yes!

The Benefits of Puzzles

Puzzles aren’t just games for young children learning their shapes or practicing hand-eye coordination. Jigsaw puzzles of any size, piece count, shape, or image have proven benefits for all ages, including…

• Mental exercise for both the creative/artistic half of the brain as well as the mathematical/logical half.
• Improving attention to detail as pieces are correctly identified and matched by shape, color, and markings.
• Improving mental speed, short-term memory, and concentration as new neurons are created and strengthened.
• Decreasing stress and improving mood with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction as a tricky spot or whole puzzle is completed.
• Improving finger dexterity and coordination as pieces are manipulated and attached, which can help alleviate arthritis and joint pain.
• Improving emotional control with patience, self-control, and discipline to complete the full puzzle.
• Digital detox by reducing screen time and focusing on a real-world, tangible task rather than online activities.
• Education and learning by engaging with the topic of the puzzle, such as learning history from a historical puzzle picture.

Puzzles Improving Birding Skills

All of the benefits of doing jigsaw puzzles can help improve your birding skills as well. As you sharpen your brain skills and memory, as well as enhance your attention to detail, you can more easily identify birds by noticing the subtle details on each species. The improved finger dexterity from handling puzzle pieces can help with making fine adjustments to binoculars and scopes, ensuring the best focus and clearest views of the birds you find. The better self-control and increased patience will serve any birder well in the field while waiting for birds to make a good appearance. And if you do bird-themed puzzles, you can learn field markings and bird postures in a more fun and engaging way than browsing through field guides or studying birding apps.

Best Bird Puzzles

Any bird puzzle can be fun to do, whether it is a simple, quirky photo with a low piece count or a larger, more complicated and detailed image with many more pieces. For the greatest benefits doing bird puzzles, choose more realistic images and moderate piece counts that will be both fun and challenging without being either too easy or so difficult that they become overly frustrating. If you’re new to puzzles, start with smaller, simpler options before progressing to more elaborate puzzles, but if you’re already an avid puzzler, choose bird puzzles with greater detail and more pieces to really stretch and improve your skills.

Where to Find Bird Puzzles

Many stores that sell toys will also have puzzles, and there are often at least a few bird-themed puzzles in the mix. Consider craft and hobby stores for a more unusual puzzle selection, and puzzles may also be found at gift stores and dedicated toy or game stores.

If you prefer to buy puzzles online (ideal if getting out is a challenge, stores may be closed, or you want more unique puzzle options), Amazon.com has many fun and creative bird puzzles available, including…

• The World of Birds – Large field-guide like puzzle featuring 100 bird species
• American Birdhouse – Backyard birds in a spring birdhouse setting
• Cherry Blossom Chickadees – Beautiful chickadees on a blossoming branch
• Spring Clean Up – Colorful garden scene with backyard birds and a bird bath
• Winter Snow – Charming snowy pine branch with five bird species
• Autumn Swan Lake – Fall foliage and a brilliant mute swan
• Songbird Menagerie – Colorful birds on a wooden fence
• Garden Birds – Active scene of European garden birds
• Hummingbird Garden – Colorful scene featuring hummingbirds and butterflies
• Stained Glass Songbirds – Beautiful flowers and birds with stained glass elements
• Golden Light – Stunning cardinal pair and daisies
• Gathering of Friends – Beautiful white picket fence with multiple birds
• Penguin Family – Lovely emperor penguin parent and chick
• Family Tree – Northern saw-whet family on a mossy tree trunk
• Flamingo Dance – Panoramic puzzle of a colorful flamingo flock

Many of these puzzles are available in different piece counts; be sure you check how many pieces the puzzle has and what options may be available before you purchase. These are just a few of the bird-themed puzzles available – click any link to start exploring bird puzzles on Amazon.com and find a fun and challenging way to enjoy birds right at home!