Gift Idea: Bird Bingo

If someone gave me Bird Bingo (Laurence King Publishing, $29.95) as a gift, I could simply stare at it for enjoyment; I wouldn’t even need to play the game. That’s because it’s the most beautiful bingo I’ve ever seen. And it’s a great gift for bird lovers.

Sixty-four bird illustrations by Glasgow-based Christine Berry, from the lovely-yet-common Northern cardinal to the stunning European bee-eater, will lure even the least likely players. While they cross their fingers the caller will pull a house sparrow or Bohemian waxwing from the bag—also awesome, by the way, with its silhouetted bird figures—they’ll learn facts about the species from the accompanying abridged field guide.

For example, did you know that a California condor in the wild can live for up to 60 years? Or that in three weeks’ time, mom and pop blue tit may gather 10,000-plus caterpillars for their chicks?

The set comes with a checkerboard-size folding board to place the called birds, plus 12 bingo boards, that cool bag I already mentioned, dozens of red counters, and a simple set of instructions. There’s even a version for the advanced birder: “To make the game more challenging,” the instructions read, “expert players can use descriptions instead of the names of the birds.” I think I’ll stick to the pretty pictures for now.

For: Bird buff
Buy it here: Laurence King, Barnes&Noble, Amazon.com
Price: $29.95

For additional gift ideas for bird lovers and all the enthusiasts in your life, check out Audubon magazine’s 2012 Holiday Gift Guide.