Birdwatching Videogame

I just found a game called Wildlife Explorer Birds, which is a virtual birding game!

You're armed with either binoculars or a camera and you get to explore a 3D virtual 1 sq. km. area for birds in one of four locations: Washington, Arkansas, Georgia & Virginia (no California, Texas, or Florida :( ). Each map has different habitat areas, like grass, marsh, ponds, woods, etc.

Once you start locating birds, you earn badges, which unlock better birds, cameras, and binoculars. Eventually, you'll work your way up to "Master Birder." But you have to be careful to watch your "scare" meter, or else the birds might fly away before you get a chance to identify them :) The game also has stereo sound so you can lock into where the birds are and help identify them by sound.

I played the demo and it was pretty entertaining. I only wish the identification part was a little more challenging. When you get ready to identify a bird, it just gives you a multiple choice of 3, with image. It's pretty easy just to click the image of the bird you just saw.

The full version is $29.99, but the demo (Washington and starter binoculars and cameras only) is downloadable here. You'll need Windows XP or newer and a 32MB video card (if you have XP, you probably have this). I think I'm going to buy it.

Edit: By the way, you can find the Ivory Woodpecker in Arkansas, if you're lucky :)