Nikon Nikkor Z 600mm F4 TC VR S❤️9.6K | Type
Focal Length600mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon Nikkor Z 400mm F2.8 TC VR S❤️9.6K | Type
Focal Length400mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 120-300mm F2.8E FL ED SR VR❤️9.5K | Type
Focal Length120-300mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon Nikkor Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S❤️9.3K | Type
Focal Length70-200mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR❤️9.2K | Type
Focal Length70-200mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F4E FL ED VR❤️8.9K | Type
Focal Length500mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 600mm F4E FL ED VR❤️8.6K | Type
Focal Length600mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 180-400mm F4E TC1.4 FL ED VR❤️8.5K | Type
Focal Length180-400mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon Nikkor Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S❤️8.5K | Type
Focal Length100-400mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon Nikkor Z 400mm F4.5 VR S❤️8.4K | Type
Focal Length400mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon Nikkor AF-S 300mm F4E PF ED VR❤️8.4K | Type
Focal Length300mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon Nikkor Z 800mm F6.3 VR S❤️8.0K | Type
Focal Length800mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR❤️7.9K | Type
Focal Length500mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR❤️7.8K | Type
Focal Length200-500mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon Nikkor Z 180-600mm F5.6-6.3 VR❤️7.6K | Type
Focal Length180-600mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon Nikkor Z 600mm F6.3 VR S❤️7.4K | Type
Focal Length600mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon Nikkor Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR❤️7.3K | Type
Focal Length28-400mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon Nikkor Z 24-200mm F4-6.3 VR❤️7.3K | Type
Focal Length24-200mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR❤️7.0K | Type
Focal Length70-300mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon Nikkor Z DX 18-140mm F3.5-6.3 VR❤️6.8K | Type
Focal Length18-140mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon Nikkor Z DX 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR❤️6.4K | Type
Focal Length50-250mmLens Mount
Features
| |
Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm F4.5-6.3G VR❤️6.2K | Type
Focal Length70-300mmLens Mount
Features
|
Best Nikon Lenses for Bird Photography in 2025
* Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
* Imaginated.com may receive compensation for purchases made at participating retailers linked on this site. This compensation does not affect what products or prices are displayed, or the order of prices listed. Learn more here.
These are the best Nikon lenses for bird photography, chosen for how they deliver long, hand-holdable reach, fast and sticky autofocus, effective stabilization, and weather-sealed builds that survive blinds, sea spray, and mountain wind—mixing sharp native Z-mount super-teles with F-mount legends that sing via FTZ. Birds demand three things: reach you can actually carry, AF that locks on eyes and unpredictable flight, and optics that stay crisp wide open so you can keep shutter speeds high; the Z9/Z8/Z6III IBIS + lens VR combo adds precious stops for dawn and canopy shade. Start with the Z 180–600mm f/5.6–6.3: internal zoom, excellent AF tracking, close focus for small songbirds, and a balanced feel on monopods—an unbeatable value workhorse; add the Z 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6 S for faster AF, lighter carry, and close-range versatility (pairs well with the Z 1.4× TC), and keep the Z 70–200mm f/2.8 S as a forest/large-bird lens that takes both 1.4×/2.0× teleconverters cleanly for flexible reach. For featherweight primes, the Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S is the hand-held BIF hero—sharp, fast, and easy on the wrist—while the Phase Fresnel twins, Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S PF and Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S PF, deliver astonishing reach in travel-able packages with calm color and VR that stacks beautifully with IBIS; when only flagship speed will do, the Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S build a 1.4× teleconverter into the barrel for instant reach bumps without fumbling in the field. DX and travel shooters can still win big: pair a Z DX body with the 180–600 for a crop-boosted angle of view, or run the compact Z DX 50–250mm VR for feeders and wetlands where distance is modest. Adapting F-mount via FTZ remains a goldmine for value and specialty: the AF-S 200–500mm f/5.6E VR is the reach-per-dollar king for perched birds and flight practice, the AF-S 300mm f/4E PF VR and AF-S 500mm f/5.6E PF VR are shockingly light, razor-sharp primes for all-day hiking, and classics like the AF-S 600mm f/4E FL, 500mm f/4G/FL, 300mm f/2.8G, and 800mm f/5.6E deliver top-tier speed and background melt when you’re fine with tripod or gimbal weight. Image priorities that make these “best” in the field: dependable, quiet AF that tracks erratic motion, stabilization that buys real shutter speed, disciplined longitudinal CA so backlit feathers don’t fringe, coatings that hold contrast in haze and low sun, and collars with sturdy Arca feet for quick clamp-ins; minimum focus distances matter for small birds, while internal zooms reduce air pumping in dust. Technique turns reach into keepers—set a minimum shutter of 1/2000–1/3200 for BIF (1/800–1/1600 for perched), run Auto ISO with highlight-protect comp, use wide-area/3D tracking with back-button AF, and practice smooth pans; carry a compact monopod or gimbal head for long sets, use a lens coat in blinds, keep a high-quality CPL out of the bag (you’ll rarely need it), and pack a 1.4× TC to extend the Z 70–200/2.8 S or 100–400 S without repacking; for video, aim at a 1/100–1/125 shutter and favor lenses with modest breathing (Z S-line) so focus pulls don’t “zoom.” A practical kit recipe is simple: hand-held spine—Z 400/4.5 VR S + Z 180–600 for flexible days; travel-light reach—Z 600/6.3 PF or 800/6.3 PF with a body that tolerates higher ISO; versatile zoom pair—Z 100–400 (+1.4×) plus Z 70–200/2.8 (+1.4×/2.0×) for forests and shorebirds; value via FTZ—AF-S 200–500/5.6 plus 300/4E PF (or 500/5.6E PF) on a Z body with IBIS. Whether you’re chasing swallows against sky, tracking eagles at sunrise, isolating waders across tidal flats, or filming courtship displays in spring rain, the best Nikon birding lenses deliver reach, stabilization, and fast, sticky AF that make distant, fleeting wildlife look close, clean, and intentionally cinematic.
Lenses by brand:
- Best Canon Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Fujifilm Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Olympus Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Pentax Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Sigma Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Sony Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Tamron Lenses for Bird Photography
Lenses by price:
Lenses by type:
Lenses by sensor:
Lenses by feature:
Lenses by use case:
- Best Nikon Lenses for Aerial Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Architectural Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Astrophotography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Automotive Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Boudoir Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Cityscape Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Concert Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Documentary Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Event Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Fashion Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Fine Art Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Food Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Headshot Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Jewelry Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Landscape Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Lifestyle Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Macro Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Medical Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Nature Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Newborn Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Night Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Pet Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Photojournalism
- Best Nikon Lenses for Portrait Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Product Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Real Estate Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Sports Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Still Life Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Street Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Studio Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Travel Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Underwater Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Wedding Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Wildlife Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Video
Lenses by experience:
Cameras:
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nikon Nikkor Z 600mm F4 TC VR S❤️ 9.6K |
| 600mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon Nikkor Z 400mm F2.8 TC VR S❤️ 9.6K |
| 400mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 120-300mm F2.8E FL ED SR VR❤️ 9.5K |
| 120-300mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon Nikkor Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S❤️ 9.3K |
| 70-200mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR❤️ 9.2K |
| 70-200mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F4E FL ED VR❤️ 8.9K |
| 500mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 600mm F4E FL ED VR❤️ 8.6K |
| 600mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 180-400mm F4E TC1.4 FL ED VR❤️ 8.5K |
| 180-400mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon Nikkor Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S❤️ 8.5K |
| 100-400mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon Nikkor Z 400mm F4.5 VR S❤️ 8.4K |
| 400mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon Nikkor AF-S 300mm F4E PF ED VR❤️ 8.4K |
| 300mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon Nikkor Z 800mm F6.3 VR S❤️ 8.0K |
| 800mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR❤️ 7.9K |
| 500mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR❤️ 7.8K |
| 200-500mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon Nikkor Z 180-600mm F5.6-6.3 VR❤️ 7.6K |
| 180-600mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon Nikkor Z 600mm F6.3 VR S❤️ 7.4K |
| 600mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon Nikkor Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR❤️ 7.3K |
| 28-400mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon Nikkor Z 24-200mm F4-6.3 VR❤️ 7.3K |
| 24-200mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR❤️ 7.0K |
| 70-300mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon Nikkor Z DX 18-140mm F3.5-6.3 VR❤️ 6.8K |
| 18-140mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon Nikkor Z DX 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR❤️ 6.4K |
| 50-250mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 | |
Image | Name | Type | Focal Length | Lens Mount | Features | Price |
Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm F4.5-6.3G VR❤️ 6.2K |
| 70-300mm |
|
| Price Updated from Amazon: 12-06-2024 |
Best Nikon Lenses for Bird Photography in 2025
* Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
* Imaginated.com may receive compensation for purchases made at participating retailers linked on this site. This compensation does not affect what products or prices are displayed, or the order of prices listed. Learn more here.
These are the best Nikon lenses for bird photography, chosen for how they deliver long, hand-holdable reach, fast and sticky autofocus, effective stabilization, and weather-sealed builds that survive blinds, sea spray, and mountain wind—mixing sharp native Z-mount super-teles with F-mount legends that sing via FTZ. Birds demand three things: reach you can actually carry, AF that locks on eyes and unpredictable flight, and optics that stay crisp wide open so you can keep shutter speeds high; the Z9/Z8/Z6III IBIS + lens VR combo adds precious stops for dawn and canopy shade. Start with the Z 180–600mm f/5.6–6.3: internal zoom, excellent AF tracking, close focus for small songbirds, and a balanced feel on monopods—an unbeatable value workhorse; add the Z 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6 S for faster AF, lighter carry, and close-range versatility (pairs well with the Z 1.4× TC), and keep the Z 70–200mm f/2.8 S as a forest/large-bird lens that takes both 1.4×/2.0× teleconverters cleanly for flexible reach. For featherweight primes, the Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S is the hand-held BIF hero—sharp, fast, and easy on the wrist—while the Phase Fresnel twins, Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S PF and Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S PF, deliver astonishing reach in travel-able packages with calm color and VR that stacks beautifully with IBIS; when only flagship speed will do, the Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S build a 1.4× teleconverter into the barrel for instant reach bumps without fumbling in the field. DX and travel shooters can still win big: pair a Z DX body with the 180–600 for a crop-boosted angle of view, or run the compact Z DX 50–250mm VR for feeders and wetlands where distance is modest. Adapting F-mount via FTZ remains a goldmine for value and specialty: the AF-S 200–500mm f/5.6E VR is the reach-per-dollar king for perched birds and flight practice, the AF-S 300mm f/4E PF VR and AF-S 500mm f/5.6E PF VR are shockingly light, razor-sharp primes for all-day hiking, and classics like the AF-S 600mm f/4E FL, 500mm f/4G/FL, 300mm f/2.8G, and 800mm f/5.6E deliver top-tier speed and background melt when you’re fine with tripod or gimbal weight. Image priorities that make these “best” in the field: dependable, quiet AF that tracks erratic motion, stabilization that buys real shutter speed, disciplined longitudinal CA so backlit feathers don’t fringe, coatings that hold contrast in haze and low sun, and collars with sturdy Arca feet for quick clamp-ins; minimum focus distances matter for small birds, while internal zooms reduce air pumping in dust. Technique turns reach into keepers—set a minimum shutter of 1/2000–1/3200 for BIF (1/800–1/1600 for perched), run Auto ISO with highlight-protect comp, use wide-area/3D tracking with back-button AF, and practice smooth pans; carry a compact monopod or gimbal head for long sets, use a lens coat in blinds, keep a high-quality CPL out of the bag (you’ll rarely need it), and pack a 1.4× TC to extend the Z 70–200/2.8 S or 100–400 S without repacking; for video, aim at a 1/100–1/125 shutter and favor lenses with modest breathing (Z S-line) so focus pulls don’t “zoom.” A practical kit recipe is simple: hand-held spine—Z 400/4.5 VR S + Z 180–600 for flexible days; travel-light reach—Z 600/6.3 PF or 800/6.3 PF with a body that tolerates higher ISO; versatile zoom pair—Z 100–400 (+1.4×) plus Z 70–200/2.8 (+1.4×/2.0×) for forests and shorebirds; value via FTZ—AF-S 200–500/5.6 plus 300/4E PF (or 500/5.6E PF) on a Z body with IBIS. Whether you’re chasing swallows against sky, tracking eagles at sunrise, isolating waders across tidal flats, or filming courtship displays in spring rain, the best Nikon birding lenses deliver reach, stabilization, and fast, sticky AF that make distant, fleeting wildlife look close, clean, and intentionally cinematic.
Lenses by brand:
- Best Canon Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Fujifilm Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Olympus Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Pentax Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Sigma Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Sony Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Tamron Lenses for Bird Photography
Lenses by price:
Lenses by type:
Lenses by sensor:
Lenses by feature:
Lenses by use case:
- Best Nikon Lenses for Aerial Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Architectural Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Astrophotography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Automotive Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Bird Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Boudoir Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Cityscape Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Concert Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Documentary Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Event Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Fashion Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Fine Art Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Food Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Headshot Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Jewelry Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Landscape Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Lifestyle Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Macro Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Medical Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Nature Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Newborn Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Night Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Pet Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Photojournalism
- Best Nikon Lenses for Portrait Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Product Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Real Estate Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Sports Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Still Life Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Street Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Studio Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Travel Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Underwater Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Wedding Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Wildlife Photography
- Best Nikon Lenses for Video
Lenses by experience:
Cameras: