Birding is one those things you kind of just fall into. You might have discovered it after questioning a neighbor's intent when you see him standing in his backyard look at your home with binoculars. Regardless, one you start taking birding up, you can get addicted. Unlike many addictions, this one will not cause you health problems. If you have it bad, however, it can result in your traveling all over the world to see exotic species you just can't live without.

Bird watching in the US is a fairly safe endeavor. As long as you are not being shot at during hunting season, there isn't a lot that can go wrong. You can get bit by bugs, but most of our country has a fairly organized layout that prevents most people from getting lost and so on. Foreign birding destinations may not be so accommodating.

Let's say you really have the birding itch. You have some money in the bank account and are ready for an exotic trip. Hey, the bird species in the Amazon are known to be exotic and amazing ? a veritable heaven on earth for birders. Off to Brazil you fly. Into the Amazon you go with your guide. Unfortunately, you get separated. Despite trying to back track and finally yelling your head off, you are lost. In the Amazon. Houston, we have a problem. A BIG PROBLEM.

If you are planning on taking trips where you are going to be in the proverbial jungle, you need to fork over some cash for a very important piece of equipment. In this case, we are talking about a GPS unit. GPS is simple a global positioning unit that tells you where you are on this great planet of ours. The units used to be the stuff of spy stories, but they are sold over the counter now and are common in a number of new cars. They are not cheap, but are cheaper than they used to be. You can expect to pay $400 on up for one. If you're lost in the Amazon or somewhere else, you will be glad you spent the money.

Okay, so a GPS unit tells you where you are. So what? You already know you are lost. Well, these handy, dandy little units do something special. Before you start walking away from your vehicle, you can program in your starting location. If you get lost, the unit can tell you where you are now in relation to the original starting point. Now you know what direction to head, which will both get you back to safety and make you feel a whole lot better!

You probably don't need a GPS unit for birding around your home area. If you are taking a trip to an unknown location, however, they are well worth the expense.