A bird hide (also known as a blind or bird blind in the US) is a shelter, often camouflaged, used to observe wildlife, especially birds, at close quarters. Hides or hunting blinds were once built chiefly as hunting aids, but are now commonly found in parks and wetlands for the use of birdwatchers and ornithologists.
A typical bird hide resembles a garden shed, with small openings, shutters, or windows built into at least one side to enable observation. However, because birds do not recognize humans as predatory threats unless the human is standing in the open, a bird blind can be little more than a large shed open on one side in which birders stand. Motor vehicles may also act as effective blinds, even with windows open.
