I rarely, if ever, recommend a
compact binocular for
birding, though I use
compact binoculars for nearly all my birding, these days. Why don't I practice what I preach? I really don't need the big binoculars, anymore and find compacts to be a perfect match for my bicycle lifestyle.
Compact binoculars work for me because I have over forty years of experience using binoculars and also birding. What little performance I lose with a compact binocular I more than make up with know how. Okay, did I mention that I only use premium compact binoculars? That also helps to bridge that performance gap between compact binoculars and full-size binoculars.
On the other hand, I usually recommned full-size binoculars for biriding since I know that beginning birders need all the help they can get and I also know that experienced birders simply want to see birds in all their glory. To be sure, very few of them live on a bicycle like I do. Most normal people will find that a compact binocular makes a better second
birding binocular.