Fotoserj Loc: St calixte Qc Ca

Short answer tripod and Gimball, my combo is Gitzo and wimberly

DaveHam Loc: Reading UK

Depends entirely on how you are shooting. If in a fixed location a tripod can be useful; if walking around then it's a more difficult proposition as by the time you set up your subject is usually long gone.

When mobile try to set up with an aperture / speed combination that allows you to shoot hand held. You will be more flexible that way.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

either hand-held or on a tripod with a gimbal head

dave.m

Everything is a compromise of weight / bulk/ mobility vs. stability / potential image quality. For example (stating the obvious?), for minimum weight and bulk, and maximum mobility then shoot handheld - but of course image quality may suffer with movement or noise if high ISO is required.

And mobility on the shoot is much more of an issue with birds in flight (to quote a miserable local photographic society judge who I didn't agree with) 'birds on sticks are easy'.

My compromise is a carbon fibre tripod and length of velcro onewrap! (Velcro Onewrap should get the Nobel prize for a 'third hand' - don't use cheap substitutes, as they are often rubbish. I have NO links with Velcro BTW, just a user.) I've then got a good tripod, with a workable monopod if I strap the legs together with Onewrap, and extend one leg only. There are also tripods available which can optionally be configured as a monopod but the only one I found at the time was aluminium and relatively short. I also have a very compact carbon fibre extension for the centre column so I can stand upright in monopod 'mode'

Choice of head does matter - a ball head is not so good on a monopod because the camera can 'flop' sideways as well as move vertically. My compromise is to use a good ball head, and carry a manfrotto monopod head which only has vertical movement. Gimbals are best all round but again bulk/ weight needs to be considered.

Watch out for total weight of your camera and lens outfit - a FF camera with long lens can weigh more than lightweight tripods and heads can support.

A suggestion - borrow if you can, or buy a reasonable tripod and monopod cheap off ebay and experiment. You can do a lot of that in the back garden without traveling miles. Once you make up your mind which suits best then shell out and get a good one. I went through 3 tripods before I made up my mind and didn't buy cheap for the first one so it cost me a bit to find out aluminium was too heavy with all the other stuff I carried - sold on ebay for less than 1/2 I paid for it :( I also ended up with 2 tripods because a good 'full size' tripod won't go with carry-on with most air travel so needed one small enough to go in the checked bag. The smaller tripod is also useful when hiking because of weight/ bulk but you will need a centre column extension if you want to use as a monopod.

Jim Bob

Excellent. Direct answer to a direct question unlike the dummies who go on and on about heads, etc.

SLSphotoart

Use a tripod with the legs together as a monopod. Then you can easily switch to using it as a tripod for shootout a scene with little movement and setting a longer shutter speed. A tall tripod with a loose ball head works for shooting birds in flight, better than wearing your arms out hand holding a heavy rig.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

My bird photography is usually done with one of my Nikon bodies and the old but still excellent 80-400 VR-AF-S lens. The majority of those pictures are made hand held with VR on but if I am paying attention to the composition then I use a tripod as a very stable platform and excellent tool for the visual design.
I have never used a monopod and I do not believe I will ever do.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

It depends on location, the birds and other things. I like to hand hold if I can. If you need a tripod then you probably need to put out drugs to sedate the birds too. Remember that camera shake isn't the only movement. The birds move, the wind blows the limbs or make waves so you get motion there, etc. If I'm doing long shots (distance not timed) I use a tripod and also a Vello Freewave wireless remote shutter release to eliminate camera shake from the shutter release. I also put the shutter on quiet mode which softens the slap of the mirror movement in the camera.

Steve Perry Loc: Sylvania, Ohio

It depends, there's no "right" answer. I have tack sharp images from tripods, monopods, and going hand-held. Most of the time I use a tripod, but if the rig is light enough and I have plenty of shutter speed (i.e. I'm joining birds in flight at 1/2000th or better), I'm not afraid to hand-hold. IMO monopods are just OK - and I've used them when I had limited space (like shooting from a boat), but I prefer a tripod, it's only a couple more legs and I can take my hands off of it.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I have several tripods and one monopod. My wife is a birder, so my bird photography is mostly with her. I use the monopod all the time, but I know where the tripods are only because they're in the way when I'm looking for other things. Most of the time I use shutter speed to "stop" both camera and bird movement. I use the monopod when I need extra stability {it eliminates motion in one axis, as a mathematician would say}. We walk a lot, and the tripod weighs a lot, even those legs I never plan to use, but the monopod doubles as a walking stick.

agillot

if you shoot birds that are still in a tree , or swimming [ ducks ] , a tripod is best , i dont use a gimball head , got used to the set up of a normal tripod [ old ] . you can shot hand held for flying birds , it will take some practice , keep iso high [ 2000 ] so speed will match .

wj cody Loc: springfield illinois

monopods are the last go-to option. tripods always offer the best stability.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

It depends on the circumstances. Personally, I prefer a tripod for a stationary bird, and a monopod for birds in flight. Somehow, that winds up in favor of the monopod unless I'm near a bird feeder or bird house with perch.

I don't have one, but saw a tripod some years ago with a removable center column that IS an extendable monopod. I wish I could remember the brand.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Monopod - never, I've found it hinders more than helps.
Tripod - fine if subject stationery, gimbal if not but still not great
Handheld - definitely preferred!! Monopod and tripod not recommended for a moving subject whether bird or 4/2 legged.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Neither. Your camera and lens are more than good enough to shoot hand held. Now, if your watching a nest or feeder and your going to be there for at least 15 minutes and up, I would suggest a tripod. But if you are like me and shoot 100% in the field where birds are constantly on the move, don't tripod yourself to the ground. But I photograph almost exclusively on Florida boardwalks and earth walkways where you walk around and and shoot what you see moving, sitting, wading, eating, or nest building. A tripod will slow me down. I see lots and lots of people walking around with their tripods, when a scene comes up and you have to shoot fast, I have taken my shots and the folks that carry around tripods with them are still setting them up and mostly miss shots. Now, don't get me wrong, if you are stationary and will stay there, use a tripod with a gimbal head. But for me, I get so much more on the move, and like I said, with today's cameras I can usually shoot at least at 1/1600 sec. or faster and stopping the lens down a stop or two in the process. My keep rate is well in the 95% range. This allows me to get the shot when it's happening. For me it works. I rotate the lenses tripod collar so it is on top of the lens and use it like a handle to carry around my lens, when I go to take my shot, I rest the lens in my left hand and extend my hand toward the end of the lens, this keeps the lens as steady as possible and I also use the VR system and shoot in active setting on the lens.