Speaking as a retired biologist, I'd say that one of the real keys to wildlife photography, and especially bird photography, is to get the eyes in focus (although other shots may not need that). I also believe that the real question is what you personally are trying to accomplish, creatively, with bird photography. In other words, what kinds of images give you personal pleasure, bring to mind a larger narrative or a surrounding story, or remind you of an experience with nature. I have several cameras and use them all depending on my situation. For times when I have some control over the situation (where I'm sitting relative to the wildlife, my ability to move relative to sun, etc.) I use both Nikon D3300 and D610, with 55-300 or 70-300 lenses respectively, or a Sigma 150-600 telephoto. I also have the Sigma 2X converter, but that depends on the local situation. In Africa, because of weight limitations, I used a Canon SX50 and a SX700 and was satisfied with the results; the SX50 has a newer version. In that case I was not trying to out-compete the really great photographers, but to build my own narrative, with both still shots and video, while dependent on safari vehicle drivers and the terrain. Good luck!!

Buy a couple of 2TB hard drives and copy your stuff over.

I'm a retired biologist from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I've worked fairly seriously on my photography, going back to college days when I bought an Argus C3 just like my dad's. I now have several digital cameras that I use for various purposes, including snapping pictures from my car (Canon SX700 in door pocket), when I need some quick video or quick powerful zoom (Canon SX50), when I'm more relaxed (Nikon D3300), or when I'm really serious about trying to do something well, especially landscape (Nikon D610). I love my Sigma 150-600, and the Sigma 2X converter. From hanging around artists all my adult life, I've come to the conclusion that photographs should capture some of the photographer's soul as well as the subject, and as a result, the photos that I'm most satisfied with have a reflective and narrative quality. I struggle with focus a little bit. I also use photography as writing research, and have done this since the early 70s. In my opinion, uglyhedgehog is a great forum. Thanks!

I'm a retired biologist with over a hundred scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and 20+ books. I also worked at a field station in western Nebraska for 35 years. Got into a discussion of divining rods with a local rancher, and he showed me the ones he'd made out of a couple of survey flag wires. He also swore they worked, and that he'd drilled wells, successfully, on his property. So he showed me how to hold them and told me to walk a certain direction, which I did. At one point the wires crossed, all by themselves. He laughed and said "that's where the sewer line goes." Never forgot that experience, but I've had no reason to try them since.

We've been to Botswana and Tanzania. Although I have Nikon DSLRs, on those Africa trips I took a Canon SX50 and Canon SX700 (or their earlier versions on the 2013 Botswana trip). Those were truly great choices, mainly because of the combination of size, weight, and flexibility. I haven't kept up with the updates on those models, but I know there is a SX60 with 60X optical zoom. On both, you'll lose a little bit of clarity when in digital zoom, but given the weight restrictions, the portability and flexibility of those cameras, and especially the ease with which they did video, I'd take them again (or their newer versions). I also took some spare batteries and a bunch of 32GB cards. Our "tents" all had electricity for charging batteries. Our guide recommended 8GB cards because of the chance of losing one, but the only problem I had with 32GB cards (numbered with a sharpie!) was that my computer back home resisted copying that much stuff at once, so I had to copy images and videos at the rate of about 100-200 at a time. On both trips, I took ~7000 pictures and videos, and I also took a small digital recorder for sounds, returning with 50-60 sound recordings from each trip. On numerous occasions, our vehicle companions were looking at my camera screens instead of through their binoculars. Have a good trip(s)!!