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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pbjosh" data-source="post: 3617983" data-attributes="member: 117939">Of course 10x can help ID birds that are at the limit of 8x, assuming you can hold it still enough. I use 8x more than 10x as I mostly bird in the tropics. As soon as I'm in open country or on the coast though, 10x are certainly superior for me. Occasionally 10x show some value with challenging birds in the canopy but largely you are going to ID by ear and then look for confirming field marks,  such that 8x vs 10x magnification isn't as critical as good contrast on backlit birds.8x or even 7x are generally better for pelagics, it is much harder to use a 10x on a pelagic unless you're on a larger/more stable boat.Cheers,Josh</blockquote>