(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
          
           
          
        The 'Gazebo' hide at the 
West Midland Bird Club's 
Belvide  Reservoir reserve.
        A 
bird hide (or hide) is a shelter, often 
camouflaged,  that is used to observe 
wildlife, especially birds, at close quarters. Although  hides were once built chiefly as a 
hunting aids,  they are now commonly found in 
parks and 
wetlands for the use of 
bird watchers, 
ornithologists and other observers who do not want to disturb wildlife as it is being  observed.
        A typical bird hide resembles a 
garden shed, with small openings, shutters, or windows built  into at least one side to enable observation.
        
        Variant types of bird hide include: