Virtually everybody watches birds at times, but not everybody is a birdwatcher. There is no clear definition of this term coined in 1901, but if you actually watch birds with some interest, whether serious or casual, you are a birdwatcher. Maybe you spend a minute looking our your kitchen window observing a flicker or robin probing the ground for insects while you sip your coffee. Perhaps you marvel at the pigeons nesting on the office building across from yours while you daydream and gaze at them from your cubicle. Or maybe you stroll through the woods alone or with a group of Auduboners, actually seeking out birds. You are all birdwatchers. You can spend a lot of time birdwatching, going on weekly hikes, or even travel the world on a birdwatching adventure.
So what is the difference between a birdwatcher and a birder? Its a matter of degree. Birders are more intense, more dedicated, more serious about the hobby and are sometimes offended by being called a birdwatcher, even though thats what they really are. While birdwatchers own a cheap pair of binoculars and a beat-up bird field guide, birders tend to have several pairs of binoculars, including a very expensive one, plus a spotting scope. Birdwatchers may keep a list of the birds they have seen, but are not very diligent about it. Birders are obsessive about keeping a life list, and often maintain country lists, state lists, county lists, and even zoo and tv lists of the birds they have seen. Birdwatchers might spend a few hours in the field on a birdwatching day, while birders arise before dawn, bird all day, and look for owls at night. Every person who watches birds has his or her own style and dedication to the hobby.
Honestly, as a professional ornithologist, I consider myself a birdwatcher rather than a birder. I just cant get too obsessive about birdwatching, although I admit to spending many, many continuous hours in the field watching birds in the process of scientific research.
One incident many years ago both made me aware of the difference between birders and birdwatchers is during an Audubon Christmas Count. I surveyed my area, reported my findings, and went home. Later I got a call from the group that was compiling the survey. They wanted to know if I really saw a Black-chinned Hummingbird. I said yes. They said describe it. I thought that was rather odd. If I saw President Obama on the street and reported that, would anyone say describe him? I know what a Black-chinned Hummingbird looks like and I told them that if they wanted a description of it they cold look it up in a field guide. They then said they would not include my sighting. I said fine.
Economic and environmental impact edit Spotting rare birds, such as the
The east coast of North America saw the majority of its birding activity during the 20th century. [27] The first spike in birdwatching was caused by the 1934 release of Roger Tory Peterson’s field guide. After World War II, binocularsa crucial piece of equipment for birdwatchingbecame more widely available, increasing accessibility to the activity. The growing popularity of cars contributed to the practice of driving great distances to view endangered bird species. [28].
In the 1970s, approximately 4% of North Americans showed interest in birdwatching, and by the mid-1980s, at least 2011% of them were able to see birds at least 2020 days a year. In the late 1980s, the estimated population of birdwatchers was 61 million. It has been discovered that birders make far more money than the average person. [29].
By 2002, the 2000 publication of The Sibley Guide to Birds had sold 500,000 copies. [30] It was discovered that while the number of birdwatchers increased, backyard birdwatching seemed to be declining. [31].
According to a U. S. According to a study by Fish and Wildlife Services, birdwatchers made $36.6 billion in economic contributions to the United States in 2006; additionally, 20% of all Americans identify as birdwatchers. [32] According to the U. S. According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, over 45 million Americans identify as birdwatchers in 2016. [33].
It was estimated that in 2001, birdwatchers in North America spent up to US$32 billion. [31] The spending is on the rise around the world. It was estimated that birders at Turkey’s Ku?cenneti National Park (KNP) at Lake Manyas, a Ramsar site, spent up to US$103,320,074 there each year. [34] Guided bird tours have grown to be a significant industry, with at least 127 companies providing tours globally. Each of the 150 trips that take place each year, an average trip to a less developed nation costs $4000 per person and involves roughly 12 people. Some have suggested that in order to achieve conservation, this economic potential needs to be realized. [35].
One of the fastest-growing forms of nature-based tourism worldwide is thought to be birdwatching, which frequently attracts wealthy or well-educated tourists with particular interests in the locations they visit. Furthermore, birdwatching tourism is regarded as a specialized area of nature-based tourism [36]. Birdwatching and other niche tourism industries can help diversify the market, lessen the effects of seasonality on the industry, and provide resources to isolated communities, enabling them to diversify their economies and preserve biodiversity. According to estimates, ecotourism related to birdwatching brings in $41 billion annually to the U.S. S. economy. [33] It has been proposed that the substantial revenue from birdwatching ecotourism be used to replace the tax income from bird hunting, which has fallen to its lowest levels in decades. [33].
Birding ecotourism companies are also making contributions to conservation. The company Birding Eco Tours, which offers both domestic and international travel, donates a minimum of 2010 percent of its net profits to bird conservation and the communities in which it operates. [33] Hardy Boat, a different tour company, has given Project Puffin $200,000 in order to protect puffin populations along the Atlantic Coast. [33].
One of the expectations of ecotourism is that birdwatchers’ visits will boost the local economy and guarantee the preservation and value of the environment. By engaging in citizen science, birdwatchers help advance and spread environmental knowledge, which aids in conservation. Nonetheless, birdwatching may result in a greater penetration of ecosystem services, which are thought to be essential qualities for birdwatchers. Birdwatchers flush birds, alter the allure of bird roosting sites or breeding migrations, and put additional strain on birds and their habitats by their persistent presence (e g. enticing birds to leave their hiding places, frightening them with their calls, or putting birds and their nests in danger) [38] In addition, there are additional effects on the environment, local cultures, the economy, and birds. Research focuses on ways to lessen adverse effects and increase the value of conservation. [39].
Activities edit Birdwatchers at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge,
While many birdwatchers spend their time observing local species (also known as “birding in their local patch”[40]), they occasionally travel to other locations specifically to observe birds. In temperate zones, the best times of year to go birding are during the spring or fall migrations, when the widest variety of birds can be observed. Many birds move north or south to wintering or nesting grounds during these times. Generally speaking, early mornings are preferable because the birds are more gregarious and visible.
Certain areas, like a nearby wetland, coast, or forest, may be preferred depending on the time of year and the environment. Seawatching, also known as pelagic birding, is a kind of birdwatching in which observers watch birds flying over the sea from a coastal watch point, such as a headland. While birders can also search for pelagic species from seagoing vessels, this is one type of pelagic birding.
The weather has a big impact on when rare birds appear. When the winds are right, birds from the east may arrive in Britain and drift south. Birds caught in a hurricane’s tail end may be blown inland in North America. [41] The.
Competition edit Birdwatchers watching Britain’s fifth-ever
In certain regions of the world, there are organized birding competitions. [45] These contests encourage people or groups to gather a lot of species in a limited amount of time or space while adhering to particular guidelines. In order to compete, some birdwatchers will also try to improve their year list, county list, national list, state list, or life list. These kinds of events have drawn criticism, particularly those that are promoted as supporting conservation but may actually conceal major environmental problems[46][47] or where competitive birding necessitates a lot of driving. [48] Originally founded as a club for “listers,” the American Birding Association now caters to a far wider clientele. Nevertheless, an official annual report of North American list standings is still published by the ABA.
Competitive birdwatching events include:
- Teams have 24 hours on Big Day to identify as many species as they can.
- Big Year: similar to a big day, but competitors are individuals who must be ready to commit a significant amount of time and resources.
- Big Sit or Big Stay: observers need to spot birds from a designated circle’s diameter (e g. : 17 feet[49]). Birdwatchers can leave the circle after spotting a bird to confirm its identity, but newly spotted birds might not be counted.
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