Birdwatching

Birdwatching or birding is the observation and study of birds (the science proper is termed ornithology). The term "birding" is of American origin; "birdwatching" is the more commonly used word in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Birders at J "Ding" Darling reserve, Sanibel, Florida.

Birding vs. Bird watching

In the U.S., birders differentiate themselves from birdwatchers. At the most basic level, the (possibly elitist) distinction is one of dedication or intensity. Generally, self-described birders are more versed in minutiae such as molt, distribution, migration timing, and habitat usage. Whereas dedicated birders may travel widely, bird watchers have a more limited scope, perhaps to their own yards.

Overview

The most active times of the year for birding in the temperate zones are during spring and fall migration, when the greatest variety of birds may be seen, as many species that do not nest or overwinter in given areas may be observed as they make their way north or south.

Early morning is typically the busiest time of the day for birding since many birds are then at their hungriest, searching most actively for food, and thus are easier to find and observe. Success in locating the more interesting species typically requires detailed knowledge of their appearance, sounds, behavior, and most likely habitat, in addition to good measures of stealth and patience.

Birding can be one of the quieter and more relaxing outdoor activities. However, birders who are keen rarity-seekers will travel long distances to see a new species to add to the list of birds they have personally observed (life list, national list, state list, county list, year list, etc.).

Seawatching is a type of birdwatching where observers based at a coastal watchpoint (such as a headland) watch birds out at, or moving over, the sea.

Many birders take part in censuses of bird populations and their migratory patterns which are sometimes specific to individual species and sometimes count all the birds in a given area (as in a Christmas Bird Count). This citizen science can assist in identifying environmental threats to the well-being of birds or, conversely, in assessing the outcomes of environmental management initiatives intended to ensure the survival of at-risk species or encourage the breeding of species for aesthetic or ecological reasons. This more scientific side of the hobby is an aspect of ornithology, co-ordinated in the UK by the British Trust for Ornithology.

Increasing (seasonal) bird populations can be a good indicator of biodiversity or the quality of different habitats. Some species may be persecuted as vermin, often illegally (e.g. the Hen Harrier in Britain), under the (usually false) perception that predatory species increase in number at the expense of other species of birds, insects, or smaller mammals. In most cases, the reverse applies: the population of predatory species is controlled by the abundance of the prey species. Bird counts in defined geographic areas can therefore be useful from a scientific perspective.

Pursuit of Rare Birds

"Twitching" is a British term used to mean "the pursuit of a previously-located rare bird." In North America it is more often called chasing, though the British usage is starting to catch on in N. Am., especially among younger birders. The British term is said to come from the frenzy that descends on some when they receive news of a rare bird. The term may derive from one of its first proponents, who used to arrive on his motorbike in freezing weather in the early 1960s, still "twitching" from the cold. The end goal of twitching is often to accumulate species on one's lists. Some birders engage in competition with one another to accumulate the biggest species lists. The act of the pursuit itself is referred to as a "twitch" or a "chase". A rare bird that stays put long enough for people to come see it is called "twitchable" or "chaseable".

Twitching is probably most highly developed in the UK, The Netherlands and Ireland because their small sizes make it possible to travel within their borders quickly with relative ease. Twitching is also highly popular in Finland and Sweden. In the United Kingdom there exists a particular twitchers' vocabulary which is surprisingly well-developed and potentially confusing for the uninitiated. Similar vocabularies have developed in all countries where twitching is popular. Twitchers often have mobile phones and (especially in Europe) pagers in order to keep constantly informed of rare bird sightings and weather. The latter is important, since the right winds can lead to drift migration.

Birding Competitions

A North American one-day birding competition is called a "Big Day"; in Britain it is called a "Bird Race". Teams trying to win such competitions usually have twenty-four hours in a designated geographical area to do so. They commonly drive hundreds of kilometers. Some record-chasers have employed private jets and helicopters in the enterprise.

The most popular birding competitions in the United States are the one-day World Series of Birding and the five-day Great Texas Birding Classic.

Equipment

Equipment commonly used for birding includes binoculars and a telescope or spotting scope with tripod, a notepad, and one or more field guides.

Photography

Photography has always been a part of birding, but in the past the cost of good cameras and long lenses made this a minority, often semi-professional, interest. The advent of affordable digital cameras, which can be used in conjunction with binoculars or a telescope (a technique known as digiscoping), have made this a much more widespread aspect of the hobby.

Birding Organizations

Prominent national organizations concerned with birding include the B.T.O. and RSPB in the United Kingdom, and the National Audubon Society and American Birding Association in the United States. Many statewide or local Audubon organizations are also quite active in the U.S. BirdLife International is an important global alliance of bird conservation organisations.

Socio-psychology of birdwatching

It has been suggested that birdwatching is a form of expression of the innate need for human connection to the environment. Ethologist Nikolaas Tinbergen considered birdwatching an expression of the male hunting instinct. Indeed, most birders (especially those below middle-age) are male; however, the top world lister was a woman, Phoebe Snetsinger. The idea of birding as a completely male-oriented activity is not accurate.

Another intriguing connection has been that of the interest in birds by spies. Although the idea for James Bond arose from the author of a bird book, there have been several cases of spies who were serious ornithologists such as Sidney Dillon Ripley, St. John Philby and Richard Meinertzhagen.