Overview of Birdwatching

The major objective of birdwatching is to spot, identify, and record as many members of the avian population as possible and this can happen within a geographic location or a time frame. Many avian enthusiasts are satisfied with only watching the limited species of birds in their locality while others travel to far places to boost their birdwatching experience.

The act of birdwatching started centuries ago when people had to use only their eyes to observe birds. However, technological advancements have made the hobby easier with binoculars, telescopes, cameras, tripods, and more. Now enthusiasts getting started with birdwatching derive more pleasure from the hobby as they make huge contributions to Ornithology.

What is Birding or Birdwatching?

Birdwatching is the act of observing the avian population in their natural habitat. This is regarded as a hobby for people who indulge in it for recreation but it is called citizen science for those who watch birds to make useful contributions to Ornithology in both avian research and conservation.

A Brief History of Birdwatching

The 1900s is said to be the advent of birdwatching hobby though man has been watching the avian population for centuries for both game and food. The foundations of birdwatching history have been traced to both the United Kingdom and the United States of America. In these two countries, an increasing concern for birds and the technological development of visual aids equipment like binoculars allowed humans to observe birds without shooting at them.

The year 1901 was when birdwatching earned its first mention in Edmund Selous’ authored book and perhaps that was the time when people were getting started with the act. However, Roger Tory Peterson created the foremost modern field guide on bird watching 33 years down the line. As time rolled by, ornithologists and bird enthusiasts took it upon themselves to develop the hobby and make it popular.

Regarding Ornithology as the scientific moniker for birdwatching was once controversial as many argued that the hobby was supposed to be purely recreational and should be different from the scientific study of the avian population (Ornithology). However, in recent times, birders are seen as citizen scientists with great contributions to both avian conservation and research. Today the discovery of videography, photography, and convenient travel has made birding progress further.

How To Start Birdwatching

Birdwatching starts with stepping outside to look for birds. Your eyes are a good starting tool to watch birds but professionals go for visual enhancement devices such as spotting scopes or telescopes and binoculars. Beginners can start by listening to the sounds made by birds, using bird feeders to attract different species, leveraging photographic and video cameras, and keeping an eye on public webcams.

Some people prefer to do birdwatching in their locality where they can only have access to local species but some die-hard enthusiasts travel to far places to observe varied species. People who don’t like the outdoors can still develop a birdwatching hobby by leveraging the internet to bird-watch virtually through bird-specific webcams.

Important Terms Related to Birdwatching

• Birder – an amateur or professional who engaged in birdwatching.
• Birding or birdwatching – the hobby of watching birds to study them, listen to their sounds, indulge in bird identification, or any other activity involving the avian population.
• Bird-watcher – anybody who watches birds is described as a birdwatcher but those who take the hobby seriously are called birders.
• Twitching – this describes a situation where a birder decides to seriously pursue a rare bird that he has previously identified or located. This is the same thing as “chasing”. The birdie may travel a long distance to achieve this feat and would then count or tick it on a list.
• Pelagic birding or sea-watching – in this manner of birdwatching, the observer may be a resident of some coastal watch point where he or she is privileged to watch birds as they fly over the sea.
• Citizen scientists – these are birdwatchers with great contributions to scientific research about birds.

List Building in Birdwatching

As birders encounter and identify different species of birds, they make a list called a life list. Life lists can be made on paper, it can come in the form of a birding journal, records in your electronic birding app, or highlighted pages in a bird guide. With a life list, birdies can comfortably track their achievements and progress as time rolls by.

A life list contains the names of identified bird species, the dates they were sighted, and their location. This list not only aids a birder in improving his identification skills, but it also comes in handy as a dependable personal record and memories of special encounters with amazing creatures of the air.

Some Useful Birdwatching Equipment

• The most basic equipment for birdwatching is your two eyes. However, visual enhancement apparatus like binoculars and telescopes have taken over.
• Birdies going on a birdwatching adventure must arm themselves with a notebook which will form the basis for their life list. A field guide will also be useful on such a journey.
• Cameras and tripods are additional apparatus that can enhance a birder’s birding experience. The tripod eliminates the incident of shaky hands and provides the watcher with stability while observing birds. This allows for more comfortable and clearer viewing.
• Your smartphone offers a good number of useful birdwatching apps including iBird, Merlin Bird ID, Audubon Bird Guide, and more. All these aid in bird identification.
• A handy camera ensures that you document all notable sightings while capturing memorable moments.
• Some birdies prefer to use bird feeders to attract different species of birds to their line of vision. This way, they can observe the birds in their numbers.

Advantages of Birdwatching

• Mindful observation of birds reduces stress levels. Gazing into distances as you scan through the trees with your binoculars will put you in a mindful state, especially when you are present in that special moment.
• As your stress level diminishes through mindful observations, it activates the parasympathetic nervous system which in turn promotes relaxation. This part of the nervous system takes care of digestion and rest.
• Birdwatching isn’t just a hobby. It plays an important role in the protection of bird species that are considered to be endangered. This happens when birdies function as citizen scientists trying to conserve species that are fast going into extinction.
• Birdwatching aids in the preservation of natural habitats as it impacts the well-being and ecosystems of the avian population directly. As a birdwatcher, you must adopt responsible behaviours like reducing disruption to birds and their natural habitats. This contributes a lot to the lasting conservation of avian biodiversity.

Lead Image: Photo by Jack Bulmer – Pexels.