This publish was initially revealed on April 13, 2021. It’s republished in our “From the Archives” sequence, that includes highlights of our huge again catalog of greater than 10,000 birding-related posts revealed over the past 15 years or so.
Complete surveys of U.S. birders are uncommon, so the latest launch of a “Nationwide Survey of Birdwatchers: Nationwide and Flyway Comparisons” is notable. Though the outcomes are largely unsurprising, empirical affirmation of impressions or anecdotes is at all times helpful. Some background and my subjective views of the highlights are beneath.
The survey was commissioned by Nationwide Flyway Council (NFC), which implements the North American Waterfowl Administration Plan (NAWMP), which, in flip, goals to keep up considerable waterfowl populations in North America.
In 2012, the NFC revised a few of its targets and set forth a brand new imaginative and prescient of waterfowl administration that emphasised a core of hunter and conservationist supporters. In an effort to higher perceive the “human dimension” of its conservation efforts, a number of surveys had been performed, together with the Nationwide Birdwatching Survey (NBS). The survey was a be part of effort with the College of Minnesota.
As a result of the surveys had been an effort to be taught extra about its supporters, the examine was partially considering whether or not birders’ views had been completely different among the many 4 North American flyways. (Broadly talking, they weren’t.) The survey additionally sought to determine “the important thing attributes necessary to birding experiences” and be taught extra about “choices to take part in birdwatching and degree of id as birdwatcher.”
As a result of there isn’t any nationwide listing of birders, the survey was performed utilizing eBird membership in the US, which can or might not be consultant of American birders typically. Though I’ve no proof, I believe eBirders are broadly consultant of birders typically, although they’re doubtless youthful than the general birding neighborhood.
The methodology part is detailed, however the highlights are that the survey was performed on-line, and greater than 33,000 birders accomplished no less than a part of the survey, which was performed in 2016-2017, lengthy earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic. (I vaguely recall seeing this survey on the time, however I don’t keep in mind whether or not I accomplished it, although I imagine I did.) To a layperson reminiscent of myself, the methodology seems pretty rigorous.
A number of the outcomes had been blindingly apparent. For instance, the survey (of eBirders) discovered: “Almost all respondents (99%) indicated they take part in birdwatching or birding.”
And others had been in step with expectations, or no less than my expectations. For instance, (all quoted passages are flippantly edited for readability):
A big majority of respondents indicated their birding actions embody 6 of the 7 actions requested about within the survey. The overwhelming majority watched birds at house (99%), fed birds at house (90%), and watched birds away from house (98%). Whereas a barely smaller majority saved observe of the birds they noticed on a listing (82%), photographed birds (73%), and counted the birds they noticed (72%). About half of respondents (51%) stated they put in or maintained nesting bins….
Most respondents reported watching waterfowl (90%), water birds (90%), birds of prey (96%), hummingbirds (93%), and songbirds (98.2%). Feeding hummingbirds and feeding and photographing songbirds was fashionable amongst respondents. Half of respondents (58%) fed hummingbirds and two-thirds (68%) fed songbirds, whereas half of respondents (52%) photographed songbirds….
Three-quarters (76%) of respondents took a visit better than 1 mile from their house to look at birds inside the earlier 12 months. On common, respondents take 33 birdwatching journeys yearly.
In a bit entitled “Avidity and Constraints,” the survey discovered that almost all respondents “agreed birdwatching was one in all their most pleasant actions” and that “being in nature,” the “sights and sounds of nature,” and “attending to benefit from the pure surroundings” are necessary elements of birding. 92% reported proudly owning binoculars, which really appears low for a survey of eBirders.
Unsurprisingly, birders like eBird: “Few respondents (11%) reported that their participation in eBird was by no means necessary. Almost one-quarter (22%) of respondents indicated that collaborating in eBird was crucial.”
A scarcity of time was essentially the most frequent “barrier” to birding, and no different constraints had been significant, suggesting “that total, boundaries to participation are both not severe for eBird contributors, or they’ve discovered methods to navigate these boundaries already they usually now not impede participation.”
Birders appear to be a reasonably modest group: “Respondents rated themselves as considerably expert in figuring out birds. On a 7-point ability degree scale, the place 1 is a novice and seven is an knowledgeable, respondents averaged a ranking of 4.4.” Birders makes use of discipline guides, apps reminiscent of Merlin, and photographs to determine birds, and are much less assured of their means to chook by ear than by sight.
Additionally, the outcomes point out that almost all eBirders have few pals which are additionally related to birding. (There was, sadly, no related query about spouses.)
As to birding places, respondents have a tendency go birding near house and like wetlands: “Most respondents went birdwatching inside the flyway the place they lived. Nationally, most birdwatching occurred in California (9%), adopted by New York (6%), Texas (5%), Pennsylvania (5%), Florida (5%), and Ohio (4%). Almost all respondents knew of wetlands close by (93%) and most had visited wetlands previously 12 months (88%).”
The demographics of birders had been unsurprising: overwhelmingly white and well-educated. “Respondents answered a sequence of sociodemographic questions concerning race, ethnicity, gender, age, schooling, occupation, rural land possession, city/rural residence, city/rural upbringing, earnings, and state of residence. Respondents had been predominantly white (95%), and non-Hispanic (98%).”
However, extra surprisingly: “Simply over half of respondents (56%) had been feminine.”
“After eradicating any respondents underneath the age of 18, the median age of respondents was 37 years outdated. Nearly half of respondents (47%) reported graduate or professional-level schooling, and one other one-third (32%) reported holding a Bachelor’s diploma. Barely greater than half of respondents (57%) reported making lower than $75,000 per 12 months in private earnings, whereas 10% reported an annual earnings of $150,000 or extra.” Thus, the pattern seems to skew younger (late-30s) relative to my impression of the general age of the birding neighborhood, doubtless a consequence utilizing eBird because the pool of potential respondents.
Broadly talking, birders care in regards to the surroundings, significantly because it pertains to wildlife habitat, and plenty of donate accordingly: “Most respondents reported having donated to birdwatching and associated points (62%), in addition to conservation of different birds (55%).” “Most respondents thought-about themselves a birdwatcher (68%) or a conservationist (69%).” However solely 13% bought a Duck Stamp.
“A core portion of the birdwatcher survey concerned discrete selection experiments (DCEs). The DCEs permit researchers to determine respondents’ preferences for particular attributes of birdwatching, and to spotlight which attributes respondents worth relative to different attributes.” In different phrases, the researchers sought to find out attributes necessary to birders, and the way these attributes rank relative to one another. (Economists have checked out related points concerning birder preferences.)
The attributes offered had been:
- Range: What number of species of birds;
- Rarity: Whether or not there are uncommon species;
- Variety of birds: The overall variety of birds;
- Ease of entry: How troublesome it’s to get into and round an space;
- Wetlands: Whether or not the realm accommodates wetland habitat and wetland species;
- Naturalness: The diploma to which the realm is in a pure situation;
- Journey distance: Whole distance from house to the placement.
The outcomes: “A very powerful attributes within the selection of birdwatching journeys had been: (1) journey distance; (2) probability to see uncommon or uncommon chook species; and (3) the naturalness of the realm. The degrees with the best utility included: (1) journey distance of two miles or much less; (2) journey distance of lower than 25 miles; (3) probability to see uncommon/uncommon species; (4) pure setting; and (5) wetlands with waterfowl/wetland birds.”
Thus, birders like pure areas near house with uncommon species, and maybe some geese. This isn’t a stunning end result. Be aware that variety of species, complete variety of birds, and entry, had been much less necessary.
As indicated, these are solely my subjective decisions of the highlights of the survey outcomes. There’s a nice deal extra within the survey abstract itself. And if I’ve made any errors, please let me know.
The photograph is from Magee Marsh Boardwalk throughout the Largest Week in American Birding in 2015.
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