There is a clear definition in the document - people who travel more than a
mile to watch birds or who closely observe or try to identify birds in the
backyard. You don't have to be a big twitcher or belong to a bird club to be
a bird watcher - many (or most) people (myself included) who are now
"serious" would have started trying to identify their backyard birds. To do
that you don;t even need bins. And yes many people in the US and UK feed
birds in their backyards - which could explain why more people in those
countries turn into birders (and maybe join clubs etc) than do in Aus, where
bird feeders are much less common.
Whether or not the figures are accurate is - like all surveys - open to
questioning and I am not an expert in survey methodologies so I do not know
if their process was good.
2009/7/19 Alan McBride <>
> Surely if you look at birds you are a bird watcher! Whether that is put of
> the kitchen window or through bins is irrelevant. The economics of it are
> built by buying wild bird seed at Costco or wherever! I too have lived in
> the US and been gobsmacked at how many bird feeders there are. The numbers
> may be a little low!!
>
> My neighbours 7 year old knocked on the door ten minutes ago asking for
> "wild bird food to feed the lorikeets on her balcony" - she was sad they had
> nothing and the birds had flown away and she wanted them back!
>
> She is a "bird watcher" and using my food brought the "economics" into
> play! Being next door also improved the statistics in that, two out of two
> houses watch birds here!
>
> Alan
>
>
> On 19/07/2009, at 15:09 , David Adams wrote:
>
> On Sun, Jul 19, 2009 at 2:48 PM, Alan McBride<> wrote:
>
>> Amazing numbers: can't imagine what Britain's numbers are like:-)
>>
>> May be just useful too to fight the "gun lobby"!
>>
>> http://tinyurl.com/kj5eno
>>
>>
>> BIRDWATCHERS: THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!
>> U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determines 1 in 5 Americans are
>> birdwatchers
>>
>
> You really have to wonder how they come up with these numbers. I lived
> in the US for a long time and can assure you that 20% of the
> population is a wildly exaggerated figure - I'd be amazed if the
> number were more than a few in a thousand. Partly, I suppose it
> depends how you define "bird watcher". I'd say at a minimum:
>
> * Has a pair of binoculars.
>
> * Can name at least the common species in their area.
>
> That's not a high bar but most of the 20% wouldn't be able to clear
> it. I suspect they're lumping in people that have bird feeders
> (feeding trays) - at which point you suddenly get a huge leap in
> numbers. Shops like Costco and Wild Birds Unlimited doubtlessly move a
> lot of bird seed over any twelve month period, but that hardly makes
> these folks "bird watchers."
>
> In the US I've found that, by and large, people have very low levels
> of general bird knowledge. Here in Australia, I'm impressed by how
> much people know. People see me with binoculars and say "Oh, you like
> birds? I don't know much about them but..." and then proceed to rattle
> off interesting observational details about a dozen species. Not only
> that, people here often know the names and habits of a wide range of
> local birds. I can't remember people having strong opinions about
> birds in the US. (Okay, a lot of people don't like Rock Doves and
> everyone seems to like hummingbirds.) Down here, you had best have
> some time on your hands if get people started about Satin Bowerbirds,
> Currawongs or Magpies!
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