The popularity of birdwatching by country (2 Viewers)

[James Lowther]

I would say that in the UK (or at least those parts I know) the density of birders is a lot higher than anywhere else I’ve been. By that I mean the ratio of birders to areas that are good for birding.
Cheers
James

 

[Paul Chapman]

I would say that in the UK (or at least those parts I know) the density of birders is a lot higher than anywhere else I’ve been. By that I mean the ratio of birders to areas that are good for birding.
Cheers
James

James

I would add a caveat to that. I think that you need to factor in centres of population and proximity of parking/facilities. Many excellent places (especially those away from population centres or where you need to walk maybe 500 metres or more) tend to be very under-watched.

But still far higher density than almost any other part of the world from my limited experience.

All the best

Paul

 

[jurek]

I guess one should differentiate between levels, e.g. a person who likes to look at birds, who feeds birds in the garden, a person who owns binoculars etc.

It would be very interesting to make such an international survey.

 

[Xenospiza]

I've been trying to find the actually survey data for some of these results. In Q1 2023 YouGov asked 1218 "nationally representative" people, whether they liked "bird watching". The results are linked, but I do wonder on the 7% who hadn't heard of it.

Interesting to learn that in the UK drinking is considered a cerebral activity.

 

[Steve Babbs]

There are also a lot of birders in South Africa and, in the Arusha area of Tanzania, I chatted to quite a few young people who knew a lot about birds and wildlife generally. Many see leading birdwatching trips as a good future career. At Duliti Lake we were joined by some young lads who had the field guide on their smartphones and did have a very good knowledge of the songs/calls. We presumed they were hoping for a tip but afterwards they just said goodbye and wandered off so they presumably just being helpful/friendly or using us as practice.

 

[pianoman]

I've often wondered about how much the apparent populations of scarce and less brightly colored or showy birds is underestimated in countries where there are fewer birders. It would seem to be a given that the more discreet rare birds would often go unnoticed but something like a Bee Eater or Hoopoe might be remarked by anyone who saw it. I presume that population statistics take this into account, but still wonder if the figures are skewed

 

[maplekong]

I think the thing with the UK is that there are lots of people, just not a lot of places- so everything is concentrated and it may seem like there are more birders.

 

[Steve Babbs]

I think the thing with the UK is that there are lots of people, just not a lot of places- so everything is concentrated and it may seem like there are more birders.

Yep. The countryside is packed! I'm just back from Provence where we were walking for about 8 hours a day, we, literally, would see a couple of people a day away from the car parks. It was very similar in the Cevennes last year.

Having said that, I suspect the UK may well still be the country with the highest percentage of keen birders. But it is an aging population. There are young birders but far fewer than there were. In the area I live, I know more young general naturalists rather than birders. I know most birders are into other groups but these people are more likely to know the identification features of digger wasps than acro warblers.

 

[Farnboro John]

Yep. The countryside is packed! I'm just back from Provenance where we were walking for about 8 hours a day, we, literally, would see into a couple of people a day away from the car parks. It was very similar in the Cevennes last year.

I think I'm going to need provenance of your destination! And I want to know how you were seeing into people, as well....

John

 

[Steve Babbs]

I think I'm going to need provenance of your destination! And I want to know how you were seeing into people, as well....

John

One day, I'll learn that I really can't multi-task.

I even had to go back and add the comma to the adverbial with this one. I better concentrate on my work for a bit.

 

[maplekong]

Yep. The countryside is packed! I'm just back from Provence where we were walking for about 8 hours a day, we, literally, would see a couple of people a day away from the car parks. It was very similar in the Cevennes last year.

Having said that, I suspect the UK may well still be the country with the highest percentage of keen birders. But it is an aging population. There are young birders but far fewer than there were. In the area I live, I know more young general naturalists rather than birders. I know most birders are into other groups but these people are more likely to know the identification features of digger wasps than acro warblers.

I'm a bit random- I've made a balm for nettle stings with English plantain, and considered poisoning annoying people in my class with poison hemlock, which grows in abundance in my local park (no-one seems to be doing anything about it). It seems there are barely any people in my school who would know a dandelion if they saw one. I'm sorry to say the majority of the young generation will giggle when you point out a blue tit to them. It is disheartening. In twenty years I don't think the UK will be such a birding hotspot anymore.

 

[Dave Ball]

I'm sorry to say the majority of the young generation will giggle when you point out a blue tit to them.

I wouldn’t worry too much. It was much the same in the Sixties - probably worse.

 

[jurek]

Having said that, I suspect the UK may well still be the country with the highest percentage of keen birders. But it is an aging population. There are young birders but far fewer than there were.

One word: car. Young people in cities are excluded from visiting nature. A rather worying trend is the rise of artificial nature: people hunting Pokemon or crowding to watch Avatar II which is basically artificial wildlife. I wonder if RSPB by discouraging cars killed its own clientele.

 

[aeshna5]

One word: car. Young people in cities are excluded from visiting nature. A rather worying trend is the rise of artificial nature: people hunting Pokemon or crowding to watch Avatar II which is basically artificial wildlife. I wonder if RSPB by discouraging cars killed its own clientele.

I have no car, live in the suburbs & no shortage of nature I can visit with public transport- chalk downland, heathland, WWT & RSPB reserves as well as any number of urban habitats. Maybe different for someone just wanting to twitch rarities but to enjoy nature & a rich variety of wildlife a lack of car is no obstacle to immersion in nature.

I have plenty of decent habitat I can visit on foot-something I was restricted to in lockdown.

 

[Richard D]

I have no car, live in the suburbs & no shortage of nature I can visit with public transport- chalk downland, heathland, WWT & RSPB reserves as well as any number of urban habitats. Maybe different for someone just wanting to twitch rarities but to enjoy nature & a rich variety of wildlife a lack of car is no obstacle to immersion in nature.

I have plenty of decent habitat I can visit on foot-something I was restricted to in lockdown.

I agree - some reserves can be tricky to get to by public transport, but there are plenty that are accessible with a short walk. If your main interest is in twitching clearly it's a different matter - personally I briefly tried it and it wasn't for me so don't miss not having a car. The loss and reduction of some rural bus routes does limit choces slightly, but there are still plenty of places - both reserves and general countryside that can be reached easily.

 

[Steve Babbs]

A bike is a rather useful tool too. I've never been without one and I'm planning on using one for as long as I can. I admit I use it more for general wildlife trips rather than when I want a scope. I didn't get my first car until I was 27. I've been a keen bider since 13.

Although twitching wasn't my priority, I passed 400 without a car too.

 

[maplekong]

I have no car, live in the suburbs & no shortage of nature I can visit with public transport- chalk downland, heathland, WWT & RSPB reserves as well as any number of urban habitats. Maybe different for someone just wanting to twitch rarities but to enjoy nature & a rich variety of wildlife a lack of car is no obstacle to immersion in nature.

I have plenty of decent habitat I can visit on foot-something I was restricted to in lockdown.

We have very limited bus routes in Ireland currently. There's only one bus running from my city's city centre to the suburbs, and it comes every hour, never mind nature reserves etc. Here, everything isn't really that accessible either- some good spots you can only get to by car, for lack of good roads and parking spaces.

 

[jurek]

I have no car, live in the suburbs

I, too, made a choice to live in the suburbs - at the edge of decent habitat and conveniences of big city.

However, urban young people are excluded from it. Even if one had a bicycle, driving through the city to the otskirts can be time consuming and dangerous. I strongly suspect over 50% of urban young people may have never visited a forest, certainly less than once a year. For them, it is as exotic as planet Tatooine.

 

[Owene]

Seems almost non-existent in Spain. I was at El Hondo about three years ago, an incredible reserve. If it was in the UK it would be teeming with birders. I think I saw about four people in as many hours.

Whereas when I went to Monfrague during holiday week you could barely park and every space on the walkway was full of people watching the vultures. Not all with optics (although plenty were) and maybe in the same way as people would go to say slimbridge but big crowds all the same

 

[aeshna5]

Whereas when I went to Monfrague during holiday week you could barely park and every space on the walkway was full of people watching the vultures. Not all with optics (although plenty were) and maybe in the same way as people would go to say slimbridge but big crowds all the same

I was there in April & it was very busy with people watching the vultures, etc.