Bird-watching participation boosts U.S. economy according to report

A report released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reveals that bird-watchers are a boon to the country's economy, contributing more than $36 billion in one year.

The report -- Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis -- shows that there are 48 million bird-watchers age 16 years and older in the nation.

An addendum to the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, the new information focuses specifically on birders in the U.S. It identifies who birders are, where they live, how avid they are and what kinds of birds they watch. 

The study states that the average birder is 50 years old and likely to be female, with a better than average education and income.

Bird-watching participation rates in the U.S. average 21%. The top five states with the greatest participation include Montana (40%), Maine (39%), Vermont (38%), Minnesota (33%) and Iowa (33%).

California is near the bottom of the list at 15%, a percentage greater than only four other states (New Jersey, Texas and North Dakota at 14% and Hawaii at 10%).

By understanding who birders are,  they can be more easily reached and informed about issues facing birds and their habitats.

--Kelly Burgess

Photo: A group of birders walking a wooden trail search out a bird brought to their attention by host and guide Dee Zeller, second from right. Credit: Ken Lubas/Los Angeles Times
 

Comments

[michaelj72]

there may be more bird watchers in the US, which certainly is a good thing as it's a lovely past time, but the fact is that there are actually less birds for them to watch - with a 1/3 of all species endangered, in decline or threatened in some way. I would suspect loss of habitat would be among the most important factors, especially in wetlands (though there has been some healthy increases in some bird populations, overall it's not a good story. pretty sad

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/41937/title/U.S._bird_populations_in_decline,_report_says

"....The report, called The U.S. State of the Birds, combines 40 years of studies from government agencies and data gathered by citizen scientists participating in bird censuses like the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count...."

and

http://expatbrian.wordpress.com/2007/06/16/dramatic-decrease-in-us-bird-populations/

".....Yesterday, the National Audubon Society quantified what birders and other outdoors people have known for years: Many of America’s most common bird populations have plummeted over the last 40 years, the bobwhite, the biggest loser, by 82 percent.

“If even the commonest, most widespread birds are having trouble thriving, it’s a pretty clear warning that we need to take action,” said nature writer Scott Weidensaul.

the new administration really needs to take swift and effective action on a large range of environmental issues and this is one as it is indicative of the problems in the biosphere as a whole.