Birders…now number somewhere between 50 million and 70 million, and for many of them bird watching has become less a hobby than a religion. Dedicated birders travel around the world to find rare varieties and compete in dawn-to-dusk “birdathons” to see who can spot the most species in a single day. Veterans keep “life lists” that number in the thousands.Time Magazine, June 4, 2001
It seems that the fastest-growing outdoor activity in North America by far is bird watching, according to the National Survey on Recreation and the Environment. More than 71 million Americans-one in four-watch birds, according to the NSRE.The Washington Post, May 9, 2001
[Bird watchers] include about one-fifth of the American population, more than 50 million people who outnumber hunters and anglers combined, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. Bird watchers now spend more than $25 billion a year on feed, binoculars, travel forays, and high-tech innovations like winterized birdbaths and television “nest cams.”…Hundreds of high-style bird food stores have opened.New York Times, February 4, 2001
Backyard bird feeding is a convenient way to enjoy wildlife. According to a recent Census Report, over 65 million Americans, young and old, have given it a try. What has made watching birds the fastest growing hobby in the country, second only to gardening? What ever it is, watching birds, like watching fish or other animals, seems to make people feel good.U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, March 21, 2000
Birding has become one of the continent’s fastest growing outdoor pastimes…with large economic and ecological implications.World Watch, May/June 2000
