Birdwatching

Birdwatching, or birding, is a form of wildlife observation in which the observation of birds is a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds.

Birdwatching often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are more easily detected and identified by ear than by eye. Most birdwatchers pursue this activity for recreational or social reasons, unlike ornithologists, who engage in the study of birds using formal scientific methods.

Birding, birdwatching, and twitching

The first recorded use of the term birdwatcher was in 1891; bird was introduced as a verb in 1918. The term birding was also used for the practice of fowling or hunting with firearms as in Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor (1602): "She laments sir... her husband goes this morning a-birding." The terms birding and birdwatching are today used by some interchangeably, although some participants prefer birding, partly because it includes the auditory aspects of enjoying birds.

Birding (magazine)

Birding is the bimonthly magazine of the American Birding Association. Birding publishes articles on field identification, bird conservation, notable sightings, and other subjects of interest to the birding community. Each issue also includes critical reviews of new equipment and books.

A six-part history of birding in North America as reported in the pages of Birding appeared in 2006.

See also