Wide range of publications indicates that bird watching is the only
outdoor activity showing marked increase here in the states and that
mercifully, hunting is declining. "Nonconsumptive participants" may
include an enormous range of activities. More importantly, USFW has
absolutely no way of tracking something like birdwatching -- no stamps,
permits, licenses, etc. to buy or apply for -- at least not yet! The real
clue to the increase in birdwatching is the number of advertisements
appearing on behalf of counties, etc. in the travel sections of non-nature
magazines e.g., Southern Living, etc. touting the number of species of
birds to be found within their boundaries. mdd

On Sun, 10 Aug 1997, Michael Price wrote:

> Hi Tweets,
>
> Cathi Pelletier writes:
> >The perception of fewer birders may not be a false one. According to the
> > last U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report (FWS-News) I received on the
> > subject, there ARE fewer birders (in the U.S. anyway), despite the fact
> > that we spent more money.
>
> then quotes:
> >>Meanwhile, the number of bird watchers, wildlife photographers,
> > >and other nonconsumptive participants 16 years and older dropped
> > >17 percent during the 5-year period to 63 million from 76 million
>
> That's an average drop of 2.6 million people per year in that period, from
> around a third of the US population to a quarter in only five years, a
> significant demographic alteration. I'd be interested in seeing if the rate
> was constant over that period, or how its dynamics worked (with the nasty
> feeling that the rate's accelerating if the local scene is indicative). So
> 13 million people in five years is a significant loss. Any comparable change
> for consumptive participants, such as hunters and anglers? Any reasoning
> behind such a large drop?
>
> and Jack Bowling writes:
> >I don't think one can make a blanket statement on this. When it dies off in
> one
> > area, it likely picks up in another. There are sundry reasons for people
> > spending less time in the field. Myself, I just seem to have way too much
> on my
> > plate these days to get out birding as much as I would like.
>
> To move from the particular to general is always dicey, so I'm--well,
> certainly not happy to see suggestively supportive US figures. As well, a
> number of local birders besides myself have all noted--with varying amounts
> of surprise--why the local hotspots (Boundary Bay, Roberts Bank, Iona, Point
> Roberts, Blackie Spit) seem to be deserted of birders most of the time in
> the last couple of years, even at peak times. Except there's blips when a
> rarity shows up. Maybe people just stay at home doing other things until one
> of the handful of regulars locates a migrational incompetent, then come out
> in force to see it. Birding isn't life, after all, and the number of
> hard-core enthusiasts is always going to be a relatively small part of the
> general community. It's when the general community seems to have gone south
> that one wonders what's going on. With the kind of percentage variations as
> above, blanket statements become sociology, economics and politics,
> therefore accessible to discussion.
>
> Cheers
>
> Michael Price The Sleep of Reason Gives Birth to Monsters
> Vancouver BC Canada -Goya
> mprice at mindlink.net
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