tweets--

For those of you who didn't know, Ted Eubanks, of TEXBIRDS, made a
presentation in Brownsville, Texas on Monday {3/16/98) on the World
Birding Center, planned somewhere for the lower Rio Grande Valley.

The Audubon Society and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are
expected to decide on a specific location for the multi-million dollar
World Birding Center this summer.

Ted made some interesting observations about birding, and ecotourism
in the Valley and nationwide,

-26% of Winter Texans spend their time looking at nature and birds.

-70.2% of birders who visit Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge are
between 50 and 60 years of age.

-76.9% had attended college.

-49.5% had incomes above $50,000

-Santa Ana birders come from 49 states and six foregn countries.

-Only 3.9% of birders reside in the Rio Grande Valley;
28.4% come from elsewhere in Texas.

-Winter Texans spend $1.3 billion while visiting Texas.

-There are twice as many wildlife photographers as golfers nationwide.

and.......

-"Avid wildlife observers go to the [Rio Grande] Valley while casual
birders go to Nebraska."


One almost has the feeling that birders are a "silent majority."


Geri and Alfred Webre
Brownsville
Vancouver, BC














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Geri & Alfred Webre Vancouver, BC
<mail to: ecobirders at yahoo.com>
Migratory Birds: < http://www.shadycoffee.com/birds/index.html>
A web e-zine preserving bird species and habitats, rain forests,
and women's community enterprises in shade grown coffee regions.

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