And, by all accounts, the ranks of birders are growing. Formerly called birdwatchers, birders come from all walks of life, from doctors to lawyers, teachers, policemen, corporate executives, truck drivers, merchants, young children, young marrieds, and senior citizens. In fact, there are as many varieties of birders as there are birds. They range from intense perfectionists who travel the globe at the drop of a hat to see a species never seen, to the casual weekend hobbyist who enjoys watching the neighborhood birds at a backyard feeder or nearby greenbelt. While each individual birder may focus on different aspects of the pastime, I think all will agree, birding fulfills many of our basic criteria for what makes for good outdoor recreation.
Birds appeal to our sense of aesthetics.
Birds are beautiful and their extravagant plumages are dazzling to the eye. Their complex behavior is intriguing and their songs are varied, evocative and very pleasing to the ear. They occur in a wide variety of places and are abroad both night and day. Unlike mammals, which are secretive and mostly nocturnal, the majority of birds are active during the day. Besides, birdwatching is something you can do while doing other things, working in the backyard, tending the garden, walking or jogging in the park, while at work or from a kitchen window.