Birdwatchers take up their hobby for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, birds are colorful and interesting creatures that are represented by a wide variety of species. Furthermore, in most regions of our globe, their population changes with each season, composed of local residents, migrants and rare vagrants. This keeps us interested throughout the year and birdwatching appeases the hunting instinct that, to some degree, is found in all humans.
In addition, since bird populations vary from one ecological region to another, the hobby of finding and listing the varied species is a good excuse for travel and adventure, taking us to local nature preserves, State Parks, National Wildlife Refuges and, for some birders, to unique birdwatching sites across the globe. Finally, the study of birds leads to a broader knowledge of their habitats, including the plants in which they nest and feed and the other wildlife species that share their environment. In the end, we come to better understand the diversity and complexity of nature itself.
Hopefully, most birders eventually recognize the unique lesson that birds have to offer. More than any other group of creatures, birds tend to occupy different habitats in the course of a year; some migrate long distances, others meander about during the lean winter months and others, while remaining in the same general region, shift their favored habitat, diet and behavior as one season gives way to another. Their welfare is thus dependent upon the health of varied habitats, whether clustered in one area or spread from one pole to another, highlighting the interdependence of ecosystems across our planet. The more we accept that message, the more committed we become to the protection of all natural ecosystems, however distant they might be; in turn, the welfare of all creatures, including humans, is enhanced.
