Editing Birdwatching (section)

==Activities==
[[File:Conowingo dam shooters fishing pier (14106368940).jpg|thumb|Photographers at [[Maryland]]'s [[Conowingo Dam]], a popular winter location for seeing [[bald eagles]].]]
Many birders occupy themselves with observing local species (birding in their "local patch"<ref>{{cite journal| journal=Birding| title=Bare-naked birding| year=2007| last=Eubanks |first=T. L.| url=http://www.aba.org/birding/v39n4p36.pdf| access-date=22 December 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119003045/http://www.aba.org/birding/v39n4p36.pdf| archive-date=19 November 2011| url-status=dead}}</ref>), but may also make specific trips to observe birds in other locales. The most active times of the year for birding in [[temperate]] zones are during the spring or fall [[bird migration|migrations]] when the greatest variety of birds may be seen. On these occasions, large numbers of birds travel north or south to wintering or nesting locations. Early mornings are typically better as the birds are more active and vocal making them easier to spot.

Certain locations such as a local patch of forest, wetland and coast may be favoured according to the location and season. [[Seawatching]], or pelagic birding, is a type of birding where observers based at a coastal watch point, such as a headland, watch birds flying over the sea. This is one form of [[pelagic]] birding, though birders also seek pelagic species from seagoing vessels.

Weather plays an important role in the occurrence of rare birds. In Britain, suitable wind conditions may lead to [[drift migration]], and an influx of birds from the east. In North America, birds caught in the tail-end of a hurricane may be blown inland.<ref name="moss">{{cite book |last=Moss |first=Stephen |title=Birds and Weather A Birdwatcher's Guide |year=1995 |publisher=Hamlyn |location=London |isbn=978-0-600-58679-1 |oclc=33207495}}</ref>
[[File:Stretto di messina - bottleneck, sicilia, from the peloritani.jpg|thumbnail|The [[Strait of Messina]], [[Sicily]], a classic [[bird migration|migration]] bottleneck, seen from the [[Peloritani]] mountains]]

===Monitoring===
Birders may take part in censuses of bird populations and migratory patterns which are sometimes specific to individual species. These birdwatchers may also count all birds in a given area, as in the [[Christmas Bird Count]], or follow carefully designed study protocols. This kind of [[citizen science]] can assist in identifying environmental threats to the well-being of birds or, conversely, in assessing outcomes of environmental management initiatives intended to ensure the survival of at-risk species or to encourage the breeding of species for aesthetic or ecological reasons.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/15/science/paying-farmers-to-welcome-birds.html?_r=0 |title=Paying Farmers to Welcome Birds |newspaper=New York Times |date=14 April 2014 |first=Jim |last=Robbins |access-date=5 February 2016}}</ref>

This more scientific side of the hobby is an aspect of ornithology, coordinated in the UK by the [[British Trust for Ornithology]]. The [[Cornell Lab of Ornithology]] hosts many citizen-science projects to track the number and distribution of bird species across North America. These surveys help scientists note major changes from year to year which may occur as a result of [[climate change]], disease, predation, and other factors.<ref name=texas>{{cite book|year=2003|title=An introduction to birdwatching|publisher=Texas Parks and Wildlife Department|url=http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0476.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Greenwood |first=J. J. D. |year=2007 |title=Citizens, science and bird conservation |journal=Journal of Ornithology |volume=148 |issue=1 |pages=77&ndash;124 |doi=10.1007/s10336-007-0239-9 |bibcode=2007JOrn..148...77G |s2cid=21914046 |url=http://www.dof.dk/sider/images/stories/gu/vu/dokumenter/greenwood_vu.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719123722/http://www.dof.dk/sider/images/stories/gu/vu/dokumenter/greenwood_vu.pdf |archive-date=19 July 2011}}</ref>

===Environmental education===
[[File:Observación de aves en Nador.JPG|thumb|Moroccan students watching birds at Nador's lagoon as a part of [[environmental education]] activities organized by the [[Spanish Ornithological Society]]]]
Because of their accessibility and ubiquity, birds are a useful tool for [[environmental education]] and awareness of environmental issues. Birdwatching can increase respect for nature and awareness of the fragility of [[ecosystem]]s.

===Competition===
[[File:Birders at Caerlaverock.jpg|thumb|250px|Birdwatchers watching Britain's fifth-ever [[white-tailed lapwing]] at [[WWT Caerlaverock|Caerlaverock]], [[Scotland]], 6 June 2007]]
Birding as a competitive event is organized in some parts of the world.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Kenneth |last=Sheard|year=1999|title=A Twitch in Time Saves Nine: Birdwatching, Sport, and Civilizing Processes
|journal=Sociology of Sport Journal|volume=16|issue=3|pages =181–205|url=http://www.humankinetics.com/ssj/viewarticle.cfm?jid=7Yf4apK83Mj7z6Um3Fg4xQbt3Bx3tWt33Rw4a&view=art&aid=1702|doi=10.1123/ssj.16.3.181}}</ref> Such competitions encourage individuals or teams to accumulate large numbers of species within a specified time or area with special rules. Some birdwatchers will also compete by attempting to increase their life list, national list, state list, provincial list, county list, or [[big year|year list]]. The [[American Birding Association]] was originally started as a club for "listers", but it now serves a much broader audience. Still, the ABA continues to publish an official annual report of North American list standings.

Competitive birdwatching events include:
*Big Day: teams have 24 hours to identify as many species as possible.
*[[Big year|Big Year]]: like a big day, but contestants are individuals, and need to be prepared to invest a great deal of time and money.
*Big Sit or Big Stay: birdwatchers must see birds from a circle of prescribed diameter (e.g.: 17 feet<ref>Dunne, P. (2007). Big Day Big Stay. Birder's World, 21(5), 18–21.</ref>). Once birds are spotted, birdwatchers can leave the circle to confirm the identity, but new birds seen may not be counted.
*[[Christmas Bird Count]]: See as many birds as possible between December 14 and January 5.
*[[World Series of Birding]]: An annual birding competition organised by the New Jersey Audubon Society. Teams compete to identify the greatest number of bird species in a 24-hour period.
*[[Migration Madness]]: A month-long festival celebrating bird migration. Migration Madness features a Birdathon. The Birdathon is a competition at any time during May 2024. The goal is to spot as many bird species as you can.