Birding surge of 2020

Amid the awful year of 2020, one of the positives was a large increase in bird-watching activities around the world. Birds are among the most viewable creatures, enriching the world with their melodious songs, diversity of colours and patterns, and fascinating behaviours, sometimes seen from just the backyard! With people staying at home during the pandemic, backyard birding has become more of a hobby, as well as going out for a walk or hike elsewhere to change the scenery. The connection between people and nature is incredibly important for aiding conservation efforts and policies to protect and save wildlife, and the growing interest in birds gives me hope.

*Selected photos from my birding outings in 2020*. *From left to right: (Top) Hooded Merganers, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Kingbird; (Bottom) Bald Eagle, Blue-headed Vireo, Wood Duck*.

Overall birding activity went up all over the world, for example seen with surges in eBird checklists and a 50% increase in participation in the Global Big Day – the biggest annual count of birds in a day. The Cornell lab reported an increase in activity of their Merlin phone application for birding, April alone had 150,000 downloads – the largest monthly increase in the app’s history! Another example of growing interest in birding was the impact on backyard birding supplies, such as feeders, seeds, and bird baths (Audubon), selling like hot cakes and spiking sales that were hard to keep up with demand! The growing number of birding reports also helped with Citizen Science, providing large datasets for scientists to use to study birds (and other animals) to work on projects all over the world to study important topics like climate change and biodiversity. I really hope these birding efforts and interests continue to grow, leading to a brighter and birdier future.

Some more selected photos from my birding outings in 2020. From left to right: (Top) American Restart, American Tree Sparrow, American Goldfinches; (Bottom) Snow Buntings, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-breasted Nuthatch.

A local example here in Manitoba of an increasingly popular bird-related activity is seen with handfeeding the resident chickadees. While I don’t support handfeeding wildlife in general, I think chickadees are an exception because they are so small and could never hurt anyone (nothing more than a little pinch from a bite with their beaks), and the awe that people get when a little bird lands on them is a very unique and intimate way to connect with nature. There are certain areas where chickadees are habituated to people – one time I was walking on a trail in Birds Hill Park with Mocha and a whole flock of ~15 chickadees (and a couple nuthatches) were following us while landing on my head and shoulders, looking for seed. Alas, I was empty-handed, but I felt like Snow White just strolling in the woods with my birding escort. The next time I arrived with seed because I felt bad to have disappointed them earlier, and I came across lots of people who found the same spot, walking around with their hands out with sunflower seeds with large smiles on their faces. Though I’m used to Opal, my pet House Sparrow, walking (and pooping) all over me everyday, I still feel exhilarated when a bird comes to land on me, and I know for many folks this bond with chickadee feeding is a magical and memorable experience. It warms my heart to see associations between people and birds, since I believe that caring for animals is fundamental for working together to protect them.