Understanding the Diversity of Eight Birder Sub-populations: Socio-demographic Characteristics, Motivations, Expenditures and Net Benefits

Abstract

Participation in birding is not only more popular than outdoor recreation activities like hunting and fishing but it is growing in popularity. National studies of wildlife watching provide limited social and economic understandings of birding and por- tray birders and their participation in terms of averages. There is a need to move beyond aggregate understandings and understand various sub-groups within the birding social world. Within-group differences among birders were explored using the same survey questions and methodology. We tested for differences among eight geographically dispersed birder sub-populations in terms of their demographic characteristics, birding motivations and behaviour, expenditures and willingness-to-pay for their birding experiences to demonstrate the breadth and complexity of the social world of birding. While there were few significant group differences in terms of the demographic characteristics of birders, there were significant group differences identified for most behavioural, motivational, and economic measures. Results reinforce the point that generalisations about the overall population of birders and their leisure activity should not rely solely on results from sub-population studies. Finally, this paper reported an average birding trip expenditure across groups ($506) as well as an estimated $50 per day in social benefits received by birders above and beyond trip costs.