Report Gauges Birding Interest, Impact GA, US

In Georgia, 15 percent of state residents were classified as birders during the survey year. That figure ranks below the U.S. average of 21 percent, but Georgia residents comprised 88 percent of the 1.2 million bird watchers in the state. Only 11 states had a greater percentage of residents involved, and only 18 had more birders.

Birding “is an activity that is accessible to almost all of Georgia’s citizens,” said Mike Harris, Nongame Conservation Section chief with the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division.

In support, the division, part of the state Department of Natural Resources, works to conserve birds and critical habitat so Georgia’s diversity and populations of birds “will be available for future generations,” Harris said.

The South is home to a third of the nation’s bird watchers, more than any other region. But states in the northern half of the U.S. ranked highest in participation rates. Montana led with 40 percent of residents 16 and older fitting the survey’s definition of birders, people who traveled a mile or more from home to observe birds or closely watched or tried to identify birds around their home

Birders across the country spent an estimated $12 billion on trip-related expenditures and $23.7 billion on equipment in 2006, according to the report released last week. The entire industry - including “indirect” expenditures such as the income of employees at birdhouse manufacturers - had an economic impact estimated at $82 billion, with 671,000 jobs and more than $10 billion in state and federal tax revenue.

The report also profiles America’s average bird watcher. He is slightly more likely to be a she, very likely white, 50 years old and with an above-average income and education. The Fish and Wildlife Service noted that the generalization does not do justice to the diversity of birders.

Nearly 90 percent of bird watching is done at home. The most-watched birds were waterfowl (77 percent), followed by birds of prey (71 percent), songbirds (69 percent), other water birds such as shorebirds (58 percent) and “other” birds such as wild turkeys and pheasants (44 percent).

“Birding the United States” does not break out expenditures by state. But the Fish and Wildlife Service research on which the report is based, the “2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-associated Recreation,” pegged spending in Georgia on watchable wildlife that year at $1.6 billion, a record for the state. The estimate covers all recreation involving photographing, feeding or simply watching wildlife.

Fishing and hunting added $1.2 billion and $678 million, respectively, pushing the economic impact of outdoors recreation in the state beyond $3.3 billion.

Wildlife Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section promotes birding through the Colonial Coast and Southern Rivers birding trails, two self-guided routes that offer opportunities to see scores of species. Details on the trails and other resources such as nest box plans, species fact sheets and planting tips for birds are available at www.georgiawildlife.com.

Georgians can help conserve animals not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as native plants and habitats, through buying the wildlife license plates featuring a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird. They can also donate to the Give Wildlife a Chance state income tax checkoff. Both programs are vital to the Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state funds.