Little history of birdwatching in the world

Victorian era

Bird watching was practiced with the interest of collecting eggs and skins of exotic species. English collectors used their contacts in the colonies of the United Kingdom to obtain these precious treasures. However, quickly in the 19th century, conservation movements emerged to protest against the bird trade.

Birdwatcher term

The first recorded use of the term birdwatcher was in 1901 by Edmund Selous; his book entitled «Bird Watching» was one of the first classifications of birds, being sought after for aesthetic reasons. Since then, bird watching, or bird watching, has given rise to groups of people preparing themselves with their high-range lenses.

Now in the days, birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by listening for bird sounds, or by watching public webcams.

Early and mid-20th century

The first printed images of birds were exposed to the public through the book: Bird Neighbors (1897) by Neltje Blanchan, a book on early bird watching, sold more than 250,000 copies. It was illustrated with color photographs of stuffed birds.

Thanks to the growing popularity of the automobile, the mobility of bird watchers increased and this made many places become accessible and therefore many species were discovered. Groups of bird watchers began to form in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Air travel

By the 1960s air travel became feasible and long-distance holiday destinations opened up.

Ecotourism

In 1965 Britain’s first bird tourism company, Ornitholidays, opened its doors to the community of devoted bird watchers armed with binoculars and video cameras. Once opened, Ornitholidays solidified as a multinational bird watching company becoming a popular tourist attraction. In his first 25 years, he managed to send nature lovers to over 50 countries and other birding companies were spawned on the success of Ornitholidays.

Second half of the 20th century

Since the second half of the 20th century, an increasing number of people in developing countries have engaged in this activity.

Bird watching in developing countries has played an important role, as they often take up this hobby under the influence of foreign cultures with a history of bird watching, in this case the United Kingdom and the United States.

Most transnational birdwatchers are middle-aged, wealthy men from English-speaking countries or Scandinavia.

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