Birding/Twitching (1 Viewer)

Larry Lade · Aug 24, 2003

I am curious about whether "birding" and "twitching" are synonomus terms.
Here in the United States there are different meanings to the term "birder"/"birding". For example we have novice birder, casual birder, "hard core" birder, avid birder, expert birder, etc. to denote how involved a person is in this "crazy" past time we persue. The question is sometime raised just who is "a birder"? Is it one who sets out some bird feeders, or sets up a nest box or two? Does one qualify as a birder if he travels to an area just to look for birds? Is it anyone who enjoys viewing birds, wants to put names to the birds he/she sees, perhaps keeps a "list", maybe photographs birds? To be a birder do you need to have binoculars, a spotting scope, a field guide, several field guides or some other item or items that identify you? There are "listers" and then there are people who keep lists. It seems to me there are gradations from the simple to the more complex. Probably anyone who gets enjoyment and satisfaction from birds is a birder? Perhaps all this is a little "off the wall". Maybe it is a moot point!
Can one be a "birder" and not a "twitcher"? Is a twitcher anyone interested in birds? Or is a twitcher one who "chases" birds?
Moderators: feel free to delete this if it is too "convoluted"!

Larry

Steve Gross · Aug 24, 2003

There certainly are myriad definitions of the the term 'birder.' The term 'twitcher' is less used in the US, though in my experience it can be roughly correlated with 'lister.'

Listers generally 'chase' birds, particuarly life birds. I'm fairly serious about my Texas list and am most likely to chase if the result would be a new bird for that list.

IMHO, one can certainly be a birder without being a twitcher, in fact, most of those people who fit the loosest definition of birder would never be considered twitchers, as they seldom leave their immediate area to see birds and may or may not keep any sort of list.

That's the skinny from this end of the pond.

Steve in Houston

cjay · Aug 24, 2003

On this site everyone is a birder whether they just watch birds in the Garden or are a member of the 400 Club.

Every birder twitches at some time in their lives.

Colin J.

logos · Aug 24, 2003

You can be a birder without being a twitcher but you can't be a twitcher without being a birder (though some come mighty close!).

Spud

helenh · Aug 24, 2003

colin j said:
....

Every birder twitches at some time in their lives.

Colin J.

I can honestly say I've never twitched even though I'm a birder ... so your prediction worries me! I shall now live in fear of waking up one morning unable to stop myself from making a headlong dash in foul weather, scope in hand, to stand ankle deep in mud waiting for a small, bedraggled lbj to put in an appearance.

Having just gone through my annual bout of pre-Kenya injections leads me to wonder if it's possible to get vaccinated against twitching?

Larry: As far as I'm concerned a birder is anyone who stops to look at a bird and asks the question "I wonder what that is?". From thereon in you're hooked.

Helen

Michael Frankis · Aug 24, 2003

If a friend told you there was a Hoopoe, in a public park 5 minutes walk away from home, would you go to see it?

If yes, then you have to say you've twitched

Michael

Karl J · Aug 24, 2003

To me, as someone with limited experience, I think the 2 terms describe something / someone quite different.

But I had a conversation at work where the subject of birdwatching came up, and one comment was ''oh you're a twitcher then'' ...... so maybe outside of birdwatching interest circles the 2 terms do describe the same thing.

From a personal point I dont think I'm a twitcher. Firstly I dont know enough to be one, and secondly I dont want to go to far to pursue my interest. They are both those points I'd made but still the 'twtcher' comment came back

Jasonbirder · Aug 24, 2003

At the end of the day, as Michael rightly points out, Twitching is simply travelling to see a bird you know is already present:- That can be as local as traveling to your patch to see a bird a friend has told you is present or as adventerous as travelling to an offshore island to see a wind blown rarity.
The bird doesn`t have to be rare:- It could be anything from a first for Britain to a common bird...yesterday I "twitched" 2 Black-tailed Godwits I had heard were on a pool close to my house!!
There`s no denying it...I reckon 99.99% of people who have an interest in birds will "Twitch" to a greater or lesser extent...If you hear a Caspian Tern is roosting in front of the hides at Breydon will you go and see it Carlos, of course you will!!! So you`ll be a Twitcher too...its not a crime!!!

Elizabeth Bigg · Aug 24, 2003

Carlos - I think unfortunately nowadays twitcher has become common usage in describing anyone who takes the slightest interest in birds, which is a great ptiy. To my mind a twitcher is someone who tears around the country at the bleep of a pager, just so that another bird can be added to a list.

I would be highly insulted to be called a twitcher - I just like watching birds!

Adey Baker · Aug 24, 2003

The archetypical Twitcher has been portrayed as someone who dashes off after a rare bird, stopping only long enough to catch a glimpse of the bird in question, before rushing off to the next rarity.

Such individuals may exist, but generally speaking, most twitchers will stay with a rare bird long enough to see all of the ID features and learn enough about the bird to make sure they would recognise one again if they ever found one themselves.

If you found an unusual bird on your local patch, that you did not recognise, would you ask a 'local birdwatcher' or an experienced twitcher to identify it for you? I know who I would ask!

smeltmill · Aug 24, 2003

Dear all,

A twitcher is a birder with an irritating tic.

Yours etc.
Gordon Boreham-Styffe.

pduxon · Aug 24, 2003

helenh said:
I can honestly say I've never twitched even though I'm a birder ... so your prediction worries me! I shall now live in fear of waking up one morning unable to stop myself from making a headlong dash in foul weather, scope in hand, to stand ankle deep in mud waiting for a small, bedraggled lbj to put in an appearance.

doesn't this depend on your definition of twitching? if twitching is to go to see a particular bird you could argue that going to Weeting Heath to see the stone-curlew or Lakenheath to see the Golden Oriole is twitching.

That said I certainly hope that I'm not standing ankle deep in mud to see some non descript lbj. Especially when I probably wouldn't recognise it if I saw it!!

Michael Frankis · Aug 24, 2003

pduxon said:
doesn't this depend on your definition of twitching? if twitching is to go to see a particular bird you could argue that going to Weeting Heath to see the stone-curlew or Lakenheath to see the Golden Oriole is twitching.

Agreed - I call that twitching, too

Ditto things like the Loch Garten Ospreys, that's a twitch, too!

Michael

HH75 · Aug 24, 2003

Hi all,
While,in theory,going to see ANY bird that others have told you about would constitute twitching,I don't think that an individual birder can be called a twitcher unless they indulge in this at least semi-regularly,preferably for rare species(although even common species have to be ticked at some stage!)
However,the majority of twitchers are birders first and foremost,and(where possible)stay with the bird and enjoy it.Many also go out looking for their own birds,and some even take part in survey work.
Of course,there are those who just sit around waiting for news,but each to their own...
Harry H

Karl J · Aug 24, 2003

Yes, Jason your comment is absolutely correct . Certainly I would go and see it. Personally I'd probably go as far as Norwich to see it, about 20 miles, but it'd have to be reasonably near a train station as I haven't got a car.

Does that make me a stereotypical twitcher ? - From what I understand of the word - I dont think it does. But if 'twitching' is travelling specifically to see a particular bird then, ok, yes it is.

The problem is I suppose that there is no EXACT definition of the word, or at least not one I've ever heard of.

Michael Frankis · Aug 24, 2003

I reckon Harry has a good point, virtually all birders go twitching at least occasionally, but I think to call yourself a twitcher, you'd have to do so regularly and frequently.

I'd also agree that the majority of twitchers know their birds inside-out and in quite incredible detail - every tiny minutiae of structure and plumage necessary to identify a lot of very difficult-to-identify species. There's only a handful of tyro twitchers who don't.

Michael

birdman · Aug 24, 2003

In general, I agree with everything above, but I'm gonna disagree with one of the specifics here... insofar as I would (personally) define twitching as making a special trip (of any length) to go and see an unexpected bird that someone else has already identified.

However, if a bird is expected... no matter how unusual or rare it is, it's not a twitch.

So, I would not call the Loch Garten ospreys twitchable - although they are an "unsatisfactory" non-twitch.

I think Elizabeth Bigg is also correct. "Twitching" seems to be the term of choice of non-birders to describe all birding. Nothing wrong with twitching per se, but I hate being called a twitcher.

(BTW, I've twitched once successfully and once failing miserably!!!)

pduxon · Aug 24, 2003

of course being a twitcher doesn't stop you from enjoying birds.

I got sneered at by some bloke last year for watching a foraging tit flock. Can't think why I found it entertaining. The story should have ended with a good bird alas it didn't but still great to watch.

Yes Elizabeth you are right. The media like to see things in extremes.

Tannin · Aug 24, 2003

I don't much like either term.

Twitcher, I am lukewarm about. I guess it's as good a term as any.

But birder, to me, smacks of that dreadful creeping Americanism that is destroying a formerly beautiful language. It's almost as bad as calling Don Bradman "a famous batter". EEUUCK! Don Bradman was a batsman, and someone who watches birds is a birdwatcher.

(No offence to my American friends, I hasten to add - American is a beautiful and fascinating language in its own right, but it belongs in America, not here in Oz. It's like a House Sparrow: in a back yard in Manchester or London, it's a wonderful little bird. In a back yard in Ballarat or Chicago, it's vermin.)

Anyway, I would never, ever call myself a birder, nor descriibe anyone else as a birder.

On the other hand, the local short-form expression, birdo, is just fine. I rather like that one. I don't know if it's a home-grown term or if it comes from overseas. No matter: I like it.

Larry Lade · Aug 25, 2003

To me it really makes no difference if one refers to themselves or others as twitchers, birders, bird watchers, bird observers or even for that matter nature lovers. What I see in most of the people I watch birds with is their enjoyment of the birds themselves and also that feeling of kinship they feel with those people around them who also like to "watch birds". To me the word "birder" is in no way a negative term.
Tannin, I do not know any "Dan Bradman", and "batsman"?, is that someone who strikes a projectile in some sort of sporting event? "Birdo", where did you come up with that one? I assume you were just making some sort of joke! Right?
The English seem to value their House Sparrow rather highly and I do not think you will gain favor with them for calling the bird "vermin". Perhaps, pesky little birds over here in the US but I do not think "vermin".

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