Larry Lade
Moderator
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
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