Bird Watching Activities Research Articles

Bird community to be developed for birdwatching in Buperta Cibubur Urban Forest, Jakarta

The urban forest of Buperta Cibubur as a recreational and educational site can be developed for birdwatching. This study aims to identify the bird species in four tracks (ranging from 1.9-2.9 km across the built area, open area, 2 tracks in the sparse forest, and thick forest), and provide recommendations (tracks, timing, potential species found) for birdwatching activity. Bird data was collected in March-April 2022, using the standard point count method (replicated three times), in the early morning and late afternoon, totaling 90 observation hours. There were 39 species from 25 families found in all tracks. The thick forest and the built area had the highest number of species (both 27 species). The built area also had the highest bird abundance (1098 individuals). Meanwhile, sparse forest#2 had the least species (19). Some birds were common in all tracks, including Sooty-headed Bulbul, Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker, and Small Minivet. Other attractive and rare species found in the thick forest were the Blue-eared Kingfisher and Javan Blue-flycatcher. The most effective time to conduct birdwatching is suggested at 6-7 am and 4:30-5:30 pm, especially in built areas, forests, and open area tracks. As birdwatching is relatively new in Jakarta, while Buperta has a diverse bird species in the urban area, we recommend developing a birdwatching activity in Buperta.

Key Factors Strengthening Residents’ Psychological Well-Being and Critical Human-Nature Connections within the Living Spaces—An Example from Beijing

Background: Residential green spaces and the co-inhabiting bird communities provide critical cultural ecosystem services for urban dwellers, which is critical for citizens’ psychological well-being but has largely been overlooked, especially in China. This study attempted to delineate the relationship between human-nature interactions occurring at different scenarios in the health deriving procedure, and identify the key factors influencing urban residents’ psychological well-being and the potential critical human-nature connections within their living spaces. Methods: Bird, plant, and social surveys were sequentially conducted. A model selection procedure based on AICc information was used to find the key factors that are responsible for residents’ psychological well-being, and logistic regression analysis was conducted to figure out the key drivers for the occurrence of critical within-living-space human-nature connections. Results: Most of the respondents are aware of the neighborhood biodiversity and most of them are fond of it, and respondents who prefer fauna over flora have a considerably lower depression degree. Watching birds is the only critical within-living-space nature-related activity that is responsible for residents’ psychological well-being. Both residents’ psychological well-being and bird watching activity were simultaneously affected by nature-related activities within and outside the living spaces, while their preference for different aspects of biodiversity and their capability in perceiving them were also important, despite the difference in exact parameters. In addition, personal attributes such as age, financial income, and physical or mental health status also contribute to psychological well-being. Conclusions: This study successfully bridged citizens’ minds with health products, and the major contribution was the demonstration of a spatial-scale-oriented circuit for people-nature connections, which contributes to the practical application of nature-based therapy.

Physical Carrying Capacity of The Semama Island Wildlife Sanctuary

The Semama Island Wildlife Sanctuary (SIWS) was part of the Derawan National Tourism Strategic Areas (NTSA) with great potential. As a conservation area, tourism should consider the carrying capacity at SIWS for its optimal development. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the carrying capacity of the SIWS area using the Physical Carrying Capacity approach. Literature studies, field observations, and interviews were conducted in October 2021 to collect data. The results showed that the pyhsical carrying capacity of the SIWS was 506 people per day, consisting of 45 mangrove tours, 401 snorkeling, and 60 birdwatching activities, indicating the maximum number of visitors the SIWS could accommodate. This information is essential as a consideration for future tourism development.

The Joy of birds: the effect of rating for joy or counting garden bird species on wellbeing, anxiety, and nature connection

The feeding of garden birds is a popular and accessible means of connecting with wildlife in urban environments in the United Kingdom. Past research has found that the main motivations for feeding birds are psychological benefits, concern for bird welfare, and connecting to nature. This study explores whether a brief birdwatching activity impacts on wellbeing, anxiety, and nature connection. One hundred and fifty-six participants took part in a birdwatching activity, identifying the species that entered their garden during a thirty-minute period. Participants were randomly allocated to the ‘joy’ group, who rated their feeling of joy on seeing each species, or the ‘count’ group, who counted the number of birds of each species. Measures of wellbeing, state anxiety and nature connection were completed before and after the observation period. Both groups had improved wellbeing, anxiety, and nature connection, though decreases in anxiety were greatest for those in the joy group. These results suggest that activating a sense of joy heightens the psychological benefits of watching garden birds. These benefits and the strengthening of nature connections highlight the reciprocal relationship between humans and birds and the importance of actions towards healthy, sustainable urban ecosystems.

Bird Biodiversity Increased with the Area of Urban Green Spaces Expanding after 40 Years of Tree Planting in Beijing

Beijing, the capital of China, with a population of more than 21 million, is a mega city that is located on the migration route between East Asia and Australia. Owing to the process of urbanization, more urban spaces have been occupied by artificial buildings and facilities in the past. Since the implementation of the Measures of the National Voluntary Tree Planting Movement by the State Council in Beijing in 1982, urban green spaces (especially urban parks) have been greatly increased, promoting the restoration of ecosystem in Beijing. Interestingly, bird biodiversity greatly increased with the expanding of urban green spaces, and more new records of birds were found by the booming development of bird watching activities in Beijing. A total of 503 bird species have been found in Beijing to date, including 27 Class I species ( Aythya baeri , Grus japonensis , Emberiza jankowskii , etc.) and 89 Class II species ( Grus grus , Paradoxornis heudei , etc.) in the List of Key Protected Wildlife in China, most of which are the flagship species of the wetland ecosystem and forest ecosystem. This suggests that Beijing has become one of the richest mega cities in the world in terms of bird biodiversity. Therefore, the long-term conservation of urban biodiversity should be considered during the process of urbanization construction.

Cultivating more-than-human care: Exploring bird watching as a landscaping practice on the example of sand martins and flooded gravel pits

The environmental crisis has created a demand for practices that build awareness about the interconnections of diverse forms of life, allowing humans to understand complex earthly relationships and reconnect with the land they inhabit. This paper contributes to this debate by investigating bird watching activities and their relevance for architects and landscape architects. Drawing upon multispecies studies and the notion of landscape thinking, it examines the potential of birding as a caring landscaping practice. It analyzes the relationship between birders and sand martins in two case studies and probes how birders develop attentiveness for the birds and their shared environment. The investigation suggests that birding fosters care beyond the observed species. It can trigger a landscaping practice comparable to landscape thinking that helps humans reconnect with the land, fostering response-able spatial design practices.

Human Dimensions of the Reintroduction of Brazilian Birds

People's acceptability for wildlife, stakeholders' engagement and involvement are acknowledged as key factors for the success of wildlife reintroduction projects. We analyzed the main National Action Plans (NAPs) (the Brazilian management participatory instrument for the conservation of endangered species) for eight bird species and conducted an online questionnaire with researchers and practitioners involved in those species reintroduction programs. The assessment of the main Brazilian bird's reintroduction programs showed that, in general, efforts have been made to integrate local people into it. Nevertheless, the actions were disconnected, isolated and fragmented. A formal protocol, designed, discussed and approved by experts aiming to address the human dimensions (HD) of human-bird interactions (HBI), preferably to be used in each stage of the reintroduction programs, was not found. Actions considered related to human dimensions are mainly under the umbrella of environmental education interventions or campaigns, more directed to children and youth; correspond to activities performed by locals with the birds and/or captive birds facilities; or, fostering artcraft production or bird watching activities. The weak or sometimes absent human dimensions approach to this important conservation tool may indicate either the novelty for Brazilian researchers and managers of the science of human dimensions within the field of wildlife management or the lack of dialogue between natural and social sciences when wildlife conservation is at stake. Reintroductions are expensive, sensitive, and labor-intensive processes. It becomes necessary due the conservation status of the species and its implementation follows a careful research of biological, ecological and socio-institutional regional background that identifies the drivers of species extinction and plans according to it. Understanding and predicting people's behaviors and its triggers are paramount to successful reintroduction projects. Thus, making use of well-planned HD studies in HBI may be the watershed between success or failure of reintroduction programs. This study was a pioneer initiative of its kind and it aimed to provide sound recommendations for managers, researchers and practitioners to acknowledge the relevance of HD and its core role in the reintroduction of endangered bird species.

"Not just a hobby, but a lifestyle": Characteristics, preferences and self-perception of individuals with different levels of involvement in birdwatching.

Birdwatching is one of the most sustainable types of nature-based tourism and, at the same time, a form of recreation that is developing very dynamically. Birdwatching is attracting more and more people, not only professionals, but also amateurs from many countries. Birdwatching research is still relatively embryonic, especially when compared to nature tourism or wildlife tourism. Our main aim was to determine preferences and opinions of birdwatchers visiting the largest national park in Poland, in relation to their different levels of involvement. The data were collected in 2018 from a survey of a sample of 357 Polish and foreign birdwatchers. Results showed that birdwatcher respondents were predominantly male, middle-aged, and living in a large city. An important tool described in this article is a new scale that assesses the level of involvement of individual people engaged in birdwatching activity. This scale corresponds well with the individual characteristics of birdwatchers. Most birdwatchers defined their birdwatching activity as a permanent rather than a temporary hobby and therefore considered it to be more of a lifestyle than a hobby. Engagement in birdwatching activity increased with age and frequency of trips. The two most important reasons for birding were ‘to be close to nature’ and ‘fascination with birds’. It has been proven that the development of birdwatching in the future will require a developed infrastructure enabling interaction with the objects of observation.

Birdwatching Tourism and Environmental Education as Strategies for the Conservation of Wetlands in the City of Bogotá, Colombia

Objectives: To present a theoretic proposal involving avitourism and environmental education that contributes to conservation and sustainability of the matrix between urban and natural areas focused in Wetland in Bogotá, Colombia. Methods/statistical analysis: Actor’s analysis was carried out using semistructured interviews and surveys. On-site visits were used to evaluate the current conditions for performing birdwatching activities at Tibabuyes-Juan Amarillo, Jaboque and Córdoba wetlands in the city of Bogotá. Findings: This work considers the connection among birdwatching tourism in wetlands, environmental education and education institutions. Strategies for the creation of environmental awareness in children and wetland sustainability are proposed, including the creation of interpretative pathways with guided tours, workshops, environmental activities and the possibility of volunteer work. Applications: Environmental and financial benefits could be obtained, with proper planning and management. Keywords: Birdwatching Tourism; Conservation; Environmental Education; Sustainable Management; Wetlands

Birdwatching Potential Based on Distribution of Bird Diversity in Protected Forests RPH Sumbermanjing Kulon KPH Malang

Areas with natural forest potential that are still preserved have the potential to birdwatching activities, a concept of sustainable tourism to preserve the environment and increase the participation of local communities. Protected forests in the South Malang area are natural forests which are still protected by habitat conditions for wild animals, especially for bird species. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential development of a birdwatching track based on the distribution of birds in the Protected Forest Area of Sumbermanjing Kulon KPH Malang. Make a path of observation and identify the types of birds found in protected forests. Knowing the community's response to birdwatching activities around protected forests through interviews. Data analysis was done by making a map of the distribution of maps and the potential of the observation pathway using the ArcGis 10.3 program. There are 51 species of birds with 3.4 species diversity (H ') in the high category. The potential of 22 birdwatching routes with mostly flat road conditions (59%), sloping (23%) and steep (18%). Bird species that can be found in 6 species of birds for each observation pathway. Knowledge of respondents related to the ability to recognize 3-5 species of birds 40%, recognize 70% birdwatching activities, and 83% of respondents' agree with the development of birdwatching as a tourism. Keywords: birdwatching, ecoturism, Kondang Merak, protected forest

Deep Neural Networks and Kernel Density Estimation for Detecting Human Activity Patterns from Geo-Tagged Images: A Case Study of Birdwatching on Flickr

Thanks to recent advances in high-performance computing and deep learning, computer vision algorithms coupled with spatial analysis methods provide a unique opportunity for extracting human activity patterns from geo-tagged social media images. However, there are only a handful of studies that evaluate the utility of computer vision algorithms for studying large-scale human activity patterns. In this article, we introduce an analytical framework that integrates a computer vision algorithm based on convolutional neural networks (CNN) with kernel density estimation to identify objects, and infer human activity patterns from geo-tagged photographs. To demonstrate our framework, we identify bird images to infer birdwatching activity from approximately 20 million publicly shared images on Flickr, across a three-year period from December 2013 to December 2016. In order to assess the accuracy of object detection, we compared results from the computer vision algorithm to concept-based image retrieval, which is based on keyword search on image metadata such as textual description, tags, and titles of images. We then compared patterns in birding activity generated using Flickr bird photographs with patterns identified using eBird data—an online citizen science bird observation application. The results of our eBird comparison highlight the potential differences and biases in casual and serious birdwatching, and similarities and differences among behaviors of social media and citizen science users. Our analysis results provide valuable insights into assessing the credibility and utility of geo-tagged photographs in studying human activity patterns through object detection and spatial analysis.

Seasonal variation in species richness and abundance of waterbirds in Mole National Park, Ghana: Implication for conservation and ecotourism

Mole National Park is the largest and the oldest national park in Ghana and an important bird area, yet its waterbird fauna is poorly documented because it is situated in the northern ecological zone far away from the coast of Ghana. Information on the seasonal variation in the park’s bird abundance and diversity is generally patchy but necessary for effective birdwatching planning and management of the park’s birds. Therefore, as a guide to potential ecotourists interested in waterbirds, this study described the seasonal variation in waterbird species diversity and abundance at Mole National Park. As waterbirds mostly congregate around open wetlands and their abundance is more appropriately determined by counting all individuals in the congregant, data were collected using the total area count of waterbirds from August 2015 to October 2015 (the wet season) and from December 2015 to February 2016 (the dry season). Secondary data on arrival of tourists in the park were also analysed. The park’s waterbird species richness was 29 in the dry season compared to 18 in the wet season. There was significant difference (p < 0.05) in the abundance of waterbirds in the dry season in which 4014 waterbirds were encountered compared to 646 in the wet season. The yearly tourist arrival data at Mole National Park shows an increasing trend with peak visitation period occurring during the wet season. The chances of tourists encountering more species and numbers of waterbirds in the park are higher in the dry season compared to the wet season.Conservation implications: Species richness and abundance of waterbirds in Mole National Park varied according to the wet and dry seasons with both the number of species and abundance higher in the dry season than the wet season. It is therefore indicative that most birdwatchers who visit the park in the wet season miss out on a number of species and numbers of waterbirds. To achieve effective birdwatching, management should schedule birdwatching activities to coincide with the dry season as the chances of encountering more species and numbers of waterbirds are higher.

Protecting biodiversity in urbanizing regions: The role of urban reserves for the conservation of Brazilian Atlantic Forest birds

Although the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and other global biodiversity hotspots are rapidly urbanizing, there is little information on the potential of metropolitan regions to safeguard biodiversity within their reserves. We sampled bird assemblages in nine protected areas (14.8–1058ha) of the metropolitan region of João Pessoa, Northeast Brazil, to test the hypothesis that larger urban reserves are more effective than smaller ones in protecting the regional species richness, as more habitat and environmental heterogeneity are available for birds. We recorded 126 species belonging to 41 families, including seven endemics and two introduced species. Thraupidae and Tyrannidae were the most representative families with 16 species each. Larger areas clearly protected greater proportion of the regional species richness, but the smaller areas accounted for at least 35.7% of the regional richness. Differences in size and isolation significantly influenced species similarity, but hunting, catching for illegal trade, presence of exotic predators and noise pollution were likely to affect composition as well. The remarkable bird diversity suggests good potential for legal-based, well-planned birdwatching activities in the studied region. The results highlight that urban reserves of any size are valuable for bird conservation in metropolitan regions, though larger ones should be prioritized.

Economic and Conservation Potential of Bird-Watching Tourism in Postconflict Colombia

Ongoing conflict resolution in Colombia brings an opportunity for economic development of impoverished communities and a conservation threat of deforestation in newly accessible rural areas. Ecotourism is often proposed as a “win–win” solution for developing countries to meet both economic and conservation needs. With the highest number of bird species of any country, including 443 rare species highly valued by bird-watchers, Colombia has a unique opportunity to develop a lucrative and conservation-friendly bird-watching tourism industry in postconflict areas. Through geospatial analysis of conflict zones, bird distributions, protected areas, forest cover, and bird-watching activity, we identify areas of Colombia with unrealized bird-watching potential that are ripe for the development of synergistic conservation-ecotourism projects. An investment in ecotourism infrastructure and training by the Colombian government may be a conservation-friendly alternative to natural resource extraction that could allev...

Facilitating place-based environmental education through bird studies: an action research investigation

This study involved a workshop designed to support biology teachers in conducting birdwatching activities with their students and to promote place-based environmental education in Turkey. The instruments for collecting data were a workshop questionnaire and interviews. The findings revealed that initial response to the workshop was positive; participating teachers reported that the resources and strategies motivated them to conduct bird studies with students. They identified barriers and noted that the place-based education approach might help overcome many of these barriers. After the workshop, it became clear that participants’ initial intentions to integrate birdwatching into their lessons were challenged by lack of confidence and time. To gain deeper insights into the outcomes of the project, the project coordinator used action research strategies to reflect on her practice and reveal implications for her continued efforts to promote bird and environmental education. She kept a journal, used reiterative reflection, and content analysis to analyse workshop evaluations and interviews. The coordinator recognized potentials and challenges for facilitating birdwatching and environmental education as part of her teaching career. This study shares some of her efforts to provide ongoing support and emphasizes that facilitation of environmental education needs time, commitment, and passion.

Analysis of Bird Diversity for Supporting Ecotourism Development in Rajegwesi, Meru Betiri National Park

Potential ecotourism attraction in Rajegwesi Village, Meru Betiri National Park is high due to its high biodiversity, especially bird diversity, in the form of bird watching activity. This study was aimed to determine the species, level of abundance, and diversity of birds found in the Rajegwesi area. Further, this basic information is important to develop the bird watching track at Rajegwesi. We used Quantum-GIS to create the land classification and observation mapping. Bird observation used point count method in the morning and evening with three periods of hour and three repetitions. The study confirmed about 76 species of 39 bird families was found in Rajegwesi. The highest abundance was Pygnonotus goiavier (E:Yellow-vented Bulbul), at the meadows, village, and rehabilitation land. The diversity index showed that the highest diversity was found at the heterogeneous forest (H’ index 3.745), followed by homogenous forest (H’ index 3.150), rehabilitation land (H’ index 2.845), village (H’ index 2.693), paddy fields (H’ index 2.529), and savanna (H’ index 1.880). The observation track was divided into 3 lines based on the bird’s distribution, the Village – Rehabilitation Land track (6.5 Km), Village track (2.3 Km), and Village – Rafflessia Park track (7.5 Km). Total of 25 bird species were found at the Village – Rehabilitation Land track, 22 species were found at the Village track, and 29 bird species were found at the Village – Rafflessia Park track. For the future of ecotourism development through birding development program, there are several issues that should be promoted: promoting birds conservation in the community through bird watching and birds observation competition (Bird race), training on conservation and ecotourism for the community, and strengthening the capacity and capability of Rajegwesi Ecotourism Society (RES) on the ecotourism program management. Keywords: bird watching, conservation, ecotourism development, RES

Using Choice Modeling to estimate the effects of environmental improvements on local development: When the purpose modifies the tool

A Choice Modeling (CM) study was chosen to assess specific management actions related to bird-watching on the Portuguese island of Terceira in the Azores. The usual willingness-to-pay measure was replaced by the willingness-to-stay (WTS) longer on the island for bird-watching, given changes in the site attributes. Results of the valuation study were presented to stakeholders and policy-makers using an innovative method. In particular, CM results were incorporated into a modeling tool which simulated the impact of alternative policy packages. For each selected scenario, users were able to understand birders’ WTS and its impact on the local economy. The tool provided a fast and clear way of communicating relevant information, resulting in a more informed and inclusive deliberative process. Furthermore, we were able to see how results were used by the final users and came to the conclusion that local managers had preconceived ideas which did not match birders’ preferences. This work led to a shift regarding prior beliefs about the relevance of bird-watching activities on the local economy as well as management actions likely to promote it. The underlying participatory approach was found to be an essential feature for the success of this science and policy interaction.

Simulated Birdwatchers’ Playback Affects the Behavior of Two Tropical Birds

Although recreational birdwatchers may benefit conservation by generating interest in birds, they may also have negative effects. One such potentially negative impact is the widespread use of recorded vocalizations, or “playback,” to attract birds of interest, including range-restricted and threatened species. Although playback has been widely used to test hypotheses about the evolution of behavior, no peer-reviewed study has examined the impacts of playback in a birdwatching context on avian behavior. We studied the effects of simulated birdwatchers’ playback on the vocal behavior of Plain-tailed Wrens Thryothorus euophrys and Rufous Antpittas Grallaria rufula in Ecuador. Study species’ vocal behavior was monitored for an hour after playing either a single bout of five minutes of song or a control treatment of background noise. We also studied the effects of daily five minute playback on five groups of wrens over 20 days. In single bout experiments, antpittas made more vocalizations of all types, except for trills, after playback compared to controls. Wrens sang more duets after playback, but did not produce more contact calls. In repeated playback experiments, wren responses were strong at first, but hardly detectable by day 12. During the study, one study group built a nest, apparently unperturbed, near a playback site. The playback-induced habituation and changes in vocal behavior we observed suggest that scientists should consider birdwatching activity when selecting research sites so that results are not biased by birdwatchers’ playback. Increased vocalizations after playback could be interpreted as a negative effect of playback if birds expend energy, become stressed, or divert time from other activities. In contrast, the habituation we documented suggests that frequent, regular birdwatchers’ playback may have minor effects on wren behavior.

Consequences of land use change on bird distribution at Sakaerat Environmental Research Station

The objectives of this research were to predict land-use/land-cover change at the Sakaerat Environmental Research Station (SERS) and to analyze its consequences on the distribution for Black-crested Bulbul (Pycnonotus melanicterus), which is a popular species for bird-watching activity. The Dyna-CLUE model was used to determine land-use allocation between 2008 and 2020 under two scenarios. Trend scenario was a continuation of recent land-use change (2002-2008), while the integrated land-use management scenario aimed to protect 45% of study area under intact forest, rehabilitated forest and reforestation for renewable energy. The maximum entropy model (Maxent), Geographic Information System (GIS) and FRAGSTATS package were used to predict bird occurrence and assess landscape fragmentation indices, respectively. The results revealed that parts of secondary growth, agriculture areas and dry dipterocarp forest close to road networks would be converted to other land use classes, especially eucalyptus plantation. Distance to dry evergreen forest, distance to secondary growth and distance to road were important factors for Black-crested Bulbul distribution because this species prefers to inhabit ecotones between dense forest and open woodland. The predicted for occurrence of Black-crested Bulbul in 2008 covers an area of 3,802 ha and relatively reduces to 3,342 ha in 2020 for trend scenario and to 3,627 ha for integrated-land use management scenario. However, intact habitats would be severely fragmented, which can be noticed by total habitat area, largest patch index and total core area indices, especially under the trend scenario. These consequences are likely to diminish the recreation and education values of the SERS to the public.

Gardens and birdwatching: recreation, environmental management and human-nature interaction in an everyday location

Private, domestic gardens are important both as sites for leisure and as sites of conservation interest. Birdwatching is an important leisure activity, yet there appear to be no previous studies that combine these two themes of importance to the understanding of managed garden spaces. Semi-structured interviews were held with birdwatchers as part of a larger study of the interactions between local places and birdwatching. Respondents revealed a wide and disparate spectrum of responses to their gardens and to how they made use of their gardens in their normal birdwatching activities. The study raises questions about the extent to which gardens are viewed as sites for interactions with nature and raises challenges about the use of gardens as areas of conservation action.