Defining Bird Watching Terms

Are you a birder, an ornithologist or maybe a twitcher? Do you have the slightest idea what these terms mean? These are just three of the many terms that describe those watch, study and enjoy birds.

OK, most of us know that ornithologists are professional scientists who study birds. If we are amateurs, we probably know we don't qualify as ornithologists. But even as amateurs, how intense are we in our watching or studying birds?

The majority of us qualify as bird watchers. We just enjoy seeing our backyard friends. We provide houses for them to nest in and put up bird feeders to give them food, especially during the winter months. We may even buy special equipment just to watch them.

But, you probably also know there are others who much more passionate about their hobby of watching and studying birds. Those are where most of the descriptive terms come in. The level to which people will go to learn more about birds is how the terms fit them. Take a look at Birding, Bird Watching and Ornithology to see more about what the various terms are and what they mean.

In the meantime, enjoy your own bird watching experiences no matter how intense or time-invested that is for you. Our backyard birds are still worth any effort we give them.