From simple backyard birding to extensive avitourism, all types of birding help the global economy, so long as businesses are aware of the value of birds. Every birder – even on a tight budget – can do their part to boost their local economy and help economic development worldwide, development that can raise awareness about birds and help promote better bird conservation.

How Birders Spend Money

While birding is easy to do on the cheap, there are inevitable expenses, such as…

• Optics: A high quality pair of birding binoculars or a spotting scope may be the single biggest investment many birders make in this hobby, but it is an investment they will use for many years. Additional optics spending comes from accessories such as carrying harnesses, cleaning pens or cases, as well as the occasional professional repair.
   
• Field Guides and Magazines: All birders have their favorite field guide, and many subscribe to a variety of birding magazines. Field guides are regularly updated and new guides are released, and there is a growing selection of birding fiction available that birders can enjoy.
   
• Other Equipment: There are many other tools birders use in the field, from their trusty field bag to a thermos of coffee, appropriate hiking boots, birding hats or other clothing, sunscreen, water bottles, snacks and more.
   
• Backyard Birding Tools: Backyard birders can have quite an extensive budget for different foods for birds, from birdseed and nuts to jelly, fruit, nectar and suet. Bird feeders, poles, baffles, ant moats, bird baths and other tools also need to be purchased and periodically repaired or replaced.
   

• Admission Fees: Birders often spend money to access nature preserves, wildlife refuges, national parks and other areas, and admission fees may vary from just a dollar or two to more extensive passes. Many birders also purchase duck stamps or annual memberships to areas they visit frequently.
   
• Conservation Support: When birders donate to conservation organizations, the money they spend is filtered back into the economy as it provides for habitat restoration projects, bird rehabilitation supplies, research support and more.
   
• Services: Most birders pay for birding-related services at least once. This may be as direct as hiring a professional bird guide or could be indirect such as printing out their favorite photos they have taken of birds or needing more frequent maintenance on a vehicle because of all the miles they drive while birding.
   
• Travel: Birding travel can be expensive, particularly for exotic birding tours or visiting distant destinations, but that travel is a great boost to local economies as birders stay in hotels, eat at restaurants, hire taxis or local guides, buy souvenirs or spend other money on the trips.
   
• Gifts: Birders who want to introduce birding to others often buy bird-themed gifts or basic equipment to share, and as more people become interested in birding, the economic impact of a single gift can grow.

Birding Helping the Economy

Every dollar birders spend helps the local economy, as well as economic development on a larger scale. Businesses and entrepreneurs are helped by increased spending, particularly when birders shop at locally owned stores or local franchises of well known birding supply stores. The money those businesses take in will help not only pay their own bills, but the taxes and other revenue generated from sales goes to maintain jobs and support local infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, libraries and roads. Small businesses such as local tour operators, artists who make bird-themed items and local birding authors also benefit from bird-related economic development.

On a larger scale, as birders travel, they not only help other local economies, but avitourism raises awareness about the importance of birds as an economic asset, particularly in areas with highly coveted target birds. As that recognition grows, more conservation measures may be taken to preserve local birds and increase birding travel even further, prompting more economic growth.

Help Even More

Birders can take many easy steps to help even more with economic development as they enjoy birding. To spread the word – and the dollars – around the economy…

• Shop local whenever you are birding, such as stopping for a meal or snack at a local diner, buying a souvenir or gift from a local artist or choosing a local coffee house for that morning pick-me-up rather than a global chain.
   
• Sign log books and visitor registers at different birding hotspots, including where you are from in the information. This will alert coordinators and managers about distant visitors to the region and raise awareness about local avitourism.
   
• While traveling, share the reason for your visit with as many people as possible, including hotel clerks, restaurant wait staff, store cashiers and taxi drivers. Many people are not aware of what an economic asset their local birds can be, but if they hear of more birders visiting the area, they will learn to value birds.
   
• Consider creating business cards or similar small notes that show you are a birder, and share them with business owners or interested individuals whenever you are birding. Personal information isn't necessary, but these calling cards can be a good alert for birders' business.
   
• Help promote local businesses to other birders. If you enjoy a slice of pie at a favorite restaurant near a birding hotspot, be sure other birders know so they can support the same business and keep the economy in motion.

Birders don't have to spend a lot to help support the economy, but every dollar helps, and dollars that help businesses will also help birds – if the businesses are aware of the birds' importance.

Photo – Key Lime Pie With Strawberries © Ralph Daily