1st photo: Hamming it up on a birding and natural history trip; 2cnd photo: Some birders pay no attention common birds like this Glaucous-winged Gull
“It’s just a (common) bird,” or worse yet a “JUNK BIRD” or “TRASH BIRD”. Ever heard these irreverent remarks? They are typically made by droll, serious birders. These birders are so jaded that they sometimes fail to realize that they are in glorious places watching beautiful, athletic birds.
All birds are special, miraculous creatures, so why not show some respect for them? In addition, shouldn’t we be encouraging other people to get excited when they see birds — all types of birds — so they become interested in them and in their conservation?
This raises an important issue in the world of birding, and one that does not get talked about often: snobbery. Some birders, bird organizations and even birding tours have found ways to be elitist, exclusive and snobbish. This is bad for birding, for birds themselves, and for conservation. We need more, not fewer people to care about birds, and a whole lot more people to care about conservation.
People often ask me when I’m out birding if I’ve seen any “good” birds lately. When I reply that all birds are good, they usually scowl or harrumph and then move on. Others demean birds by calling them junk birds, trash birds or even “Euro-trash.” The latter moniker is ironic because it could also refer to millions of human beings in North America including me. Bird bigotry like human bigotry is counter-productive.
And then there are the snooty birders who only care about rarities. For them, marveling at, or learning about the behavior of something like an American Robin or a Dark-eyed Junco, is a waste of time. Their cup is always more than half empty. It’s a hell of a way to live life, being disappointed most of the time.
Thankfully, not all birders are like this. Instead, many of us are appreciative, joyful, excited, and even have a sense of humor while birding. After all, these creatures are flying miracles that exhibit beauty and amazing behavior on a daily basis. Many migrate from far-away places. They sing incredible songs, eat prey ranging from seeds and fruits, to worms, fish, small mammals and copious quantities of bugs. Birds enrich our lives in countless ways. They inspire us. Shouldn’t we be reverent toward them? I think so.
