From the Rio Bravo to Tierra del Fuego: profiles, practice, motivations, preferences, and perceptions of the Latin American birdwatching community

Abstract

The playful observation of birds positively impacts society and biodiversity conservation. Although it has recently become popular in Latin America, its understanding is precarious. Here, we describe and analyze birdwatching in Latin America through a digital interview that we distributed in 2020 among the community of birdwatchers from the region, gathering information on their profiles, practices, motivations, preferences, and perceptions about the activity. The participants in the interview (626 people) are from 19 countries, mostly young people (21-40 years old), have a high degree of education, and reside in urban areas; in general, they carry out this activity with recreational, awareness-raising, and environmental conservation purposes. Rural and urban areas are the preferred sites for bird watching. In addition to birds, the focus is on photography, landscapes, and other animals. Ignorance of the activity among the general population restricts the development of bird watching in the region. Our results are relevant to support the execution of projects related to the activity, birdwatching, and the development of public policies associated with bird conservation.