ON THE WING
No two places have the same birds and that, partly, is the magic of birdwatching. Travel short distances and the birds change, as do the people who watch and study them.
Birds are not merely inspiring creatures, filling us with awe as we observe them in our gardens or contemplate their remarkable transcontinental journeys. Their global presence unites people across cultures and language in appreciation of their beauty.
Interest in birds is now celebrated by the Global Big Day, in which teams across six continents compete over 24 hours to see who can spot the most species.
On May 13, almost 20,000 birders from 150 countries joined together as a global team, contributing more than 50,000 checklists containing 6628 species – more than 60 per cent of the world’s birds. This is a new record for the number of bird species reported in a single day from the time the competition started three years ago.
Four countries topped 1000 species for the tally: Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. In past years, Brazil and Peru had always vied for the No.1 slot, but in 2017 there was a new champion: Colombia.
With 1486 species on a single day, the organisation of the Colombia team was impressive, reporting almost 2500 complete checklists – and close to 15 per cent of the world’s birds. Peru (1340 species), Ecuador (1259) and Brazil (1081) were not far behind.
The contest is skewed because some countries have more species, but it is also possible to give ratings on the percentage of birds found of their national total. On this score, Australia fared well. This year’s 495 species – out of a national total of about 900 – came from about 350 people, covering all states. Tasmania – with just 350 species – was never in the running for the country’s top score, which was achieved by Queensland, where 144 species were tallied. But Tasmania stood out with the most endemic species recorded.
What it lacks in number, Tasmania makes up with 12 species found nowhere else, plus the critically endangered, migratory swift and orange-bellied parrots (pictured) that are attracting increasing numbers of both mainland and international birders.
Birdwatching is booming and with it an associated spending on equipment and travel. The US Fish and Wildlife Service estimates there are 46 million American birdwatchers putting more than $48 billion into the economy. A Caribbean Tourism Organisation survey estimates at least three million tourists have birds in their sights.
The Global Big Day plugs into this growing interest in birdwatching and places with unique birds, such as Tasmania, are in a perfect position to get a slice of the pie.