I’ve often admired bird watchers; their patience, drive, and distinction.  They’re also an intense crowd, the most committed of whom stand quietly for hours to hear, see, and document the bird not yet on their list.  They write everything down, they know all the best spots, and as it turns out, they also spend money.  It seems recreational contributions to our economy have gone to the birds.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service recently released an addendum to the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation that revealed some little known truths about the economic power behind bird watching.  Birdwatchers, which included 48 million people in 2006, about 21 percent of the population, spent $36 billion during birding excursions (trip and equipment expenditures), and generated $82 billion in total industry output.  Not bad for a bunch of binocular toting listers.

In the Klamath Basin, a 10 million acre region that straddles the Oregon-California border, birding is not what first comes to mind as economic relief for the region.  Known for agriculture and natural resource woes, the basin has been no exception to the economic hardships faced throughout Oregon or the nation.  Based on the USFWS report, it appears that it might reap economic rewards to support the birding “industry” in the Klamath.  (The report indicates that in Oregon 25% of the state’s population were counted as birders and 15% in California.)

The Klamath Basin's Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges once hosted more than 7 million migratory birds per year.  The basin’s location in the heart of the Pacific Flyway makes it an ideal place for birds rest, refuel, and breed.  Unfortunately, the basin has lost 80% of its wetlands during the last century due to the development of commercial agriculture and has subsequently lost a proportional number of its bird population.  Many birders still visit the refuges to view the spectacular migratory guests and explore the remaining wetlands, as they continue to host one of the premier birding spots in Oregon and California, particularly for waterfowl.  (According to our noted study, 77% of birds observed by "Away-from-home" birders were waterfowl.)  Unfortunately, visitors continue to compete with crop dusters, irrigation season, and a busy refuge highway as the refuge’s wetlands also border the refuge’s leaseland agricultural property.

Upon release of the USFWS study, Darin Schroeder, American Bird Conservancy’s Vice President for Conservation Advocacy appropriately pointed what this study didn’t say directly:  “This U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study further reinforces the importance of bird conservation.” Schroeder went on to remind us that “The State of the Birds report released earlier this year found that one-third of all bird species in the U.S. are in decline or facing serious threats. This report confirms that losing these species could have significant economic consequences.”  Schroeder reminds us that conservation has its perks; should we be mindful of that in places like the Klamath, there might duel benefits to making room for more wetlands, birds, and their listing friends.