{"id":1659,"date":"2022-09-26T12:13:37","date_gmt":"2022-09-26T16:13:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/?page_id=1659"},"modified":"2025-03-12T19:36:26","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T23:36:26","slug":"birds-strengthen-communities","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/birds-strengthen-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"Birds Strengthen American Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull accent-bg add-margin-top is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Nearly 100 million Americans are birdwatchers, more than a third of the adult U.S. population. No other outdoor recreational activity brings together so many people from multiple regions and demographics. And having data from a broad range of participatory scientists <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.nwf.org\/2025\/03\/powering-up-participatory-science-in-bird-watching\/\">can power up conservation programs<\/a>. The benefits of birding go beyond recreation\u2014to supporting local economies, to uniting Americans across the outdoors spectrum, and to boosting their mental health.\u00a0Restoring bird populations and addressing causes of their declines therefore benefits millions of Americans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-white-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Birding Is Big Business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Key economic indicators show the importance of birding to the American economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"956\" height=\"1184\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Birdwatching-Matt-RachelPhilipson.jpg\" alt=\"Two people looking up into trees with a large bird scope.\" class=\"wp-image-2394 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 956px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 956\/1184;width:400px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Birdwatching-Matt-RachelPhilipson.jpg 956w, https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Birdwatching-Matt-RachelPhilipson-720x892.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Birdwatching-Matt-RachelPhilipson-768x951.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Birdwatching-Matt-RachelPhilipson-480x594.jpg 480w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 956px) 100vw, 956px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Photo courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-birdpress-simple-list article-list simple-list list-style accent-bg\"><ul>\n<li class=\"wp-block-birdpress-simple-list-item article-item\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-small-font-size remove-margin-bottom\"><strong>$108 billion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Total annual amount spent on birding trips (such as food and lodging) and equipment (such as bird seed and binoculars).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-birdpress-simple-list-item article-item\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-small-font-size remove-margin-bottom\"><strong>1.4 million jobs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Total jobs related to birding trip and equipment expenditures, which generated more than $90 billion in labor income.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-birdpress-simple-list-item article-item\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-small-font-size remove-margin-bottom\"><strong>$38 billion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Total annual tax revenue generated by birding activity:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>$7 billion in county taxes<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>$9 billion in state taxes<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>$22 billion in federal taxes <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-birdpress-simple-list-item article-item\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-small-font-size remove-margin-bottom\"><strong>$279 billion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Total annual economic output generated by birder expenditures.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fws.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/2024-04\/258.pdf\">Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis<\/a>; Addendum to the 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull accent-bg-light is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Birds are a Shared Passion with Hunters and Anglers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether their preferred outdoors pursuit involves hook, bullet, or binoculars, large shares of the American sporting public enjoy and care about birds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns two-column-section is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1394\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/FishingCircle.png\" alt=\"Teal colored circle graph with graphic of a person in a boat with a fish on a fishing line.\" class=\"wp-image-2392 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1400px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1400\/1394;width:300px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/FishingCircle.png 1400w, https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/FishingCircle-720x717.png 720w, https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/FishingCircle-1280x1275.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/FishingCircle-768x765.png 768w, https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/FishingCircle-480x478.png 480w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\"><strong>58% of anglers are birders<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1275\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HuntonCircle-1280x1275.png\" alt=\"Teal colored circle graph with graphic drawings of three ducks.\" class=\"wp-image-2393 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1280px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1280\/1275;width:300px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HuntonCircle-1280x1275.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HuntonCircle-720x717.png 720w, https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HuntonCircle-768x765.png 768w, https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HuntonCircle-480x478.png 480w, https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/HuntonCircle.png 1400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\"><strong>53% of hunters are birders<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Source: Unpublished results from 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. Lord, John, and Leonard, Jerry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<style>\n:root {\n  --sotb-accent-bg: #c8e3db;\n}\n<\/style>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nearly 100 million Americans are birdwatchers, more than a third of the adult U.S. population. No other outdoor recreational activity brings together so many people from multiple regions and demographics. And having data from a broad range of participatory scientists can power up conservation programs. The benefits of birding go beyond recreation\u2014to supporting local economies,<a class=\"excerpt-read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/birds-strengthen-communities\/\" title=\"ReadBirds Strengthen American Communities\">&#8230; Read more &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2396,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_birdpress_hero_toggle":false,"_birdpress_hero_type":"image","_birdpress_hero_image_type":"image","_birdpress_hero_style":"default","_birdpress_hero_ratio":"","_birdpress_hero_h1":"","_birdpress_hero_media_id":1936,"_birdpress_hero_media_array_id":[],"_birdpress_hero_media_array":[],"_birdpress_hero_media":0,"_birdpress_hero_video_id":0,"_birdpress_hero_video":0,"_birdpress_hero_youtube":"","_birdpress_hero_content":true,"_birdpress_hero_byline":"","_birdpress_hero_byline_bottom":"","_birdpress_hero_button_link":"","_birdpress_hero_button_text":"","_birdpress_hero_button_color":"","_birdpress_hero_date":false,"original_guid":"","_birdpress_hide_search":false,"_birdpress_page_width":"","_birdpress_global_cta":false,"_birdpress_widget_sidebar":"","_birdpress_next_article":1658,"_birdpress_next_article_title":"Birds Boost Americans\u2019 Mental Health","_birdpress_prev_article":1662,"_birdpress_prev_article_title":"Methodology","_birdpress_sub_navigation_id":21,"_birdpress_sub_navigation":"Benefits","_birdpress_sub_navigation_title":false,"_birdpress_anchor_navigation_id":0,"_birdpress_anchor_navigation":"","_birdpress_postType":"both","_birdpress_categoryID":0,"_birdpress_tagID":0,"_birdpress_parentPostID":0,"_birdpress_parentPostTitle":"","_birdpress_menuID":0,"_birdpress_menuName":"","_birdpress_listHeader":"","_birdpress_listLayout":"card-display","_birdpress_listColumns":"","_birdpress_maxItems":12,"_birdpress_listPaginate":true,"_birdpress_displaySort":true,"_birdpress_sortOrder":"DESC","_birdpress_sortBy":"date","_birdpress_listID":"","_birdpress_listClass":"","_birdpress_displayImages":true,"_birdpress_displayCaptions":false,"_birdpress_displayExcerpts":false,"_birdpress_attTop":"","_birdpress_attBottom":"","_birdpress_showLogos":false,"_birdpress_post_logo":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1659","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1659","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1659"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1659\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2396"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}