Birding Takes Flight Among Younger Demographics on Social Media

Birding, a hobby once associated with older age groups, is experiencing a surge in popularity among younger demographics, particularly on social media platforms such as TikTok. The rise of birding videos on TikTok has been significant, with UK posts of #birdwatching and #birdtok videos increasing by a third over the past three months. The number of #birding posts has risen by 40% in the UK, with the global number of posts carrying one of these hashtags now standing at 1 million. A video of a relatively tame seagull being fed raw Tesco salmon fillet has garnered over 52 million views, while posts by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds have received nearly 9 million views over the past year, with a third of those coming from under-24s. According to bird enthusiasts, the boom in birding is attributed to the popularity of apps such as Merlin, a kind of Shazam for birdsong, as well as a resurgence in curiosity about the natural world and a desire for analogue hobbies. "It's a craving for something real, and birding is a really nice gateway to that," says Jack Baddams, a Derbyshire-based bird enthusiast whose videos about tagging birds have had millions of views. Baddams, who has 300,000 followers, is a TV researcher and one of 3,000 bird "ringers" for the British Trust for Ornithology, who places identification rings around birds to help monitor phenomena such as population changes or migratory patterns. The trend is not limited to the UK, with professional ornithologist Tim Jones noting that social media has helped spread the word about a hobby that is not normally associated with younger age groups. "If you saw a birder under the age of 40 a few decades ago it would be notable. That's really changing now because you're seeing twentysomethings and teenagers all the time," says Jones. The shift in nomenclature is also notable, with the catch-all term of "birding" preferable to "birdwatching" for younger people, while "twitcher" refers to the devotees who will drop everything to attend a rare bird sighting and does not reflect the majority of bird hobbyists. Social media has played a significant role in popularizing birding among younger demographics, with many birding enthusiasts crediting the platforms for showing people that it's interesting and cool to do these hobbies and that there are other young people out there doing them. However, the trend may be cut short as the government prepares a social media ban for under-16s coming in next year. Jones believes that the dominant demographic among social media followers is thirtysomethings, although he notes that the age when people typically get into birding is between 10 to 13. The British Trust for Ornithology has seen a surge in interest in events tailored for young birders, including bird camps, walks, and talks for 11-25-year-olds. "It was a struggle getting young people to events but now we're seeing huge demand for everything we do," said Samuel Levy, a member of the BTO's youth engagement team. Young wildlife and bird photographers are also proving popular on TikTok, under accounts such as @TomSkylark and @TommyMcewan. The RSPB has welcomed the growing interest in birdwatching among a younger demographic. "It's hugely encouraging to see more young people engaging with birds and wildlife. That interest can be an important first step towards building a lasting connection with the natural world," said Joshua Edwards, the RSPB's social media manager.