Birding participation boomed during COVID era social distancing, and it shows no sign of slowing down. According to the 2022 National Survey of Hunting, Fishing, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, 1 in 3 Americans report participating in birding as a hobby. This is a 100 percent increase since 2016. Approximately 96.3 million people surveyed observed birds around the home and on trips in 2022. Participants averaged 78 days of birding in 2022, with 67 days for around-the-home birders. Away-from-home birders averaged 34 days.

“Birding is just this really wonderful, beginner friendly activity. It’s something that you can truly do anywhere you are in New York state. So it’s a great way to introduce people to nature and the outdoors. I mean, you can even start indoors by watching birds through your window,” said Laura DiBetta, the director of outdoor recreation at the DEC.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has built on this momentum by adding rewards to their I Bird NY challenge. Established as part of the I Bird NY program in 2017, the challenge asks participants to identify 10 birds and submit their challenge log to the DEC online or through the mail. For their efforts, birders receive a certificate and a patch, as well as an entry in a drawing to win birding-related prizes. Two adult and two youth winners will be selected at random, and participants get an extra entry if they submit a photo of their observations. Since the introduction of the patch in 2023, participation in the challenge has increased dramatically. More than 1,200 people took part last year. 

Since birding is an easy, quick way to engage with nature, the DEC hopes to use that participation to bring people into adjacent activities. “Maybe you want to go camping, maybe you want to try hiking so that you can see different kinds of birds. It’s a wonderful introduction to the outdoors for people of all ages and abilities. And then hopefully they’ll keep it going. Maybe they’ll become engaged in conservation efforts as well,” Ms. DiBetta said. “Once they start learning about birds, they might start learning about habitat and conservation efforts and climate change. So birding can be this gateway into all kinds of things, from recreation to conservation.” 

One way to engage with birding on a deeper level is the New York State birding trail, which launched in 2021. The trail is a network of places across New York state where birders, regardless of age or ability, can get started birding. There are now 350 sites statewide, including many in Suffolk County. The trail incorporates lands managed by state, federal, and local municipalities, as well as private entities, making the project a true collaborative effort.

Ms. DeBetta emphasized that birding, and nature in general, is meant for everyone. “An overall priority for us is promoting that this is a welcoming and inclusive experience and activity for all New Yorkers. That’s really important to us in this program. It’s why we’ve tried to include things in multiple languages. We are trying to connect with a diversity of New Yorkers and invite them to experience what we think is a really fun and enjoyable activity.”

The I Bird NY challenge runs through November 1, is open to participants of all ages and abilities, and is available in Spanish.