Table 2.
Overview of the changes in birding behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. Percentage is given in relation to the full sample of N = 4484. Percentages can exceed 100% because participants could select more than one response.
| Outcome/Reason | n Cases | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Changes Specifically Related to Birdwatching | ||
| Spatial change | 2668 | 59.5% |
| Temporal change | 898 | 20% |
| Changes due to no group birding | 531 | 11.8% |
| Circadian change | 41 | 0.9% |
| Explicitly visiting less rewarding places | 92 | 2.1% |
| No or less twitching | 70 * | 1.6% |
| Changes not specifically related to birdwatching | ||
| No carpooling | 51 | 1.1% |
| Keeping distance | 45 | 1.0% |
| Avoiding (overcrowded) towers/hides | 42 | 0.9% |
| No equipment sharing | 21 | 0.5% |
| Field trips, meetings, cancelled | 363 | 8.1% |
| Holidays, international travel cancelled | 301 | 6.7% |
| Surveys cancelled | 235 | 5.2 |
| Avoiding crowds | 17 | 0.4% |
* one person reported even more twitching activity; a twitcher is considered a birder who responds with frenzied activity to news of rarities in his/her region, and will spend money and travel long distances to see a rarity or new bird [16].