birder travel decisions: results from survey research with avid
TRANSCRIPT
Birder Travel Decisions:
Results from Survey Research with Avid Birders
Ginger Deason & Erin Seekamp, Ph.D.
Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
Tourism Extension
College of Natural Resources
North Carolina State University
March 2015
Birder Travel Decisions: Results from Survey Research with Avid Birders
Prepared by:
Ginger Deason and Erin Seekamp, Ph.D.
Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
Tourism Extension
College of Natural Resources
North Carolina State University
Campus Box 8004
Raleigh, NC 27695
Prepared for:
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
North Carolina Sea Grant
Acknowledgements:
The authors of this report would like to thank North Carolina Sea Grant and the North Carolina
Wildlife Resources Commission for the funding to accomplish this task. Thanks also goes to
Scott Anderson (NC WRC), Lena Gallitano (Wake Audubon), and Jack Thigpen (NC Sea Grant)
for constant input and revision with the development of the survey instrument. Finally we would
like to thank Jennifer Costanza (NC State University) and Ashton Drew (NC State University) for
their assistance in developing questions related to climate change and habitat shifts.
Cover photo credit:
Liani Yirka
Contents
List of Figures __________________________________________________________________iv
Executive Summary _____________________________________________________________ v
Introduction ___________________________________________________________________ 1
Methods ______________________________________________________________________ 3
Demographics __________________________________________________________________ 4
Birding Involvement __________________________________________________________________ 5
Trip Planning __________________________________________________________________ 6
Itineraries __________________________________________________________________________ 6
Accommodation _____________________________________________________________________ 7
Dining Out __________________________________________________________________________ 9
Other Businesses & Services __________________________________________________________ 10
North Carolina Birding Trail & Birder Friendly Business ________________________________ 11
North Carolina Birding Trail Website ____________________________________________________ 11
Birder Friendly Business ______________________________________________________________ 12
Expenditures & Willingness to Pay ________________________________________________ 13
Climate Change & Visitation _____________________________________________________ 14
Conclusions ___________________________________________________________________ 16
References ___________________________________________________________________ 19
iv
List of Figures
Figure 1. Profile of respondents by birding club affiliation .....................................................................................................3
Figure 2. Proportion of respondents by gender ......................................................................................................................4
Figure 3. Proportion of respondents by education level .........................................................................................................4
Figure 4. Proportion of respondents by age ...........................................................................................................................4
Figure 5. Proportion of respondents by household income ....................................................................................................4
Figure 6. Frequency of birding when traveling .......................................................................................................................5
Figure 7. Birder avidity ............................................................................................................................................................5
Figure 8. Frequency of mobile device use for seeking travel information ..............................................................................6
Figure 9. Frequency of app use for locating businesses before or during birding trips ..........................................................6
Figure 10. Proportion of respondents who plan to visit other places when developing birding trip itineraries by business
type .........................................................................................................................................................................................6
Figure 11. Frequency of overnight stays during birding trips .................................................................................................7
Figure 12. Websites most frequently used to find accommodations ......................................................................................7
Figure 13. Frequency of respondents’ most typical type of lodging .......................................................................................7
Figure 14. Factors of importance (very or extremely important) when selecting accommodations ......................................8
Figure 15. Frequency of accomodation finding approaches ...................................................................................................8
Figure 16. Proportion of respondents using of specific websites or apps to select dining location ........................................9
Figure 17. Proportion of respondents using specific methods for selecting dining locations .................................................9
Figure 18. Importance of specific factors when selecting dining locations ............................................................................9
Figure 19. Frequency of trip planning to visit other businesses or use other services ..........................................................10
Figure 20. Proportion of respondents finding other businesses and services through specific means (unconstrained
response option) ...................................................................................................................................................................10
Figure 21. Familiarity with NC Birding Trail website .............................................................................................................11
Figure 22. Likelihood of using the NC Birding Trail website for different purposes ..............................................................11
Figure 23. Most important practices for certified Birder Friendly Business ..........................................................................12
Figure 24. Likelihood (somewhat or very likely) to visit website for certified BFB information, coupons and NC Birding Trail
itineraries ..............................................................................................................................................................................12
Figure 25. Mean per person expenditures on most recent birding trip in US .......................................................................13
Figure 26. Proportion of respondents’ willingness to pay more for birder-friendly products and services. .........................13
Figure 27. Likelihood of visiting an area with greatly reduced bird habitat .........................................................................14
Figure 28. Likelihood of visiting an area with increased bird habitat ...................................................................................14
Figure 29. Likelihood of traveling to see a species in isolated areas or wider range ............................................................14
Figure 30. Proportions of respondents’ climate change knowledge, concern, and threat ...................................................15
Figure 31. Frequency of basing travel decisions on likelihood of seeing a certain species ...................................................15
v
Executive Summary
This report presents survey research results
from an online questionnaire distributed in
2014 to bird club and ornithological society
members in five states regarding their travel
decisions and expenditures while on birding
trips. The study was conducted by North
Carolina State University (NC State) in
partnership with the North Carolina Wildlife
Resources Commission (NC WRC) and
North Carolina Sea Grant (NC Sea Grant).
The study was designed to assist Tourism
Extension at NC State redesign the Birder
Friendly Business (BFB) outreach program,
a program developed in collaboration with
the North Carolina Birding Trail (NCBT) in
2004.
Six different organizations agreed to the
distribution of an online survey through their
email lists. A total of 674 completed
questionnaires were received. Questions
focused on the following seven topics:
demographics; trip planning;
accommodation and dining selection; the
use of other businesses and services; the
NCBT and the BFB program; trip
expenditures and willingness to pay for
specific products and services; and trip
behaviors under climate change scenarios.
Some highlights from each category include:
Demographics
The majority of respondents were in their
60’s with above-average education and
household income.
Avidity was high among respondents;
most (92%) agreed or strongly agreed to
the statement, “Birding is a part of me.”
Trip Planning
The majority of respondents (91%) use
the internet to plan their trips.
Google is the most commonly used
search engine for trip planning.
Most respondents use a desktop or
laptop when trip planning, but over one-
third use a mobile device (35%) or an app
(37%) when planning or during their trips.
When planning birding trips, many
respondents (73%) sometimes or often
include other places to visit (visitors’
centers, museums) in their itineraries.
Accommodation & Dining Options
40% of respondents often take birding
trips that include overnight stays.
Google (35%), Trip Advisor (18%), and
specific hotel websites (18%) were the
websites most often used to find
accommodations.
Proximity to the birding site and price are
the two most important factors when
choosing overnight accommodations for
a birding trip.
Quality and location were the most
important factors when selecting dining
locations.
Other Businesses & Services
Only 4% of respondents reported they
never visit other businesses (e.g.,
bookstores, birding supply stores) and
12% reported they never look for other
services (e.g., guide, boat rental) while on
birding trips.
Most respondents (67%) find birding
services through an internet search.
Most respondents (59%) find other
businesses when driving by them.
vi
NC Birding Trail & Birder Friendly Business
Program
The majority of respondents were neither
familiar with the NCBT website (58%) nor
had ever visited it (62%).
Most respondents (76%) are somewhat
or very likely to use the NCBT website to
plan their next birding trip to NC, to find
accommodation, and to find dining
locations.
Respondents typically reported that it is
very or extremely important for a certified
BFB to: provide early breakfast (59%);
have feeders and baths and/or provide
habitat (58%); display a list of recent bird
sightings (55%); and display a
certification sticker on the door (54%).
83% of respondents would be somewhat
or very likely to visit the NCBT website if
it listed certified BFBs.
Expenditures & Willingness to Pay
Respondents spent, on average, almost
$500 per person on their most recent
birding trip in the U.S.
The amount that respondents were willing
to pay more for most environmentally or
birder friendly products or services
peaked at about 6-10%.
Climate Change & Visitation
Respondents were more likely to visit an
area where a specific bird’s habitat
increased and their chances of seeing
that bird improved than an area where the
habitat decreased and chances of seeing
the species had dropped
Many respondents (39%) felt somewhat
knowledgeable about habitat alterations
related to climate change.
The majority of respondents were very or
extremely concerned that climate change
would affect bird habitat (63%).
One third of respondents reported that
climate was a very severe threat to bird
habitat (33%).
Photo credit: Liani Yirka
1
Introduction
Birding (formally known as “bird watching”) is one of the
most popular forms of wildlife viewing in the U.S., and
has become popular worldwide over the past few
decades (Cordell & Herbert, 2002; Naidoo &
Adamowicz, 2005; USFWS, 2013). According to the
most recent National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and
Wildlife-Associated Recreation conducted by the US
Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS, 2013), a “birder” is
anyone who has “taken a trip one mile or more from
home for the primary purpose of observing birds and/or
closely observed or tried to identify birds around the
home” (p. 4). The USFWS (2013) reports that in 2011
there were 47 million birders in the US who spent a
record $41 billion on trip-related and equipment
expenditures (USFWS, 2013).
Rural areas are particularly well suited to capture these
tourism-related revenues, given the diversity and
abundance of grasslands, forests and wetlands habitat.
More and more, rural areas are looking to tourism as a
source of revenue and jobs (Che, 2006), and attracting
birders is more frequently being recognized as a way to
do so (Biggs, 2013). Yet many rural communities, and
the businesses that operate in them, lack the
knowledge and skills necessary to successfully attract
and cater to birders as a strategy to maximize their
profits from the seasonal nature of this activity.
Understanding tourists’ preferences and travel decision
behaviors (e.g., how they decide where to stay or
where to eat, what they look for in a restaurant, what
other types of activities they engage in while on birding
trips) can enhance marketing efforts and build
customer loyalty (Crotts, 1999; Hudson, 1999).
The following report provides current information on
birders’ travel decisions and spending habits during
birding trips, as well as information on their perceptions
of climate change and climate change impacts on
habitat and trip-taking behaviors. The primary purpose
of this report is to share birders’ spending information
and travel decision behaviors with North Carolina
Photo credit: Ginger Deason
2
Cooperative Extension Service (NC CES) agents and
local businesses along the North Carolina Birding Trail
(NCBT). These data will also inform the redesign of the
Birder Friendly Business (BFB) program as an online
training and certification program for extension agents
and tourism businesses.
Photo credit: Liani Yirka
3
Methods
Survey research was conducted with subscribers to six
different birding clubs and ornithological societies
(hereafter, “birding clubs”) located in North Carolina
and five nearby states (Georgia, Kentucky, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia). Permission was
obtained to post a request for participation and survey
link to the birding clubs by contacting the listserv
administrators. The survey was administered using
Qualtrics, an online survey administration tool, and only
surveys completed by respondents 18 years and older
were included in the analysis.
Initial requests were posted to the listservs in July 2013,
reminders were sent each week for two more weeks,
and the survey links were closed at the end of the third
week. As an incentive for completing the survey, the
respondent could provide her/his email to be entered in
a drawing to win a set of three NCBT guidebooks. A
total of 674 usable surveys were receivedi. The percent
of respondents from each birding club is displayed in
Table 1.
Figure 1. Profile of respondents by birding club affiliation
24%
34%
9%
4%
8%
21%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Carolina Bird Club
GA Ornithological Society
KY Ornithological Society
Northern VA Bird Club
TN Ornithological Society
VA Society of Ornithology
% of respondents
Photo credit: Frank Miles/USFWS
4
Demographics
Nationwide, there are more females (56%) birding than
males (44%) (USFWS, 2011). In this study, the
proportions were almost reversed (47% female and
53% male; Figure 2). Also differing from the most
recent national study, a greater proportion of this
study’s respondents held advanced education degrees.
Most respondents (85%) reported having at least a
bachelor’s degree, and one-half (53%) reported having
a graduate degree (Figure 3; as compared to 20% with
some college and 28% with college graduate or
advanced degree; USFWS, 2011).
The average age of birders completing this survey was
59, which is higher than the national average of 53
(USFWS, 2011). The age range was somewhat
dispersed, with 54% of birders in their 60’s and 70’s,
and 40% in their 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s (Figure 4). This
finding contradicts the image of only retirees and the
elderly enjoying birding as a pastime.
Respondents’ household income demonstrates that
many birders are in the upper levels of socio-economic
status, as 21% of respondents had a household income
of $75,000 - $100,000 and 45% of respondents had a
household income of over $100,000 (Figure 5). This is
higher than the 2011 national average (25% of birders
with a household income of $50,000-$74,999 and 24%
$75,000 or more).
Overall, respondents in this survey were older, more
affluent, and more educated than birders who
responded to the USFWS nationwide survey (2011).
This demographic information can better assist
businesses along the NC Birding Trail to plan their
marketing strategies to reach these potential
customers.
47%
53%
Female
Male
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
% of respondents
3%
8%
4%
32%
53%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
GED/HS
Some college
Assoc. deg.
Bachelor
Grad degree
% of respondents
3%
6%
11%
23%
38%
16%
2%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
20s30s40s50s60s70s80s
% of respondents
13%
21%
21%
25%
20%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
<$50K
$50-75K
$75-100K
$100-150K
>$150K
% of respondents
Figure 3. Proportion of respondents by education level
Figure 2. Proportion of respondents by gender
Figure 4. Proportion of respondents by age
Figure 5. Proportion of respondents by household income
5
Birding Involvement
As the sample population is birding club listserv
subscribers, it was assumed that respondents would be
avid birders (not only listserv subscribers but ones who
actively read posts and take the time to voluntarily
participate in birding-related research). The survey
results confirmed this assumption. When asked how
often they bird when traveling, almost 84% of
respondents answered often or all of the time (Figure
6). To gauge their involvement in birding as a leisure
pursuit they were also asked how much they agreed
with the following statements:
- Birding is a part of me.
- A lot of my life is organized around birding.
- I get greater satisfaction from birding than other
vacation activities.
Results (displayed in Figure 7) demonstrate that the
respondents to this survey were an avid group of
birders, with nearly all respondents (92%) agreeing or
strongly agreeing that “birding is a part of me”.
It is important to keep in mind that these respondents
are avid birders and their answers to questions
throughout the survey will reflect their avidity. Birders
come in a variety of types, with the Cornell Lab of
Ornithology concluding there are 14 different types of
birders who interact with them (Enck, 2013). Birders’
involvement and dedication to birds and birding will
differ according to what type they are.
Figure 6. Frequency of birding when traveling
Figure 7. Birder avidity
0.4% 2%
14%
49%
34%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
% o
f re
spo
nd
ents
92%
67%74%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Birding is a partof me.
A lot of my life isorganized
around birding.
I get greatersatisfaction from
birding thanother vacation
activities.
% o
f re
spo
nd
ents
6
Trip Planning
Many of the survey questions focused on the use of the
Internet and/or apps for making decisions about where
to find lodging, where to eat out, and where to find other
services. Most respondents (91%) sought travel
information on the Internet when planning their birding
trips. Friend recommendations (59%), travel books
(50%), and local birders (49%) were also used as
information sources. The majority of respondents use
Google as their typical search engine for surfing the
web (78%) and conduct web searches for travel
information from a desktop or laptop (84%). About one-
third of respondents (35%) sometimes use a mobile
device to seek travel information (Figure 8); similarly,
about one-third of respondents (37%) sometimes use
an app to locate businesses before or during their
birding trips (Figure 9).
Itineraries
Before going on a birding trip, 31% of respondents
sometimes plan a specific itinerary and 46% often do
so. For those respondents who plan itineraries, 52%
stated that those itineraries often include multiple
birding sites. Most of the respondents who plan
itineraries also reported that they sometimes (34%) or
often (39%) include places other than birding sites. The
most commonly listed other places that birders planned
to visit were restaurants (93%), visitors’ centers (78%),
museums (64%), and bookstores (44%) (Figure 10).
Photo credit: Ginger Deason
19%17%
35%
24%
5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
% o
f re
spo
nd
ents
16%
24%
37%
19%
4%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
% o
f re
spo
nd
ents
93%
78%
64%
44%
30%
16%8%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
% o
f re
spo
nd
ents
Figure 9. Frequency of app use for locating businesses before or during birding trips
Figure 8. Frequency of mobile device use for seeking travel information
Figure 10. Proportion of respondents who plan to visit other places when developing birding trip itineraries by business type
7
Accommodation
Many respondents take birding trips that include
overnight stays. When asked how often their trips are
overnight, 40% responded often (50-75% of trips) and
34% responded sometimes (25-50% of trips) (Figure
11). Less than 20% of respondents rarely (less than
25% of trips) include overnight stays, and few replied
all of the time (6%) or never (1%).
Google (35%), Trip Advisor (18%), and specific hotel
websites (18%) were the websites most often used to
find accommodations (Figure 12). The following
websites features were rated as the most helpful when
selecting accommodations (in descending order):
pricing, ease of search, reviews, descriptions/pictures,
and ratings.
When staying overnight, most respondents (80%) listed
motel/hotel as the type of lodging that is most typical
(Figure 13). Mid-range hotels were most usually
frequented (70%), followed by economy hotels (26%),
then luxury hotels (2%). Other types of lodging were
Inn/B&B (8%), campground (6%), condo or vacation
rental house (3%), friend or relative’s (3%). BirdingPal
accommodation and AirBnB were each less than 1%.
1%
18%
34%
41%
6%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
% o
f re
spo
nd
ents
79%
7%
3%
6%
3%
1%
1%
0% 50% 100%
Motel/Hotel
Inn/B&B
Condo/Vacation rental…
Campground/RV
Friend/Relative's house
BirdingPal accomodation
AirBnB rental
% of respondents
35%
4%6%
18%
18%
7%
12%Google
Kayak
Travelocity Trip Advisor
Specific
hotel website
Hotels.com
Other
Figure 11. Frequency of overnight stays during birding trips
Figure 12. Websites most frequently used to find accommodations
Figure 13. Frequency of respondents’ most typical type of lodging
Photo credit: Ginger Deason
8
The survey questionnaire asked respondents to list
how important different factors were when selecting
accommodations. Proximity to a birding site was most
typically ranked as very important (53%) or extremely
important (24%) (Figure 14). Price was rated as the
second most important factor (46% rated price as very
important and 21% rated price as extremely important).
Other very or extremely important factors included: Wi-
Fi (57%), early breakfast (46%), service (46%),
environmental concern (33%), star rating (32%), brand
loyalty (21%), locally owned (11%), and pet friendly
(9%).
When staying overnight, 80% of respondents either
often or always pre-book their accommodations. Most
respondents (86%) find their accommodations by
internet searches (Figure 15). Other means for finding
accommodations included: prior use (47%), friend
recommendation (28%), and/or driving by (18%).
Note: Accommodation finding percentages do not add
up to 100% as respondents were allowed to select
multiple response categories.
Many birders plan a specific itinerary for a birding trip,
and not surprisingly, the Internet figures prominently in
their planning. Businesses with a web presence are
more likely to be seen by these trip planners. Further,
trips are often planned with other stops in mind, such
as visitors’ centers, restaurants, and museums. Local
businesses that are interested in getting more of the
birding business could potentially have marketing
materials in those places to increase their exposure to
visiting birders.
77%
67%
57%
46%
46%
33%
32%
21%
11%
9%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Proximity to site
Wi-Fi
Service
Star rating
Locally owned
% of respondents
18%
28%
47%
86%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Drive by
Friend rec.
Prior use
Internet search
% of respondents
Figure 14. Factors of importance (very or extremely important) when selecting accommodations
Figure 15. Frequency of accomodation finding approaches
Photo credit: Ginger Deason
9
Dining Out
When asked about how they select dining locations,
many respondents stated they use the internet or an
app (54%), or they find a place to eat while driving by
(54%) (Figure 17). Referrals from hotels (48%), and to
some extent referrals from other businesses (24%), are
common information sources for birders looking for a
place to eat. Google was the web site most often used
to find a dining location (44%), followed by Yelp (21%)
and Trip Advisor (16%).
The survey questionnaire asked respondents to identify
how important different factors were when selecting
dining options. Quality, location, and price were the
most important factors (Figure 18). Hours, local
business, and local food were also important factors in
birders’ dining decisions.
To attract birders, restauranters should list themselves
on Google Maps and food apps (particularly Yelp).
Additionally, partnering among different types of
tourism businesses (particularly hotels) would also
benefit restaurants.
9%
21%
10%
16%
44%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Other
Yelp
Urban Spoon
Trip Advisor
% of respondents
24%
36%
38%
48%
54%
54%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Other business ref
Friend rec
Prior use
Hotel ref
Drive by
Internet/App
% of respondents
34%
25%
31%
51%
19%
40%
50%
4%
9%
8%
10%
16%
12%
12%
33%
1%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Hours
Local…
Local food
Location
Menu
Price
Quality
Brand…
% of respondents
Extremely Very
Figure 16. Proportion of respondents using of specific websites or apps to select dining location
Figure 17. Proportion of respondents using specific methods for selecting dining locations
Figure 18. Importance of specific factors when selecting dining locations
Photo credit: Ginger Deason
10
Other Businesses & Services
While on birding trips, most respondents at least
sometimes plan on visiting other businesses or using
other services (Figure 19). Less than one-third
indicated that they rarely (24%) or never (4%) visit other
businesses (other than restaurants and gas stations).
Regarding other services (such as guides, boat rentals,
or other equipment rentals), slightly more respondents
rarely (25%) or never (12%) use these services.
Most respondents found other businesses either by
driving by (59%) or through an internet search (49%)
(Figure 20). Respondents also found these other
businesses by: a friend’s recommendation (28%), hotel
referral (26%), and prior use (23%). When using other
services, such as guides or equipment rental, 67% of
respondents stated that they found other services
through an internet search. Other ways for finding these
services included: a friend’s recommendation (32%),
prior knowledge (30%), hotel referral (19%), driving by
(18%), and other local business referral (OLBR) (15%).
4%
24%
51%
17%
4%
12%
25%
47%
14%
2%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
All the time
% of respondents
Other Services Other Businesses
Figure 19. Frequency of trip planning to visit other businesses or use other services
Figure 20. Proportion of respondents finding other businesses and services through specific means (unconstrained response option)
Photo credit: Luis Carrasco
14%
23%
26%
28%
59%
49%
15%
30%
19%
32%
18%
67%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
OLBR
Prior use
Hotel ref
Friend…
Drive by
Internet
% of respondents
Other Services Other Businesses
11
North Carolina Birding Trail
& Birder Friendly Business
North Carolina Birding Trail Website
The North Carolina Birding Trail (NCBT) was initiated
in 2003 as a partnership of six federal and state
agencies to help North Carolina become a leading
nature-based tourism destination. The NCBT, like
many state birding trails around the country, includes
special habitats or places where birds and other wildlife
may be viewed by the public. A website was launched
in 2008 to provide those interested with a mechanism
for planning a birding trip. In 2013 an interactive map
was added that identifies birding sites and includes
descriptions of the area, species of interest, habitats,
and directions. The website will be updated to identify
Certified BFBs (once the program is reinstated) and will
include information valued by birders identified in this
report.
When asked about familiarity with the NCBT website,
58% of respondents said they were not familiar, and
62% had never visited it before (Figure 21). Seventy-
six percent said they were somewhat or very likely to
use it to plan their next birding trip to North Carolina.
Respondents were also asked how likely they would be
to use the website to find places to stay and eat, as well
as other businesses and services (Figure 22). Most
respondents stated that they would be somewhat or
very likely to use the website to find places to stay
(76%), places to eat (76%), and other services (69%).
Fewer respondents said they would be somewhat or
very likely to use it to find other businesses (41%);
however, 30% were undecided if they would use it to
find other businesses.
With such a large number of respondents stating they
would use the NCBT website to plan future North
Carolina based birding trips, as well as to find places to
stay and eat, the website has the potential to be a very
useful tool for businesses along the birding trail.
47%
46%
36%
39%
29%
29%
30%
40%
30%
12%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Places to stay
Places to eat
Plan next trip
Find services
Find businesses
% of respondents
"Very" "Somewhat"
58%
62%
4%
5%
38%
33%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Familiarity
Visited
% of respondents
Yes Unsure No
Figure 22. Likelihood of using the NC Birding Trail website for different purposes
Figure 21. Familiarity with NC Birding Trail website
12
Birder Friendly Business
The North Carolina Birder Friendly Business (BFB)
program was developed in 2004 to help businesses
along the NC Birding Trail better market to birders. It
was designed to provide tools and information to local
businesses that would help them gain knowledge about
birders and their behaviors.
Survey respondents were asked how important certain
aspects or business practices were for a business to
become a certified BFB. The most important aspects or
practices for a BFB (rated as either very or extremely
important) were: providing an early breakfast (59%);
having feeders and baths and/or provide habitat (58%);
displaying a list of recent bird sightings (55%); and
displaying a certification sticker on the door (54%)
(Figure 23). Other important BFB practices included:
providing discounts for birders at birding events (52%);
being a “green” business (51%); support birding causes
through membership (49%); sponsoring birding events
(45%); selling bird-friendly products (45%); supporting
birding causes through volunteerism (42%); and selling
bird-related items (38%).
Furthermore, 83% of respondents would be somewhat
or very likely to visit the NCBT website if certified BFBs
were listed there, 75% of respondents would be
somewhat or very likely to use coupons offered by
BFBs on the NCBT website, and 71% would be
somewhat or very likely to use birding itineraries
suggested on the website (Figure 24).
These responses demonstrate that relatively simple
acts (e.g., opening earlier during peak birder season,
installing a bird feeder or bird bath and keeping it filled,
or displaying a list of recent sightings) could help
businesses attract birders. Incorporating the availability
of these birder-friendly services or products on the
NCBT website would likely enhance the use and utility
of the site.
17%
18%
18%
24%
37%
37%
41%
35%
0% 20% 40%
Display certification sticker
Dislplay list of bird sightings
Have birdfeeders/baths/habitat
Provide early breakfast
% of respondents
Very Extremely
Figure 23. Most important practices for certified Birder Friendly Business
Figure 24. Likelihood (somewhat or very likely) to visit website for certified BFB information, coupons and NC Birding Trail itineraries
0% 20% 40% 60%
Suggested itineraries
Use coupons from website
Visit website if BFBs werelisted
% of respondents
Somewhat Very
13
Expenditures & Willingness
to Pay
Survey respondents were asked about their past
spending on the most recent birding trip they took in the
United States. Lodging and camping was the
expenditure category with the greatest per person
expenditure (mean = $228 per person), followed by
transportation (mean = $169 per person) and
meals/food (mean = $104 per person) (Figure 25). The
average group size was 1.85 persons.
The survey questionnaire also asked how much more
respondents would be likely to spend for certain “green”
or bird-friendly products and services (Figure 26). What
is noteworthy is that the amount that respondents were
willing to pay more for almost any product or services
peaked at about 6-10%. This is an important threshold
to keep in mind when BFBs are planning marketing
strategies targeted at birders.
$111
$25
$13
$22
$28
$104
$169
$228
$0 $100 $200 $300
Other
Other…
Access fees
Birding-related…
Souvenirs/Shoppi…
Meals/Food
Transportation
Lodging/Camping
$ per person
Figure 25. Mean per person expenditures on most recent birding trip in US
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
0% 1-5% 6-10% 11-15% 16-20% >20%
% r
esp
on
de
nts
% willing to pay more
A cup of shade-growncoffee
A night's lodging...wherefeeders are visible
A night's lodging with earlybreakfast
A meal of locally-sourcedfood
A meal at anenvironmentally friendlyrestaurant
A product/service from abusiness that sponsorsbirding events
A product/service from acertified Birder-FriendlyBusiness
A product/service from abusiness that is anAudubon member
Figure 26. Proportion of respondents’ willingness to pay more for birder-friendly products and services.
14
Climate Change & Visitation
With the release of Audubon’s Birds and Climate
Change Report (2014) earlier this year, more birders
are beginning to think about the impacts of climate
change on birds and bird habitat. Before the report was
published, we asked survey respondents several
questions related to visitation and climate change, and
its impacts on birds and their habitat.
Respondents were asked, if they were planning a trip
to a mountainous region to see a specific bird species
and learned that its habitat was greatly reduced (their
chances of seeing the bird diminished by half), how
likely would they be to visit. Almost one-half were much
or somewhat less likely to visit given this scenario
(44%) (Figure 27). When asked about a species in the
coastal plain whose habitat had increased and their
chances of seeing a certain bird were doubled, the
answers were the opposite. Most respondents were
much and somewhat more likely to visit in this scenario
(75%) (Figure 28).
Respondents were also asked a question about travel
behaviors related to species ranges. Specifically,
respondents were asked if they were going on a trip to
see a particular bird, would they be more likely to travel
to a region where it was found in a few isolated areas
or where it has a wider range. Most respondents chose
the wider range (Figure 29). Additionally, most
respondents (81%) stated that they at least sometimes
base their decisions on the likelihood of seeing a
certain species (Figure 30).
Finally, respondents were asked how knowledgeable
they were about possible bird habitat alterations
related to climate change, how concerned they were
that climate change will affect bird habitat, and how
serious of a threat they believed climate change to be
for bird habitat. Responses showed that most birders
felt somewhat knowledgeable about habitat alterations
related to climate change, but the majority were very
or extremely concerned that it would affect habitat,
17%
27%
24%
23%
9%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Much less
Somewhat less
Undecided
Somewhat more
Much more
% of respondents
3%
6%
16%
43%
32%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Much less
Somewhat less
Undecided
Somewhat more
Much more
% of respondents
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Isoatedareas
Widerrange
% o
f re
spo
nd
ents
Figure 28. Likelihood of visiting an area with increased bird habitat
Figure 29. Likelihood of traveling to see a species in isolated areas or wider range
Figure 27. Likelihood of visiting an area with greatly reduced bird habitat
15
and that it was an extremely serious threat (Figure
31).
Generally, if habitat increases, it would probably be
good for businesses along the trail near that type of
habitat. If, however, habitat decreases, it could cause
fewer birders to visit. In a situation where habitat
increases, businesses should be able to capitalize on
potentially increased visitation by having more of what
respondents consider the most important practices for
birder-friendly businesses (such as feeders and
sighting lists). In areas where habitat decreases,
businesses could promote other species that can still
be seen in that area or new species that have arrived
with the changing habitat. Given that respondents are
concerned about the effects of climate change on bird
habitat and feel it is a threat, businesses that provided
habitat or made changes to reflect their levels of
environmental concern could be viewed more positively
and be patronized more than those who do not.
4%
15%
39%
35%
7%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
All the time
% of respondents
2%
15%
45% 29% 9%
4%6%
16% 38%
36%
4%6%
20% 32%
38%
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%
% o
f re
spo
nd
ents
Knowledge Concern Threat
Figure 31. Frequency of basing travel decisions on likelihood of seeing a certain species
Figure 30. Proportions of respondents’ climate change knowledge, concern, and threat
16
Conclusions
Knowing the travel decisions of birders can enhance
small, rural businesses’ ability to attract these tourists’
expenditures, which are typically greater than the
average tourist. While not all birders are the same, the
general characteristics, information seeking behaviors,
desired services and products, and spending habits
could be beneficial to businesses located along the NC
Birding Trail (NCBT).
For example, knowing that the majority of people
planning birding trips use the internet to plan a specific
itinerary ahead of time (one that often includes
accommodations as well as other businesses to visit),
tells us that having a web presence, and potentially
online advertising, would likely be beneficial to some
businesses. Furthermore, businesses could benefit
from partnering with local visitors’ centers, museums,
and other businesses (even competitors), as referrals
were fairly common information sources for finding
other products and services. Creating suggested
itineraries, especially seasonal ones, could help
businesses to be prepared for higher or lower numbers
of birders and plan accordingly.
Aside from networking and marketing, there are other
things that businesses of all sizes can do to attract
birders. Although many businesses cannot change
their locations to take advantage of birders’ desire to be
near birding sites, they can open earlier for breakfast
during peak birding season, install birdbaths and bird
feeders (and keep them filled) in obvious places on
their grounds, and they could provide or display a list of
recent sightings. All of these things were ranked as
important in what respondents would consider a birder-
friendly business.
The Birder Friendly Business (BFB) program revision
will include the option for BFBs to be listed on the NCBT
website. Specifically, the goal is to integrate the BFBs
into the interactive map and include information about
Photo credit: Ginger Deason
17
the provision of desired birder-friendly products and
services. Their inclusion on the website indicates that
those businesses are interested in catering to birders
and/or supporting bird conservation, demonstrated by
their completion an online training program (Birder
Friendly Business, BFB). It is expected that the BFB
online training program will be launched in early 2016.
With the majority of respondents stating that they would
use this website to plan their next birding trip to North
Carolina, businesses becoming certified BFBs will
likely attract some of those birders and capitalize on
birders’ travel spending.
Climate change was revealed to be a concern to most
respondents. As a changing climate will likely lead to
species shifts, businesses along the birding trail that
are able to think out of the box and promote themselves
or their area for lesser known species or species that
have expanded ranges will have an opportunity to
attract more birders. Businesses, who are not able to
make similar changes, however, will likely not. Being
flexible and able to make small modifications that would
move them toward becoming a Birder Friendly
Business (such as adding feeders or bird baths) could
also help businesses to withstand fluctuations in
visitors due to future bird habitat changes.
Results included in this report will be used to develop
an online training program for businesses to learn how
to better attract birders, with an ultimate goal of helping
rural communities to thrive while turning North Carolina
into a leading nature-based tourism destination.
Photo credit: Liani Yirka
18
Endnotes
I Readers are cautioned not to generalize the
findings presented in this report, as we are unable to
assess response rates and calculate non-response
bias. If access to birding clubs’ email lists had been
authorized (as opposed to posting a request and
survey link to the clubs’ listservs), then generalization
to birding club members in these states would be
possible.
Photo credit: Liani Yirka
19
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