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== Strength in numbers: == * 66 million Americans actively participate in wildlife watching (USFWS 2001) * 46 million Americans are birders (conservatively defined as having taken a trip a mile or more from home for the primary purpose of observing and identifying birds or tried to identify birds around the home—USFWS, 2001 survey) * Nearly 6 million California consider themselves birders (Audubon California 2010) * Birding is the fastest growing form of outdoor recreation-- a 236% increase in participation from 1982 to 2001, from 21 million to 71 million (National Survey on Recreation and the Environment 2000-01). * Birding is the second most popular hobby/pastime on the planet, only surpassed by gardening == Money Talks: == * For many states within the US, and countries around the world, wildlife tourism is their top economic producer. Damaging environmental protections will damage economies. * Wildlife watchers spent $38.4 billion in 2001-- resulting in a $95.8 billion contribution to the nation’s economy and producing more than one million jobs. Birdwatchers spent $32 billion in 2001 that in turn generated $85 billion in economic benefits, produced $13 billion in tax revenues and 863,406 jobs (USFWS 2001). * Birders spend $3.1 billion on food for birds and other wildlife; $733 million on bird houses and feeders; $2.6 billion on cameras and associated photographic equipment; $507 million on binoculars and spotting scopes. (USFWS 2001). * The net economic value (willingness to pay above what is actually spent) for the chance to see wildlife is $134 a person per day within the US (National Survey on Recreation and the Environment 2000-01) * The combined value of 17 different ecosystem services that birds provide - such as pollination and water catchment - is estimated between $16- 54 trillion per year worldwide, which is around twice the entire world's Gross National Product. These services are not traded in markets and carry no price tags to alert society to changes in their supply or to deterioration of the ecosystems which generate them. == Fun Facts: == * The most common symbol found on any form of currency is a type of bird * In the US, 3 Baseball teams, 5 NFL teams, 4 NHL teams and 1 NBA team are named after birds * The decline of birds such as the Passenger Pigeon and Carolina Parakeet led the United States to create its' first environmental law * The Egyptian Pharaoh liked the Sacred Ibis so much that it led him to create the first-ever recorded environmental protection law to protect it. == Scary Facts: == * The Passenger Pigeon was the most populous bird (estimated 5 billion) on the planet in 1850. A little over 50 years later it would be extinct thanks entirely to humans. * Currently, 1 out of 6 species on this planet is on the brink of extinction, thanks in a good part to humans. (UN Council on Bio-diversity, 2010) * Unless something changes, it is predicted we will cause 50% or more of the species on our planet to go extinct within the next 30-100 years, which in turn, will probably bring about our extinction.
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