Photo and story by Tom Godin,
November 3, 2000

Not unlike the species of birds they watch, birders themselves possess a diversity of traits. The following is a collection of birder types.

Types

Catbird - A birder who still goes hunting.

Bluebird - A birder who never dresses appropriately for the weather.

Robin - A birder who claims the sightings of others as his own.

Warbler - A birder who can't resist doing bird calls no matter how bad.

Cardinal - A birder who considers himself the ultimate birding authority and ordains possible sightings as authentic.

Shoveller - Over-zealous birder whose sightings strain believability.

Yellowlegs - A birder who dresses as if he believes birds are colourblind.

Flycatcher - a birder who slathers himself with insect repellant at the first sign of a mosquito.

Meadowlark or Roadrunner - A birder who enjoys birding in comfortable open spaces but shuns heavy brush or wet places.

Tanager - An irrepressible older birder who turns every outing into an Olympic event by scaling cliffs and climbing trees to prove he's in top physical condition.

Oriole - One who nibbles snack foods throughout the birding trip.

Kingbird - Everyone speaks with awe of this birder who they once knew but has since moved away.

Avocet - A birder who must constantly sit down to rest.

Merlin - A birder who can miraculously conjure birds by mere suggestion.

Turnstone - A birder who is also interested in insects, flowers and rocks.

Curlew - A birder who insists on bringing a dog along on birding trips.

Osprey - The spray of saliva you are hit with as everyone turns to shush you for talking during an interesting bird sound.

Rail - A birder who assails you with long-winded stories as you try to stalk a nervous bird.

Dove - A birder who remains immaculately clean no matter what conditions the birding trip has thrown at them.

Godwit - A birder who thinks his bird-oriented humour is divinely inspired.

Harlequin - A birder whose attire looks as if it came straight out of an outfitting catalogue.

Ruddy Duck - A birder who imbibes while he birds.

Bittern - A person who likes birds but won't go out with other birders because it promotes competition.

Terms

Scaup - A device used to peer at birds a telescope on legs.

Gadwall - A point on your bird count list that you reach and can't surpass.

Junco - A planned bird outing.

Tough Swallow - A sighting that's impossible to believe.

Skylarker - An otherwise credible birder who insists on having witnessed an incredible bird species.

L.B.J. (Little Brown Job) - A nondescript small bird.