But in the early 1970s, we were not birdwatching. We were birding, and that made all the difference. We were out to seek, to discover, to chase, to learn, to find as many different kinds of birds as possible – and, in friendly competition, to try to find more of them than the next birder. We became a community of birders, with the complications that human societies always have; and although it was the birds that had brought us together, our story became a human story after all. . Kenn Kaufman
About This Quote

This quote is about how birding was popularized. The first birders were ordinary people who found joy in watching birds. They were not birding for status, power or wealth. Birding was an activity that brought them together and gave them a sense of community — something that is lacking in today's society.

Source: Kingbird Highway: The Biggest Year In The Life Of An Extreme Birder

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