Sunday, July 7, 2013
Why are there not more female birders?
I missed out on some fun when I didn't have the internet! -
The ABA did a post about female birders
http://blog.aba.org/2013/06/open-mic-the-field-glass-ceiling-women-mcdonald.html
As did places like 10'000 birds:
http://10000birds.com/why-arent-there-more-female-birding-superstars.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+10000Birds+%2810%2C000+Birds%29&utm_content=FaceBook
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And they both got a lot of attention.... So lets all put our heads together and wonder about why we don't encounter a higher percentage of ladies while standing at the tip of Pelee each May...
I know I'm willing to put in some time, money, effort, donate bone marrow, etc to help figure this out!
Anyone? Anyone?
Seriously...
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a quibble, but I think an important one, is that the problem addressed in the ABA article isn't the lack of female birders, but female birders in the "upper ranks." The opening paragraph of that ABA piece shares statistics showing that female birders actually outnumber males. Just want to make sure your time, money, effort and bone marrow goes to the right place!
ReplyDeleteI think that males outnumber females as "serious birders". But there are probably alot more casual women birdwatchers (that mostly watch at birdfeeders - maybe have a lifelist of 200 or less). In my area - central NY - there are probably 65% (maybe 70%) serious male birders
ReplyDeleteIn the Ebird top 100 list for NY:
4 women in top 50 (8%)
19 women in top 100 (19%)
In the Ebird top 100 list for ABA:
11 women in top 100 (11%)
Perhaps women are not as attracted to Ebird as men but it seems clear that percentage of women "birders" is probably not more than 30%. If you count anyone who has afeeder there would probably be more women than men.
I don't really know why. Probably men are more inclined to look for adventure in birding but I don't know. Maybe men are more competitive so they are more likely to have a high list.
Its all about testosterone...and therefore competition. Lets face it, the only we reason we keep lists and push ourselves is to get ahead of your compeititor/competition and be at the top of your area.
ReplyDeleteThis is obviously a rough stereotype, but stereotypes are around because they happen/occur, even if they're not politically/racially correct.
Just my 2 cents....
All of my female relatives look at birds, but they do not list birds. I have an aunt who will call me up to tell me all the great birds she has, every year my mother-in-law will regale me with tales of Snow Geese migration and Trumpeter Swans. My sister sends me emails when she sees owls in Nova Scotia. My mom has seven hanging feeders and 3 platform feeders in the backyard. However none of them give a whit for listing or listing programs. They look at birds to see birds, not numbers. That may be a key difference.
ReplyDeleteI think Ken may be onto something. One serious birder, a male no less, says "birding is a sport". I think he meant sport as in competitive.
ReplyDelete