There is no scientific explanation to the difference between birding and Bird watching with these two words being used interchangeably although the definitions depend on the level of commitment (passiveness or activeness) to birds. Everyone or anyone can be a birdwatcher while a birder is someone that devotes a lot of time, finances and energy to watch as many birds as possible in a lifetime. For instance, when weavers come to your compound and you pick interest to observe from your window, then you are a birdwatcher. When you grab your pair of binoculars to locate an elusive warbler sitting in the treetop at your compound, you are a birder.
Therefore bird watching means making a casual stop, picking interest to enjoy observation of a specific bird. This means there are literally many bird watchers all over the World. Bird watching also involves harboring a minor interest in the different bird species in the surrounding with passive pursuit to relish a few moments of silence while contemplating nature. It may not involve using birding equipment with most bird watchers not bothering to use binoculars.
Birding is when the interest for avifauna becomes your passion and obsession. Sociologists believe that the incredible drive to watch as many birds as possible is birding and unlike bird watchers who have no issue with watching birds with friends, birders are interestingly active or lone predators of some sorts. They can leave their homes purposely to look for several bird species, sometimes even travelling across the globe with the some purpose of seeing and recording their selected bird species. For instance, Arjan Dwarshuis qualifies for a birder, and is surprisingly the greatest birder in the World with record for most bird species seen in a year (2018). He broke a record of over 6833 bird species spotted in over 40 countries within one year. All in all, birders are obsessed with tallies, can’t just get enough of birds and if possible they would want to see every bird they can worldwide.
One thing about birders is that they will not have second thoughts on spending their life savings on plane tickets to Africa, Amazon or any part of the World and purchasing the latest zoom lenses for birding. A Bird watcher might be contented with whatever binocular he/she owns, which may not be the same for a birder who wouldn’t mind being indebted to buy any kind of equipment they require to capture the bird of their choice.
