Birding by Ear: A Study of Recreational Specialization and Soundscape Preference

Abstract

Soundscapes have become recognized as an important natural resource. The traditional human-made versus natural soundscape comparison currently used in recreational resource management is challenged by borrowing soundscape components (i.e., biophony, anthmphony, geophony) from soundscape ecology. This article evaluated the soundscape preference o f birders. A three-component mode! o f recreational spe cialization was used to evaluate how recreationists differ in their preference fo r soundscape components. Data from in-person surveys collected at The Audubon Center and Sanctuary at Francis Beidler Forest in Harleyville, South Carolina were used in combination with surveys from online birding list ser\>ers to obtain a sample o f 415 individuals with varying levels o f specialization. The findings suggest soundscape preference exists as biophony, geophony, and anthrophony and that more specialized birders found geophony to be significantly more annoying than less specialized birders. Additionally, the skill and knowledge component o f specialization best explained the difference in geophony preference among birders.

Exploring attitudes and understanding of global conservation practice among birders and avitourists for enhanced conservation of birds

“…To maximise representativeness of the sample, we collected data via two survey instruments (questionnaires) presented to birders both in person and online (Miller et al 2014, Guimarães et al 2015). The questionnaire delivered online was longer than that presented face-to-face.…”

A comparative study on the effect of soundscape and landscape on tourism experience

“…Later, researchers expanded the dimensions of soundscape perception to include joviality, annoyance, racket, calmness, excitement, and tedium (Aletta et al, 2016;Jin & Hong, 2015). Differently, Miller, Hallo, Sharp, Powell, and Lanham (2014) grouped soundscape into three categories, including biophony, geophony, and anthrophony; their findings also suggest that people (birders) have different preference toward soundscape.…”

Using discrete choice experiments to explore how bioecological attributes of sites drive birders’ preferences and willingness to travel

“…Empirical evidence reveals that birders, like recreationists enjoying other nature-based activities, are less worried about sites' infrastructure and care more about biodiversity and habitat quality (e.g., Guimarães et al 2014;Steven et al 2015), even if differences arise depending on the birder's level of specialization (Hvenegaard 2002). Many studies indicate that the level of specialization substantially influences the variability among groups of birders, not only in terms of the desired setting attributes but also in terms of awareness, knowledge, conservation attitudes, information used to determine site destination decisions, and behavioral attitudes and motivations (Cole and Scott 1999;Eubanks et al 2004;Lessard et al 2018;Maple et al 2010;Miller et al 2014;Scott and Thigpen 2003;Shipley et al 2019). The level of specialization also affects the travel intention of birders, and the values they assign either to the entire recreation experience or the marginal values of destination attributes (De Salvo et al 2020a;Lee et al 2010).…”