Date: 9/12/26 6:37 am From: Timothy Barksdale <timothy.barksdale...> Subject: [cobirds] Re: Economic impact of birding in Colorado
Hi Virginia,
Because birders do not pay for state agency sponsored birding stamps,
national birding taxes on things like Binoculars or "birding Licenses", the
data is very hard to find.
Conversely, nearly every state is recording that A) general wildlife
viewing is increasing and B) hunting is in a long-term steady decline.
Currently in the nation and here in Missouri hunters and their activity is
only about 7% of wildlife area usage. In the last USFWS report (2022?) (of
which there may never be another….) Hunting was down to a very modest 04.3
% of wildlife usage by the public. Wildlife Viewing is now ranked at 44.5%
of our population. This is a phenomenal difference..
As opposed to hunters, where every firearm is charged a Pittman Roberson
act "tax", binoculars do not. Bird books do not, so many if not virtually
ALL of our gear and paraphernalia does not carry anything which can be
easily sorted into data. So we have little clout-even though we have the
numbers. Until birders decide to participate in the funding of the wildlife
system, we will have only a tiny bit of leverage.
USFWS had been the best source of birding data until the cutbacks were put
into place.
I think you can relatively safely take the hunting impact in Colorado and
use an estimate that is 10x of any hunting data. Colorado is a prime
birding state , so the impact could be quite a bit larger.
Missouri used to have detailed collection of data, through the Missouri
Department of Conservation, but the division has been severely cut back.
Tim Barksdale
Mokane. MO and Choteau, MT
On Friday, September 11, 2026 at 8:44:29 AM UTC-5 Virginia Holman wrote:
Hi folks,
I’m looking for Colorado-specific and birding-specific economic impact
info.
USFWS has some national birdwatching data with a few states tossed in but
not Co.
Most data I’m coming across is aggregated with non-consumptive wildlife
watching at best.
Is anyone aware of birding-specific economic impact studies or reports in
Colorado?
Thanks,
Virginia
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