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SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) Pandemic Lockdown Influences Nature-Based Recreational Activity: The Case of Birders

Author

Listed:
  • Christoph Randler

    (Department of Biology, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 24, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany)

  • Piotr Tryjanowski

    (Institute of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Science, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625 Poznań, Poland)

  • Jukka Jokimäki

    (Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, P.O. Box 122, FI-96101 Rovaniemi, Finland)

  • Marja-Liisa Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki

    (Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, P.O. Box 122, FI-96101 Rovaniemi, Finland)

  • Naomi Staller

    (Department of Biology, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 24, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany)

Abstract

The new corona virus infection SARS-CoV2 which was later renamed COVID-19 is a pandemic affecting public health. The fear and the constraints imposed to control the pandemic may correspondingly influence leisure activities, such as birding, which is the practice of observing birds based on visual and acoustic cues. Birders are people who carry out birding observations around the globe and contribute to the massive data collection in citizen science projects. Contrasting to earlier COVID-19 studies, which have concentrated on clinical, pathological, and virological topics, this study focused on the behavioral changes of birders. A total of 4484 questionnaire survey responses from 97 countries were received. The questionnaire had an open-ended style. About 85% of respondents reported that COVID-19 has changed their birding behavior. The most significant change in birdwatchers’ behavior was related to the geographic coverage of birding activities, which became more local. People focused mostly on yard birding. In total, 12% of respondents ( n = 542 cases) reported having more time for birding, whereas 8% ( n = 356 cases) reported having less time for birding. Social interactions decreased since respondents, especially older people, changed their birding behavior toward birding alone or with their spouse. Women reported more often than men that they changed to birding alone or with their spouse, and women also reported more often about canceled fieldtrips or society meetings. Respondents from higher developed countries reported that they spend currently more time for birding, especially for birding alone or with their spouse, and birding at local hotspots. Our study suggests that long lockdowns with strict regulations may severely impact on leisure activities. In addition, a temporal and spatial shift in birding due to the pandemic may influence data quality in citizen science projects. As nature-based recreation will be directed more toward nearby sites, environmental management resources and actions need to be directed to sites that are located near the users, e.g., in urban and suburban areas. The results can be applied with caution to other nature-based recreational activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Christoph Randler & Piotr Tryjanowski & Jukka Jokimäki & Marja-Liisa Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki & Naomi Staller, 2020. "SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) Pandemic Lockdown Influences Nature-Based Recreational Activity: The Case of Birders," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-16, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:19:p:7310-:d:424501
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sijia Li & Yilin Wang & Jia Xue & Nan Zhao & Tingshao Zhu, 2020. "The Impact of COVID-19 Epidemic Declaration on Psychological Consequences: A Study on Active Weibo Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-9, March.
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    1. Amber L. Pearson & Victoria Breeze & Aaron Reuben & Gwen Wyatt, 2021. "Increased Use of Porch or Backyard Nature during COVID-19 Associated with Lower Stress and Better Symptom Experience among Breast Cancer Patients," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-13, August.
    2. Rabya Mughal & Linda J. M. Thomson & Norma Daykin & Helen J. Chatterjee, 2022. "Rapid Evidence Review of Community Engagement and Resources in the UK during the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Can Community Assets Redress Health Inequities?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Tianle Liu & Li Ma & Linsong Cheng & Yilei Hou & Yali Wen, 2021. "Is Ecological Birdwatching Tourism a More Effective Way to Transform the Value of Ecosystem Services?—A Case Study of Birdwatching Destinations in Mingxi County, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-17, November.
    4. Christoph Randler & Nadine Kalb & Piotr Tryjanowski, 2021. "Sentiment Analysis of Comments of American Birders during Two Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic Reveal More Negative Sentiments in the Context of Birding," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Emil Andrzej Karpiński & Andrzej Robert Skrzypczak, 2022. "The Significance of Angling in Stress Reduction during the COVID-19 Pandemic—Environmental and Socio-Economic Implications," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-18, April.

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