Birding is experiencing a significant surge in popularity, and it's not just retirees who are flocking to the hobby. In Edmonton and beyond, a growing number of young people are embracing this ancient pursuit, finding authenticity in nature amidst a digital world.
"If somebody asked me, 'Who are you?' The first thing I would say is that I'm a fan of birds and birds of prey," said 15-year-old Rory Le, an avid birder from Edmonton. Le first developed an interest in birding in the third grade. Since then, she has documented 81 species and estimates she has seen at least half of the bird species around Edmonton.
Her favorites include birds of prey like American kestrels and ferruginous hawks. She finds their adaptations particularly fascinating and also thinks they are the cutest. Recently, she was thrilled when a falcon landed on her front porch with a kill, allowing her to observe it from just two feet away as it ate its dinner.
"I think interactions like that between humans and animals are really interesting," she said. "Like you see peregrine falcons living downtown, living on the skyscrapers. I think things like that are really cool." Le hopes to incorporate birds into her future career, though she is still exploring how.
Birding Goes Viral Online
Online platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are buzzing with birding content, and Gen Z now comprises a significant portion of online birding influencers. Le has noticed an increase in young people discussing the hobby online and is active in several birding forums herself.
Some online birders and influencers compare birding to Pokémon, while others have dubbed it the ultimate "hot-girl hobby." Jan Wijmenga, 45, a field technician at the University of Alberta's faculty of biological sciences and a board member of the Edmonton Nature Club, finds this trend amusing. While he notes the community isn't exclusively "hot-girls," he has observed a growing number of young people taking up the hobby.
Originally from the Netherlands, Wijmenga was surprised when he moved to North America 10 years ago to find that birding was often stereotyped as a hobby for "senior white guys," unlike in Western Europe where it spans all age groups. "But that is, I think, slowly changing," he said. His nature club actively works to engage more people through city walks and field trips.
Wijmenga also distinguishes between birdwatching and birding, noting that neither is a "right or wrong" way to engage with birds. Birdwatching is more relaxed, while birding is goal-oriented.
Birding 101
On a cool May morning, the boardwalk at Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park in St. Albert was filled with birders. Erin Dykstra, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited, led a group of several dozen people—ranging from children with parents to young adults and seniors—slowly across the wooden walkway that cuts through the park's grassy wetland.
The rise of birding among younger generations reflects a desire for authentic experiences in an increasingly digital world. As one young birder put it, "I mean everything is AI-generated. And being out in nature and seeing birds, that is something authentic."
