From rifles to apps - how technology affects our relationship with birds

Perhaps humans have always been interested in birds. We have eaten them, but they have also been important markers of seasonal changes and featured in our stories, among other things. In the early 18th century, science began to name and study birds. For Olof Rudbeck and Carl Linnaeus, the rifle was an important tool. They had to shoot down birds in order to study them. Then came the binoculars, and today we have apps that can recognize birds by their song or appearance, social media where enthusiasts can help each other and share bird pictures, and reporting systems like Sweden’s Artportalen.

"Birdwatching has become easier with all these digital tools. We wonder, however, what consequences the use of such technologies have for people who experience birds. What does it do to our interest and emotions towards birds, our knowledge, and our care for them?" says René van der Wal, who leads EnviroCitizen in Sweden.

Birds and people

The EU project is a collaboration between Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Romania, Cyprus, the Netherlands and Spain. The researchers want to find out where and how people engage in birdwatching and how it affects them. Does it change their overall interest in nature? Do they become environmental citizens? The researchers at SLU (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) focus on the significance of digital technology. It involves both the technology that facilitates birdwatching and the birdwatchers' new role as data collectors. Many people report their observations, which generate large amounts of data used for policymaking, activism and research.

Benefits and risks

"It's great that many more people can discover the wonderful world of birds and that knowledge about birds is increasing, but there are also risks. By contributing bird data to digital platforms, birdwatchers become involved in processes related to conservation and exploitation. The data they contribute can influence which birds are protected and which are not. We have a responsibility to ensure that technology not only helps us but also the birds we admire and love," adds René van der Wal.

EnviroCitizen raises these questions in four films. Enjoy watching them and contemplate!

Find the films at Enviocitizen´s youtube channel

EnviroCitizen project site