Birders Around Me is an interview series about the many kinds of people who become birdwatchers, regardless of their identity, age, or profession. Every birder has a unique story, experience, and perspective. Through these conversations, I hope to show just how varied the world of birding can be.

My first guest is Anna, who hopes to become an avian veterinarian. I am delighted to have her as the first interviewee in this series.

Anna is a high-school student from Inner Mongolia, currently attending school in Pennsylvania, United States. She has been birding for nearly two years and lives with a monk parakeet.

From dinosaurs and insects to a bird

Aidan: Could you start by introducing yourself?

Anna: I have loved nature since childhood. I was interested in dinosaurs, insects, and reptiles, and later became interested in mammals too. I kept many pets when I was younger, including jellyfish, rhinoceros beetles, and dogs. I currently have a monk parakeet.

That bird was what really started my interest in birding. After I began caring for it, I wanted to learn more about birds and gradually started observing wild birds as well. Now I often record them with binoculars and a camera.

Birding around an American high school

Aidan: How often do you go birding? Do you still go out while attending high school in the United States?

Anna: When I am busy, perhaps once every two weeks or once a month. When I have more time, I go once a week or even more often. Weather and light always affect the decision, but I usually go whenever conditions are suitable.

My school in Pennsylvania is quite large, and there is a forest nearby where I do most of my birding. It is quiet, and there are plenty of bird species and individuals.

Since moving to the United States, the biggest thing I have noticed is how distinctly ecosystems vary from place to place. Perhaps because my school is in a suburban area, the natural environment is relatively intact, and the birdlife feels much richer than in Beijing.

Aidan: What differences do you see between birding communities in China and the United States?

Anna: In China, birding information is often shared through WeChat groups and Rednote. In the United States, people use eBird and Merlin more often. There are also richer long-term records in many places.

Unforgettable birds: Snowy Owls and hornbills

Aidan: Is there a particular experience or species that left a lasting impression on you?

Anna: The experience that impressed me most was seeing a Snowy Owl in Hulunbuir. It was extremely cold in winter, around minus 36 degrees Celsius. I saw the owl fly low over the ground as it hunted. Its flight was almost silent, and its sudden appearance was astonishing.

Another memorable experience was watching hornbills in Yunnan. After the female entered the nest cavity, the male arrived with food. When he flew away, his large patterned wings left a deep impression on me.

I do not actually have a favorite bird. Every species has its own characteristics. Even an ordinary sparrow has its own life and story.

From adding species to truly seeing birds

Aidan: How has your reason for birding changed since you started?

Anna: At first, birding simply seemed like an unusual hobby worth trying. Gradually, I realized that it is about more than increasing the number of species on my list.

Now I prefer observing behavior and learning how birds live. I think a bird's existence is meaningful in itself. Being able to see it and get to know it is already a wonderful thing.

How birding changed my life

Aidan: What has birding changed in your life?

Anna: The biggest change is that it has allowed me to rediscover nature. People who do not watch birds can be a little blind, not because they cannot see, but because they cannot fully appreciate how amazing nature is. Many people visit a park and notice only sparrows and magpies. If you look and listen carefully, you discover doves, woodpeckers, warblers, waterbirds, and many other species. Together, they form an incredibly rich little world.

Birding has also increased my time outdoors. Looking for birds requires going outside, observing, and waiting. It has given me a stronger connection with nature.

Conservation starts with small things nearby

Aidan: Which conservation issues around you do you pay attention to?

Anna: Bird collisions are a common problem. Glass buildings in cities can confuse birds, making reflections look like woodland and causing them to collide with windows.

This issue is closer to us than many people realize. I have heard birds hit the glass at home, yet many people never consider the consequences.

I have also taken part in bird-collision surveys organized by conservation groups, and I have found a young blackbird that had hit a window at school. I do not think conservation always has to involve something huge. Recognizing a problem and sharing knowledge is already a meaningful contribution.

Becoming an avian veterinarian

Aidan: Why do you want to become an avian veterinarian?

Anna: The idea came to me after I started living with a bird. Veterinary care for exotic pets is still developing in China. When their birds become ill, many owners do not know where to seek help.

I have experienced that helpless feeling myself. When something is wrong with your bird and you do not have the necessary knowledge, it is very difficult.

If I become an avian veterinarian, I hope to help more birds and contribute to avian medicine in China. If wild birds need rescuing, I also hope to offer my professional knowledge and work with conservation organizations.

AI and the future of birding

Aidan: Do you think AI will dramatically change birdwatching?

Anna: AI already helps a great deal with birdsong recognition, but it has not completely changed the way people birdwatch.

I still enjoy finding and identifying birds myself. Discovery is an essential part of birding.

If AI could identify feathers in the future, I think that would be extremely valuable. When ordinary people find a feather, it is difficult for them to know which species it came from. Solving that problem would help more people understand birds.

A message for myself in ten years

Aidan: If you could leave yourself one sentence about birding for ten years from now, what would it be?

Anna: I think I would ask myself two questions:

“What have you contributed to birds?”

“Does birding still mean the same thing to you as it did at the beginning?”

That is my conversation with Anna. Thank you for reading, and I hope you will join me for the next interview. If you would like to share your own birding story, please get in touch through the contact section on this site.