Economics of Migratory Birds and Wildlife Watching

HOW MANY ARE “WE” ?

47 MILLION - USFWS 67 MILLION - NFWF

35 MILLION - STATISTA 1 IN 5 AMERICANS COMPARED TO POPULAR SPORTS

9 MILLION 23 MILLION 24 MILLION

47 MILLION Birders spent an estimated $15 billion on their trips and $26 billion on equipment in 2011 ANNUAL WILDLIFE WATCHING DOLLARS SPENT *

*OUTDOOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION - APRIL 2017

$30+ Billion in Retail Spending 30 Lens x $8000 = $240,000 30 Camera bodies x $3000 = $90,000 30 Tripods x $1000 = $30,000

A very conservative $360,000 in camera rigs only! You do the Math ……… $$$ All due to one bird specie…………….

Outdoor Recreation Creates Healthy Economies Healthy Communities Healthy Citizens Cape May, NJ

$313 MILLION IN BIRDING EXPENDITURES EACH YEAR BASED UPON THREE BIRDING HOTSPOTS IN THE SOUTHERNMOST PORTION OF CAPE MAY COUNTY Birders birding Magee Marsh Biggest Week in American Birding $37 million floods into the towns of northwest Ohio during the first two weeks of May ………….

.……just as the migrating warblers arrive and appear as if out of nowhere To the absolute joy of millions, his same scenario repeats all over the United States throughout major migration hotspots and stopovers

Platte River Grand Island, NE Industry Facts - Backyard Bird Feeding By the Numbers* 5 million: Estimated U.S. households that participate in backyard bird watching 3 million: U.S. households that buy wild bird seed at least sometimes $6.3 billion: The market size for wild bird seed and feeders in the United States #2 - Birdwatching second to gardening as most popular outdoor activity in United States

*Wild Bird Feeding Industry’s Research Foundation, 2014 Benchmark Study Estimated $40 Million in stamp sales in 2016 Federal Duck Stamp Program is the most successful conservation initiative in history - Since 1934, more than 5.7 million acres have been acquired using Federal Duck Stamp revenues.

98% of those dollars go directly into the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to purchase and or lease migratory bird habitat. Period.

Bombay Hook NWR Visitation to National Wildlife Refuges impacts on local communities around these reserves - 36.7 million visitors generated $1.64 billion of economic activity in regional economies, and that about two-thirds of the total expenditures were generated by non-consumptive activities and not fishing (27%) or hunting (5%), BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME PRESERVE IT AND THEY WILL LAND CONSERVE IT FOREVER FOR ALL TO ENJOY THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY

BILL STEWART DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY AMERICAN BIRDING ASSOCIATION