Birdwatching has always been an accessible hobby – and the binoculars and, occasionally, monoculars that aid it are steady sellers. But its clichéd image of bearded middle-aged men hiding in undergrowth looks in danger of being increasingly usurped by younger Gen Z ‘twitchers’.
Indeed, in the UK, the RSPB currently offers free admission to its reserves to anyone aged between 16 and 24. Surprising to me, birdwatching is claimed to be the second biggest hobby for those within the Gen Z age bracket (second only to jewellery making). But RSPB research suggests that birdwatching has risen by 47% for people of all ages this past decade.
