A person who observes, studies, or identifies wild birds as a hobby or profession; a birdwatcher.
'Bird' plus the agent suffix '-er,' creating 'birder.' The term became common in the 20th century as birdwatching grew into an organized hobby, eventually replacing the older term 'ornithologist' for amateurs.
Birders have become citizen scientists who contribute more bird sightings and data to conservation databases than professional ornithologists—what started as a Victorian hobby is now driving real scientific discoveries through apps like eBird where millions of casual birders share their observations.
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