While no one is going to say that people looking at birds are a remotely significant source of the global greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, there is a growing number of birders who are exploring less carbon-reliant ways to enjoy the wonders of nature. After all, they folks might say, if we’re going to talk about the threat to birds from global warming, and ask lawmakers to take action, birders should at least do their part. The idea of green birding is nothing new, but as Audubon is talking more about the impacts of global warming on birds, some say that it’s time to focus more attention on the practice.

One of these people is Martin Byhower, a past president and current board member of the Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society in Los Angeles County. Back in 2006, Byhower founded a Green Birdathon for his chapter. The event worked in every way like every other birdathon fundraiser (people are asked to pledge a certain amount of money to the chapter for every species identified during a set period of time), with one exception: the birding group can’t use any motor-powered vehicle other than public transportation.

“I’d love to travel the world and see 10,000 species, but that would leave a huge carbon footprint,” Byhower says. “That’s probably not something that people who care about birds should do.”

Byhower notes that a larger commitment to green birding would mean taking a radically different perspective on birding. The first thing to go would be the notion of the giant life list.

We need to have different goals than having a big life list, county list, year list or whatever,” says Byhower. “But green birding is more about getting to know your local area and your local birds instead of just piling up huge numbers of species. It might mean having a good yard list – that might be your goal instead.

Byhower admits that it’s going to be hard for the birding community to change its values away from large diverse lists of birds.

“I understand that when you’re new at it you want to see all these things,” he admits. “And it’s all too easy for older birders who have already traveled the world and seen all the birds to pass judgment on new birders.”

In the end, Byhower says, it will be a gradual process. And perhaps one that people take on a little bit at a time. Instead of taking five cars to a neighborhood bird walk, perhaps think about carpooling. Try birding on a bike once in a while.

Check out the cool video about Palos Verdes/South Bay Green Birdathon below:

(photo of a California Thrasher by K. Schneider)