The Human Birdwatcher Project

The Human Birdwatcher Project came together in 2008, when infamous birders Seagull Steve and The Great Ornithologist Felonious Jive were deep into a discussion of the birder psyche. What makes someone a birder? Why do they dress like that? Why are they so old? Why are they so white? Why are they so wealthy? Why are they so petty?  How do their bodies continue to function despite the crippling dorkdom they must endure every waking minute of their lives? And most importantly....how did we, Seagull and Felonious, get to the point where we indisputably number among this growing throng of nerds?

Their lack of understanding of this bizarre (and possibly mind-numbingly boring) topic could not be tolerated...they needed more. They needed to get a grip on birder behavior if they were to uncover the underlying humanity of birding.  They discovered that there was only one way they could come up with valid explanations to any of these questions...they needed to examine The Birder Phenomenon not only for themselves, but for the entire world. They must document everything....interview people....attempt electroshock therapy...go on some vision quests. To that end they will not only shed light on a shadowy and misunderstood subject, but in doing so they could help save the world...or at least some birdwatchers.  And so, the Human Birdwatcher Project was born.  HBP's slogan?  Birders are people too!

The Human Birdwatcher Project now sponsors or directly supports Birders As Art, HBP Investigative Reporting, the HBP Interviews series, and LOINS (RIP LOINS). There is light at the end of the tunnel my friends. We may be a long way off, but help is on the way.

HBP investigates:

On (Painfully) Counting and Defining Birders - The problems with how to define birders.
An Open Letter to Christopher Guest - A birding mockumentary would be a great movie.
The Handicaps of Birding - One of BB&B's most popular posts; the title is self-explanatory.
The Global Birder Ranking System - Birder rank and file explained. Sort of.
Birding By Yourself - A Lonely and Embarrassing Habit - The advantages and many disadvantages of birding solo.
Bad Scene, Everyone's Fault: Listers vs. Nonlisters - The stereotypes associated with both listing and nonlisting birders.
Sketchy Birders Part I - Shitty birders are exposed. This is the first half of the controversial piece.
Sketchy Birders Part II - The dramatic and satisfying conclusion.
Not That There's Anything Wrong With That - Why are there so few gay birders?
Not Quite White - Almost all American birders are as white as an egret.
A Birder's Guide To Rare Bird Reporting - You're doing it wrong.  Stop it.
The Murrelet Incident - The murrelet that maybe was (or was not).
It's My Job To Keep Birding Elite, or Esquire's Birder Gets Bizarre  - Birdwatching is not about to become cool, don't worry bro.
Swallowgate - Things will never be the same.
A Major Leak From The Global Birder Ranking System (Rise And Measure The Temple Of The Five) - How to rise in your GBRS ranks.
"I Would Be A Human Landfill": The Sad Confessions Of The Off-Season Guller - Everything you thought would be true...is true.
Cage Bird Conspiracy Theorists - Birders make a lot of assumptions...poor ones.

From the HBP interview series:

Best Friends and Unstable Freaks: Photography, Birding and Field Work with Jill Wussow
Hardcore Birders Will Always Be Doomed: Song of the Cassowary Part I
Complete Financial Ruin And Social Castration: The Cassowary Sings, Part II
I'm Not A Loner Or Anything, But I Think I Like Being Alone: A Bird Blogger Tells All
Birding In Tamarisk Is Like A Rectal Exam: Coco Speaks
Slightly Less Promiscuous: Felonious Jive Interrogated
"Frankly, I Scare Them": The Grub Speaketh
No, Not At All, And Yes: Confessions Of A Female Birdwatcher
Dates Involving Binoculars Are A Difficult Sell: Off-Duty With Officer Searcy
"Caution Is Always Warranted": A Conversation On Bird Policing With Officer Searcy 
Of Duff Diving, Nerd Networking and Junco Basking: HBP Brings You Christian Schwarz.

The creative side of HBP: Birders As Art

Birders As Art
Birders As Art II
Birders As Art III
Birders As Art IV
Birders As Art V
Birders As Art VI
Birders As Art VII
Birders As Art VIII
Birders As Art IX
Birders As Art X
Birders As Art XI

Please notify either Seagull or Felonious with any ideas, input, advice, or most importantly, donations, that you may have to offer for the Human Birdwatcher Project. The Human Birdwatcher Project: now, more than ever.