There are approximately 9,730 species of birds worldwide, of which a little over 800 have been recorded in North America, north of Mexico. A few new species are still discovered every year in remote areas of the world, such as in the rainforests of South America and Southeast Asia. Birds are found literally everywhere on this planet, from smog-choked cities to remote wilderness areas, and from high, snow-covered mountains to open, high seas thousands of miles from land. Because of their beauty and easy accessibility (just step out into your backyard), birds have been an object of man’s interest since creation. Now, more than ever, due to the inventions of quality binoculars and spotting scopes, and identification field guides that now cover every region of the earth, watching birds has become very popular. Often all one has to do is see a Painted Bunting or a Purple Gallinule, and he or she is hooked!
Over 60 million Americans will grab their binoculars and field guides to do a bit of bird watching this year! Most only watch birds in their own backyard at bird feeders or while on vacation, but some regularly travel many miles to observe birds in different parts of their own states, country, or various countries of the world, and there are various degrees of interest and participation between these extremes.
Bird watching or “birding,” as many prefer to call it, is often considered a sport, and is now the single most popular hobby on the North American continent. In Great Britain, the term “bird-watcher” is preferred over “birder,” and the term “twitcher” is used for the serious “bird-watcher.” The term “twitcher” was coined to describe the uncontrollable spasms of excitement the “bird-watcher” exhibits when seeing a new bird for the first time.
Most “birders,” as the more serious prefer to call themselves, keep lists of the birds they see in various places. They keep lists of species seen in their country, state, county, and yards. They keep day lists and trip lists. Some keep lists for other states and countries they visit. The most important list for the serious birder is his Lifelist. The Lifelist is a running list kept of all new species encountered that one has never seen before. When a “birder” encounters a “Lifer,” as new species are called, he records in a log book its name, date seen, and location. For instance, my last “Lifer” was a Cocoa Woodcreeper seen on February 3, 2004, at Lancetilla Botanical Gardens near Tela, Honduras. In Great Britain, the adding of a species to one’s list is called “ticking.” It is quite a sight to see a “twitcher” in the act of “ticking”!
Heaven keeps a “Lifelist” also. It is not a list of birds, but rather a list of souls that have surrendered their lives to Christ. “The names of all those who have once given themselves to God are written in the book of life, and their characters are now passing in review before Him. Angels of God are weighing moral worth. They are watching the development of character in those now living, to see if their names can be retained in the book of life.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 960. “All who persevere in obedience, all who will not sell their souls for money or for the favor of men, God will register in the book of life.” Ibid., 950.
“Glorious will be the deliverance of those who have patiently waited for His coming and whose names are written in the book of life.” The Great Controversy, 634.
David Arbour writes from his home in DeQueen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.