Why Gen Z birdwatchers are flocking to reserves

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Paul MurphyEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire climate and environment correspondent

BBC A young woman in a black hat and sunglasses is leaning on a shelf inside a bird hide. She has a set of binoculars hanging around her neck. There is moorland visible in the background.

Managers at one of the UK's largest bird sanctuaries say they have seen a "significant increase" in the number of younger visitors.

Poppy Rummery, a visitor manager at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, East Yorkshire, said younger people increasingly understood the benefits of getting outdoors and "experiencing nature".

RSPB research suggests more than 700,000 people aged 16 to 29 – collectively described as Gen Z – regularly enjoy watching birds in Britain, a more than tenfold rise since 2018.

Birdwatcher Emily Askew, 28, from Skegness, Lincolnshire, said: "I think we are just trying to connect to the outside world and Gen Z'ers are generally very caring about the environment."

Askew is one of a number of young birdwatchers sharing photos and videos on social media. She has more than 20,000 followers on Instagram.

She often visits Gibraltar Point, a nature reserve bordering the Wash, and said she had seen a "marked increase" in the number of her peers showing an interest in nature.

A woman wearing glasses and a blue fleece is standing in front of a fence. The sea is visible in the background.

The RSPB recently announced a new scheme offering free admission to RSPB reserves to anyone aged between 16 and 24.

Rummery described birdwatching as an accessible hobby.

"It doesn't require the use of a lot of expensive equipment, you don't necessarily need to have any equipment to start off with," she said.

"Younger people now really want to get out into nature, learn to identify birds, improve their physical and mental health."

Jess Painter, 24, a member of the RSPB's Youth Council, said she had noticed more young people birdwatching, with knowledge and passion shared in new ways on social media.

"When I'm watching birds, I'm not thinking about anything else – it's a moment of peace and a way to reconnect with nature and with myself," she added.

A large white bird with black wing tips and a yellow neck is flying over the sea. There are other white birds in the distance beneath it.

The RSPB said its research, commissioned from the analytics firm Fifty5Blue, suggested birdwatching was the second fastest growing hobby for Gen Z, after jewellery making.

More than 24,000 people responded to a questionnaire about their hobbies.

The results showed a 47% rise in birdwatching among people of all ages between 2018 and 2026.

The RSPB said this suggested there were now more than four million birdwatchers in Britain, up from 2.7 million eight years ago.

Gen Z birdwatchers rose from an estimated 61,000 in 2018 to 724,000 today, according to the research.

Two people wearing coats are sitting next to each other inside a wooden hut. They are looking out through a gap in the hut at two bird feeders in a woodland setting.

Molly Brown, 29, a wildlife adviser at the RSPB, said: "It's brilliant to see so many young people choosing to get into birdwatching.

"This new research shows that watching birds is no longer a niche or old-fashioned pastime and is attracting a younger, more diverse crowd."

"It's something that everyone can do, no matter how much or little they know about birds. It'll inspire you to get outside and discover beautiful green spaces, exercise and generally slow down, which everyone can benefit from."

Amir Khan, a doctor, broadcaster and president of the RSPB, said: "Hearing birdsong, especially during the dawn chorus when they're at their loudest and most beautiful, can produce more serotonin and make us feel good."

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