Potential of birdwatching for tourism, local biodiversity conservation awareness

Marc Katz with a rescued Sunda Scops Owl in Bali, Indonesia

Today we feature a discussion with Marc Katz, an ardent bird watcher from the United States who spent two weeks in Sri Lanka, searching and observing rare bird species. This interview is part of our media research to obtain insight on how Sri Lanka’s nature tourism could be innovatively linked to community-based environment protection and conservation awareness of local citizens.

Sri Lanka is a transitory home to many birds of the world, especially during winter and also boasts of feathered beauties endemic to this island. Every year bird-watchers from different parts of the earth travel to Sri Lanka. Yet rarely do Sri Lankans get a chance to engage with these travellers to ask about their experiences in ornithology. Marc Katz, an American citizen of Jewish origin, whose previous professional background had been in Information Technology spent a fortnight in the country for the sole purpose of birdwatching.

Below are excerpts of the interview with birder, Marc Katz. 

By Surya Vishwa 

Q: Tell us about yourself.

A: I am from a Jewish background, living in America as a citizen of the United States. Till recently I have been professionally functioning as a coding expert in the IT field, having specialised in Mathematics which I am naturally adept at. However, I found the IT field to be monotonous, as I felt I was disconnected from the natural world. Therefore, I have moved away from this sphere and obtained the TEFL qualification as an English teacher – Teaching English as a Foreign Language. As a start I have taken on teaching English in Thailand to some friends of my wife. My wife is Chinese and she is interested in aspects such as spirituality. We travelled to Sri Lanka together but according to our interests we went to different districts individually. She spent more time in Anuradhapura and Jaffna and I searched out areas such as Sinharaja. 

Q: Since when have you been interested in observing birds?

A: The love of birds has been with me since I was a child. I remember that I once left a birthday party of a friend in the midst of all the celebration and festivity because I heard that a rare bird was cited in a nearby park. From childhood to now, no matter where I am, I have one eye and ear on the sky. In my adult years, birdwatching became a very serious part of my life. I am based in New York and it has very large parks where birds flying from distant areas can be found. During the COVID pandemic years I increased my bird watching time, linking up with worldwide online birder communities. New York has some very keen birder groups. When a rare bird comes everyone knows. For example, the Kirtland’s Warbler, one of the rarest songbirds in North America. Sometimes we go searching, watching and waiting for rare birds for days. 

Q: Would you say bird watching relieves stress?

A: Definitely. Because you get connected to nature. 

Q: What are the countries you have visited for bird watching?

A: I have done a lot of bird watching in America. The other counties include Canada, Iceland, Costa Rica, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, China and Sri Lanka. 

Q: Can you mention some of the rare birds from these countries?

A: From USA, in New York City, the Couch’s Kingbird, the White-faced Storm-Petrel and the Gilded Flicker. From Canada the Yellow Rail, Sabine’s Gull and the Northern Haw Owl.

From Iceland the Rock Ptarmigan, Eurasian Wren and the European Storm-Petrel.

In Brazil the Xingu Scale-backed Antbird, Chaco Eagle and the Blue Finch. In 

Indonesia the Bali Myna, Javan Plover and the Rinjani Scops-Owl. 

In China, the Scarlet Finch and Black-faced Spoonbill. From Thailand the Ashy-throated Warbler, Green-tailed Sunbird (Doi Inthanon subspecies), and the Crested Finchbill. 

From Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Spurfowl, Serendib Scops-Owl and the Red-faced Malkoha.

Q: What are your observations and suggestions on bird watching related dimensions of tourism in Sri Lanka?

A: I think that most birders will go on long guided tours (7-10 days). I prefer more of self-discovery through backpacking. Companies arranging bird watching tours already have their itineraries. I like to rely on personal information. I had some general ideas that I found online, but most people in Sri Lanka had no clue what I was talking about when I asked about a bird I was looking for. Getting the general population, and maybe in particular, the youth, excited about the biodiversity of Sri Lanka would be a great way to expand the knowledge base and keep bird watching tourism integrated with local community, interests and environment protection. Sometimes it feels like people are only interested in the big and flashy animals, but don’t appreciate smaller species because they are thought of as boring. 

Q: What are the areas you visited in Sri Lanka? 

A: Colombo, Sinharaja, Galle, Anuradhapura, Sigiriya and Nuwara Eliya.

Q: How would you sum up the bird watching experience in Sri Lanka?

A: I can say it was great. Other than missing one endemic species (the Sri Lanka Bush Warbler), I had an amazing time. Not seeing a bird you hoped to, is just part of the birding experience. In Sinharaja, one of the hardest birds to find is the Serendib Scops-Owl, which wasn’t formally described until 2004. However, one of the guides, Ranjith, knew exactly where to find them. He’d walk 100m into the jungle in shorts and flip flops, without binoculars, then come out and gesture to follow him down a barely visible path. And lo and behold, he had found a pair sleeping on a tree. I have no clue how he does it. 

Near Sigiriya, another of the species I was looking for was the Sri Lanka Woodshrike. It is a plain-looking gray bird, so no-one was very interested in it. I spent a few days looking without any luck. I saw online that someone had reported seeing it about a month earlier by a lake, so I rented a bicycle from the hostel I was staying at. I pedalled for about 6 km to get to the lake, then walked for another 2 km. No luck. But as soon as I got back on my bike to ride back in defeat, two Woodshrikes flew right up into the tree next to me!

Q: What has bird watching taught you, in the larger context?

A: It has primarily shown me how pollution and global warming is affecting the world of birds. I was looking through an old book published in the 1940s, on birds in the United States. The Laughing Gull which thrive in warm climates was a rare bird back then as mentioned in this book but now there are many in New York because the climate has got warmer. 

Q: Do you spend many hours watching one particular bird?

A: Sometimes yes. It depends on my mood and the time I have at my disposal. But watching the movements and behaviour of a bird is one of the most addictive things. It takes you literally to another world. Sometimes you do not see the bird and only hear the bird. 

Q: How do you contrast the world of coding and technology to the world of birds?

A: They are two worlds. One almost transforms a human into a robot and the other expands the consciousness.

Q: Would you define yourself as spiritual?

A: No. That is the area of my wife. I am logical and analytical. I am known for being able to recall a lot of book based knowledge. 

Q: Do you think Sri Lanka is worth returning to for an extended bird watching experience?

A: I will be definitely returning. I will probably hire a motorbike and explore the different habitat of rare and endemic birds of Sri Lanka more freely.