What do we ‘watch’ when we birdwatch? How do we change through birdwatching? Can birdwatching be seen as a way for human beings to try to understand another non-human creature, to increase their own senses? In turn, to fully understand the dynamic relationship between humans and their surroundings.
Step towards birds is designed for public education experience improvement by reframing the current birding process for short birding trips to raise interest in the knowledge behind the birds, encourage ongoing birdwatching, foster connections among birdwatchers, and strengthen engagement with the birding community and scientific knowledge.
It hopes to contribute to shaping a common understanding of human interconnectedness with nature and fostering a shared language regarding ecological ontology among the broader birding community.
The project takes into account the current situation of public birdwatching and makes reference to theories such as sit spots, indigenous culture and the unicorn effect. It consists of a set of cards, a task booklet, a paper version and an app version for both organised and individual birdwatching.