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Brits Embracing ‘Urban Birding’

BRITS EMBRACING ’URBAN BIRDING’

• Sales of wildlife cams rise as Brits try to get closer to nature
• 1 in 3 admit to spying on birds and wildlife
• Alex Zane, Guy Garvey, Damon Albarn amongst celebrity ‘urban birders’

AFFORDABLE new tech is giving way to a new generation of ‘urban birders’ who are making twitching cool again.

Research carried out by gadgets and technology etailer, LaptopsDirect.co.uk, has revealed 41% of UK adults now enjoy spying birds and other wildlife in the natural environment - in a movement that has been dubbed ‘urban birding.’

And a larger amount of nature-conscious Brits are also taking active steps to preserve and attract wildlife in their local area, leaving out food and water to attract critters into their outside space - with 56% claiming to do so.

LaptopsDirect.co.uk has seen a 110% increase in sales of photographic devices specifically designed to capture wildlife in the past three months - which it is attributing to the trend, as urban birders gear up for a bumper flock this spring.

Celebrity urban birders involved in the movement include Elbow frontman Guy Garvey, TV presenter Alex Zane, Blur’s Damon Albarn and artist Matt Sewell amongst its fans.

And the movement is even receiving its own event later this year, as part of the London Bird Festival, which is complete with hip, Banksy-esq branding.

Urban birding is even making waves on the other side of the atlantic, where LA’s hipster Ace Hotel is due to host a Birds and Booze event, where punters can bird spot from its trend rooftop while sipping bird-inspired cocktails.

Mark Kelly, marketing manager at LaptopsDirect.co.uk, said: “It’s amazing to see how this traditional past-time is being revived by a new generation, for the 21st century. Once upon a time, a bird watcher’s essential tool kit included waterproofs, binoculars and an analogue camera - but now, thanks to a new wave of outdoor technology, urban birders can use things like automatic wildlife cameras to capture the birds in their garden 24/7 while they’re out or at work, and even get amazing airborne shots from a different angle, using drones. This new wave of technology seems to be really re-igniting an interest in nature.”

Laptops Direct is the UK’s largest online laptop specialist, selling a wide range of new and refurbished laptops from leading brands, as well as a wide range of other lifestyle gadgets, including wildlife cameras.

For more information, visit http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk

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