When Sarah was a child, she would go on bird walks with her grandpa.

She works in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and spends a lot of her time traveling to new places to discover birds.

You never know when you're going to be able to line up the perfect shot. That's part of the thrill
You never know when you're going to be able to line up the perfect shot. That's part of the thrill © StockPhotoAstur / Getty

She said that birdwatching will take you off the beaten path. I enjoy using birds to help me learn about the place I am visiting.

She is not the only one who loves birdwatching. Birding is becoming more diverse and inclusive as it becomes more of a hobby for people of all ages.

Young Adult Man Relaxing By a Lake and Watching a Swan
Birding is reaching new demographics thanks to outreach and expanding interest in both the outdoors and conservation © kmatija / Getty Images / iStockphoto

Birding for the new millennium

The Big Year introduced audiences to the competitive nature of the sport in a movie. Birdwatching has attracted young people who are concerned about climate change and are interested in birdwatching.

Birding organizations are trying to get more young people to join. Student groups at colleges and universities were launched by the National Audubon society.

It's easy to birdwatch anywhere and at almost any time thanks to technology. Thanks to several handy mobile bird identification and tracking apps, you don't need a printed field guide anymore. A sense of community has been created by the use of social media.

Jennie Duberstein is a young birder liaison for the American Birding Association and she said it is easier than ever to figure out what you are seeing.

Other outdoor adventures are enhanced by birdwatching. When you keep an eye out for mountain bluebirds, hiking becomes more interesting. Standup paddle boarding gives you the chance to spot new species of birds. The dog becomes a bald eagle-spotting expedition when walking.

Both skiing and bird watching work well. Birding on Skis outings are held at Alta Ski Area in northern Utah. Participants spend three hours skiing the resort's diverse terrain in search of the birds who live there.

There are many places to birdwatching in the US.

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Closeup of mourning dove bird sitting perched on plastic glass feeder perch eating nuts seeds in Virginia with young girl happy woman hand on window
Birding is a wonderful way to notice new things in your everyday environment, even while social distancing © krblokhin / Getty Images / iStockphoto

Birding while social distancing

Birding is an excellent hobby to take up because of its ability to social distance.

If you have a pair of binoculars, you're good to go for a birdwatching expedition. It's possible to find out which birds you're most likely to see with the help of a phone app. When the weather warms, many birds migrate back north, which means you are likely to see a variety of species.

Dozens of birds have been returned to their natural habitat.

Acorn Flip
A new generation is discovering the pleasures of bird watching and observing wildlife in habitats near and far © Chase Dekker Wild-Life Images / Getty Images

US birding destinations for your bucket list

Travel inspiration can come from birding. It's a good idea to start researching your next trip with this list of top birdwatching destinations. You might be surprised at the diversity of animals outside your windows. Most of the time, animals of all shapes and sizes are spending time together.

Southeast Colorado

The high plains of southeast Colorado are equally beautiful even though they are not as well known. Some 400 species have been recorded at the John Martin Reservoir. Thousands of white snow geese congregate in large numbers on the water or in the fields during the winter. The High Plains Snow Geese Festival is a celebration of their presence. Birds from all over the world stop in southeast Colorado on their way north or south.

The best hikes in Colorado are in the mountain range.

Central Nebraska 

People from all over the world come to Nebraska in the late winter and early spring to see the sandhill crane migration. The leggy brown-gray birds with red crowns stop to replenish along the Platte River in Nebraska. Jane Goodall likes to visit Central Nebraska to view the cranes.

There are thousands of cranes in this spot. How to see it is explained here.

Southeast Texas

Texas is the first piece of land many migratory birds see after crossing the Gulf of Mexico. Birds will seek shelter and food as soon as they reach land when the weather is windy and rainy. The small peninsula northeast of Galveston is a great place to go birdwatching, with world-famous spots like High Island and Anahuac National Wildlife refuge. You can see birds here.

Texas has some of the best national parks in the country.

Photographing a great blue heron
Photographing a great blue heron © triloks/ Getty

Southern New Jersey

The Cape May Bird Observatory is located in the southern part of New Jersey. If you want to see many species of birds at a single location, plan your trip to southern New Jersey during the fall, when tens of thousands of birds are heading south. There are 20 species of warblers, hawks, shorebirds, and many others that can be seen at this location.

Nature and history can be combined at these parks.

Northern Ohio

If you ask any avid birder for their travel recommendations, you will most likely hear Magee marsh. The marsh is located along the southern edge of Lake Erie and has some of the best birdwatching around. Warblers are the main attraction for many birders and the wetlands appeal to a variety of birds. Magee Marsh is a safe place for these small, colorful songbirds to rest and recuperate during their migration. There are many fascinating species, including warblers, bald eagles, green-winged teals, red-breasted mergansers and pintails.

State parks in the US are some of the best in the world.

Central California

More species of birds have been recorded in California than any other state, which makes it a popular spot for birdwatching. The Central Coast is a great birdwatching destination due to its craggy rocks and protected coastal areas. Morro Bay is a short drive from downtown San Luis Obispo and is home to a number of bird species. It's easy to get close to the birds with viewing platforms and boardwalks. The weather in Southern California is perfect.

You should drive California's scenic Highway 395.

Southeast Arizona

southeast Arizona is home to some truly legendary birdwatching due to its diverse terrain. It's impressive for a state without a coastline to have over 500 species recorded. The southeastern region of the state has a high number of rare birds that people like to see. Access to other vacation-worthy amenities doesn't hurt.

Arizona has national parks.

In 3 days, this article was updated.