摘要：Recent studies show inter-related trends in both adult and youth populations in developednations: a shift away from nature-based recreation, an overall decline in physical activity, and increasingobesity. For this study we examined gender patterns in a nature-based activity, observing wild birds, popularin two developed nations, the USA and UK. We collated data from several organizations and categorizeddata sources as representing activities that involve varying degrees of competitiveness and actingauthoritatively. Patterns were consistent with the hypotheses that gender differences in preferred types ofbird-related recreation reflected well documented gender-specific differences in preferences for competitionand propensity to act authoritatively. Observing birds encompassed both a recreational hobby, "birdwatching," that was female biased in the USA, and a competitive sport, "birding," that was heavily malebiased among adults, but not youth, in both the USA and UK. Because of differences in gender participationin bird-related activities, fostering both competitive and noncompetitive bird-related activities is necessaryto increase the likelihood of bringing larger segments of the population into nature-based recreation
