The popularity of birding (aka birdwatching) and its tourism equivalent, avitourism, has seen an increase in global participants since the turn of the last century. The level of interest and dedication shown towards birds has been the subject of increasing research, especially the social and economic aspects of the pastime and industry. The ability for birding and avitourism to contribute to conservation has also drawn recent researcher attention, though gaps remain in the current understanding as revealed by my review of the discipline. In particular, the relationship between birders and the practical elements of avian conservation have not been comprehensively assessed. This thesis uses a multi- disciplinary methodological approach to understand the relationship between birders, avitourism and avian conservation. Data were collected using online surveys of birders, content analysis and face-to-face questionnaires and econometric methods. Several patterns emerged that defined how birders engage with birding as well as bird conservation. Birders from key birding regions including Australia, United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA) and South Africa expressed preferences for different types of birds and habitats. Shorebirds and both coastal and freshwater wetlands were favoured by birders from the UK. Birder sex also influenced how and where birders watch birds, with women more likely to restrict birding activities to home, while men travelled further for birding. Male birders also participated in bird-based events such as census and atlas activities more often than females.