The comments on this thread have been interesting and insightful, but I 
think there are actually two separate issues here.

The first issue is: What topics do birders care about? Howard Youth made a 
good case for international birding and conservation. Others have mentioned 
their interest in ID tips, guides to local hotspots, backyard bird 
anecdotes, detailed discussions of subspecies, etc. Personally, I can't 
resist articles full of maps and charts showing changes in species 
distribution and population size over time. The bottom line is that birders 
can be beginners or experts; driven by science, sentiment, or 
competitiveness; willing and able to afford a lot of gear and travel, or 
not; and all other manner of human variation.

The second issue is: How should a particular birding organization or 
publication position itself? The ABA is not alone in struggling to define 
its identity, and as a marketing consultant I find it fascinating. The tough 
lesson is that it's not possible to be everything to everyone -- you end up 
spreading yourself too thin and not satisfying anyone. Members/subscribers 
feel disappointed, and ad revenue may drop. After all, advertisers need a 
clear idea of who will be reading a magazine. Do readers spend their money 
on trips, optics, and software, or on gardening and squirrel-resistant 
feeders? Of course such categories are indefinite and overlapping, but 
obviously there is a real spectrum from novice backyard birders to hardcore 
listers with global life lists in the thousands. Better "branding" by the 
ABA and others will help birders find the information they seek at the level 
they want.

Janet Millenson
Potomac, MD (Montgomery County)

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"Look at the birds!" -- Pascal the parrot