What it means
A twitcher isn't just someone who likes birds. It's the hardcore bird nerd who'll leg it across the country after a tip-off to spot some rare little feathered celebrity before it vanishes. Usually said with a mix of respect and a tiny bit of are-you-actually-alright.
Usage examples
"Baz shot to Norfolk at 5am after a WhatsApp tip-off, queued with a flask, then got told it dipped ten minutes ago. Brutal."
"A rare warbler turned up on the coast and by dawn the car park was full of twitchers with telescopes the size of bazookas."
"He's a proper twitcher, that one. Drove three hours for some lost American gull, saw it for eight seconds, buzzing all day."
"Only a twitcher would be standing in sideways rain at dawn going, nah nah, the beak was slightly different. Respect, but also have a nap."
"You can tell she's a twitcher because one message about a rare egret popped up and she was in the car before the kettle had even boiled."
Where it comes from
In British birdwatching, twitcher has been around since at least the mid 20th century for birders who chase rare sightings. It's commonly linked to the idea of someone so keyed up with excitement they're practically twitching while waiting to tick a new bird off the list.
This expression also appears in
