Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching

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LISTERS: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching
Listers A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching thumbnail.webp
Directed byOwen Reiser
Release date
  • August 19, 2025 (2025-08-19)
Running time
119 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching is a 2025 documentary film created by brothers Owen and Quentin Reiser and published on YouTube. The film, released with an accompanying book entitled Field Guide of All the Birds We Found One Year in the United States, follows the brothers as they attempt a Big Year, a birdwatching term for an attempt to observe as many species of bird as possible in a calendar year. [1] [2] The film received positive reviews.

Contents

Summary

Listers is a travel documentary following Owen Reiser, a wildlife photographer whose work has been featured in National Geographic, [1] and his brother Quentin, who became interested in doing a Big Year after reading the family's bird guide while high on marijuana. [2] The brothers travel the contiguous United States in a 2010 Kia Sedona attempting to witness and identify as many bird species as possible, while interviewing members of the birding community. The film alternates between high-resolution footage of the birds observed and rough, handheld camcorder footage of the brothers and their experiences traveling the country and living out of a van. [3] [4]

Their interview subjects include Ezekiel Dobson, a 19-year-old who broke a birding record with 758 species in 2024, and Tammy and David McQuade, who recorded 700+ species in multiple consecutive years. The documentary covers previous controversies and debates in the birding community, including the playback of recorded bird calls and the increasing gamification of birding through the eBird app. [3] The Reisers ended their Big Year with 579 birds, having covered 38,757 miles in their route around the US. [2]

Release

The film was released on YouTube on August 19, 2025, reaching over 1.3 million views within a month. The Reisers received offers from Netflix, HBO, and Amazon to distribute the film, but turned them down. [2]

Reception

Writing for Slate, birder Nicholas Lund called it "the most talked-about birding movie in ages" and compared the film's style to the gonzo journalism of Hunter S. Thompson and internet creator Andrew Callaghan. [1] Tyler Austin Harper of The Atlantic praised the wildlife photography and called it "one of the funniest documentaries I’ve seen in some time." Harper also stated that beneath the film's "stoner" facade, it contained a serious message about the negative impacts of social apps like eBird on hobbyists. [3] Yahoo Entertainment also praised the bird footage and editing. [4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Lund, Nicholas (15 September 2025). "The Hilarious New Documentary About Extreme Birdwatching That's Winning Over Even Non-Birders". Slate. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Woodbury, Emily (6 October 2025). "A smoke sesh inspired Collinsville brothers' hit documentary on competitive birdwatching". St Louis Public Radio. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Austin Harper, Tyler (20 October 2025). "The Unexpected Profundity of a Movie About Bird-Watching". The Atlantic. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  4. 1 2 Elliot, M.T. (23 September 2025). "Watch: 'Extreme Birdwatching' Documentary Is Can't-Miss Fun, Even If You Don't Own Binoculars". Yahoo. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
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