There have been other discussions about the potentially adverse effects on birds of increased birding. A rare or vagrant bird shows up in an area, and the birding online social network quickly spreads the word. Next thing you know, the area is swarmed by life listers and others who are more concerned with getting their photo than with the stress the bird experiences from so many people seeking it out. I cringe a little when I see someone here on the Forums say “It doesn’t count if I didn’t get a photograph,” or words to that effect.
The flip side of that is that organisms which humans find to be charismatic face higher rates of poaching.