Birding or birdwatching is a hobby concerned with the observation and study of birds (the study proper is termed ornithology). The term "birding" is of American origin; "birdwatching" is (or more correctly, was) the commonly used word in the United Kingdom and Ireland and by non-birders in the United States. Since visual observation is routinely complemented with auditory observation, the term "birding" is more accurate, and is growing in usage, particularly among devotees of the hobby.