If you call the offices of Bird Watcher’s Digest in Marietta, Ohio, to ask when your subscription expires or to get advice on taking a bird trip, a real person answers the phone.

Bird Watcher’s Digest is produced by the Thompson clan, shown from left to right: Bill Thompson III, Elsa Thompson, Bill Thompson II, Laura Thompson Fulton and Andy Thompson.

And as often as not, the warm voice on the other end belongs to Elsa Thompson, one of the magazine’s founders.

It’s just this kind of personal touch and attention to readers’ interests that have made the little magazine such a success story among birders and backyard nature enthusiasts for decades.

Bird Watcher’s Digest is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, a real milestone in the up-and-down world of magazine publishing.

When Elsa Thompson and Bill Thompson II began publishing out of their home back in 1978 there were not any general-interest magazines for the birding community. Today there are dozens.

Starting out with little more than an interest in birds and an enthusiasm for the magazine business, the couple slowly built an audience.

Bird Watcher’s Digest initially was a digest, filled with reprints of articles that had been published elsewhere. Writers and photographers quickly took notice of the new kid on the block and the magazine soon began featuring all-original material. Roger Tory Peterson was an early fan, providing welcome critiques and encouragement, and he soon became a regular columnist.

“We’re a magazine for readers,” Elsa Thompson says, pointing out Bird Watcher’s Digest’s emphasis on strong writing supported by photos and illustrations.

Several other things make this little magazine unique in the now-burgeoning field of bird publishing. One is its small size, designed to be tucked into a pocket or purse, or even a field satchel.

Another is the consistent cover art, featuring a bird painting by an accomplished artist each issue.

And then there is the way the magazine is bound like a book, making it easy to stand up on a bookshelf.

I know people who’ve kept their copies for decades and consult them frequently.

There’s something for everyone in each issue: features on particular bird species, articles that pinpoint identifications, great places to travel to see birds, landscaping to attract birds, book reviews and ratings of equipment.

There are regular columns by some of the field’s icons, including Kenn Kaufman and David M. Bird. Thompson family members contribute, as well, including Julie Zickefoose, writer, artist, NPR commentator and popular blogger (juliezickefoose.com).

Zickefoose is married to Bill Thompson III, the magazine’s editor and a blogger himself (billofthebirds.blogspot.com).

The magazine is for writers, too, attracting the best in the field.

"As one of the authors whose work was included in early issues of Bird Watcher’s Digest, I’ve watched the growth of this remarkable magazine with especially keen interest,' author and naturalist Scott Weidensaul says.

"What Bill and Elsa Thompson started in 1978 — and what Bill III and Andy Thompson have nurtured BWD into — has been incredibly good for birding, especially for those with a new-found love of birds.”

That brings up something else unique about the magazine: It’s a real family enterprise. While Bill Thompson II has retired, Elsa is still very active. Their son Andrew Thompson is the publisher. Daughter Laura Thompson Fulton is circulation director.

Bill Thompson III may be the family member most interested in birds and in keeping the business poised on the cutting edge of technology. BWD publishes books, newsletters, e-newsletters, state-by-state bird watching guides, a booklet series and maintains a strong Web presence.

Thompson III was recently recognized with a coveted American Birding Association Robert Ridgeway Distinguished Service Award.

The magazine’s reach has grown a great deal from its early days, but one thing will never change.

"It’s been very rewarding," Elsa Thompson says. 'And we’ve always tried to keep that direct and personal touch with our subscribers.'