Top 13 Benefits Of Birdwatching: How Birds Have The Ability To Lift Us Up

Whenever you feel stressed, most people will tell you to get out, get some fresh air, and experience a change of scenery. But did anyone ask you to look up at the sky or around you to watch birds? Keep reading to learn the benefits of bird watching…

I’m sure a few people did. 

Bird watching may not be a hobby that everyone can indulge in. But it’s undoubtedly one hobby that changed my life. It made me feel healthier, happier, less stressed, and just overall better. So, even if it’s something that most people may find strange, let me tell you now that birds have a certain ability to lift your spirit. 

How? 

Well, that’s exactly what I’m going to share with you in this article. 

I’m sharing 13 benefits on how bird watching helped improve my overall well-being, especially on days when I’m stressed.

So, if you’re interested, let’s dive into the article… 

1. Get Closer To Nature

One thing I love about bird watching is that it gets me closer to nature. It helps make me appreciate what nature has to offer, like the trees that give us oxygen, the sun as a great source of Vitamin D, the warm breath of fresh air, and a lot more. 

By simply being with nature, you get to improve your overall well-being, and many studies have already proved this. 

Our outside environment can affect us more than we think, and viewing or being with something as pleasant as nature can bring great positivity. Therefore it helps heal any negativity in you, soothes you from any pain, restores your balance, and connects you with something greater than yourself. 

So, if you need an excuse to be part of nature, bird watching is a great way to go. 

2. Keeps your Mind Active and Healthy

Bird watching can also keep your mind active and healthy. 

One part of this hobby is identifying birds. So, every time you try to remember what bird species is right in front of you, you get to exercise your brain. This helps a lot in strengthening your memory and might even prevent dementia. 

Apart from memory, bird watching can also improve mental alertness. 

You are aware that a bird can come and go in a blink. So, you really need to stay alert, which makes your mind work on different levels to make sure that you can sense if a bird is nearby. 

In other words, it keeps your mind engaged, which can help you with a lot of things in the real world. 

3. Improves Physical Fitness

Besides your mind, bird watching can also help your body stay fit and healthy. 

Hiking is always a great form of exercise for the whole body, which is something you’d need to do when birding (and it is one of the great benefits of bird watching). If you don’t want to hike in the mountains, you can simply walk to a nearby park to see the birds, and that’s already great exercise. If you’re just at home, changing bird feeders can also be an exercise.

In other words, when you’re bird watching, you get to keep your body active and moving. So, all your muscles are exercised, thus helping you become stronger. 

4. Great Cardio

Another thing I love about bird watching is that it’s a great cardio exercise. 

I know what you’re thinking, how is that so? From the term “bird watching” itself, it doesn’t seem like your body is doing a lot when you’re observing birds. However, this activity offers a lot more exercise than you think. 

If you make bird watching a hobby, you’ll want to watch birds more than just outside your window. 

You’ll want to visit bird-watching destinations and see other bird species that you can’t find in your backyard. Another reason is that you’d want to catch birds in their natural habitats. 

Most bird-watching destinations would require you to hike and walk many miles just to find a specific bird species. You might need to go deep into woodlands or forests or high up in the mountains. 

Yes, it’s tiring, but it helps improve your cardiovascular health. It can even strengthen your joint conditions and your balance. 

5. Quickens Your Reflexes

Next, bird watching can also help improve your reflexes. 

While waiting for a specific bird to come, you need to be ready at any time. You don’t just stand there looking relaxed; you make sure that you’re aware of your surroundings. You are always ready to grab your birding scope, binoculars, or camera to capture your target birds.

And let’s admit it, quicker reflexes will not only benefit us in bird watching but also in our day-to-day life. 

6. Improves Your Patience

If you’re an impatient person, then bird watching might not be for you. 

Although it sounds simple, bird watching actually requires a lot of research. You’ll want to study these different bird species, how to identify them, and where they can be found. 

If you have a bird that you’d want to see and they don’t visit the backyard, you will want to travel for hours to see it. And even after you get there and set up your equipment, it will take hours before you’ll see that bird species. 

This is a hobby where you’re not in control of the situation. So, you actually have no choice but to wait for that bird to come or pass by. 

If you don’t want to set up equipment and wait, you’ll have to walk miles and look around, hoping to get a sight of your target. And even if you do that, it will still take hours. 

The first weeks that I was bird watching, I was frustrated a couple of times. But as weeks or months passed, my patience did improve. I learned to be happy and stay calm, waiting to see my target bird. 

So, if you wish to improve your impatient behavior, this is a hobby you can certainly try. 

7. Makes You Learn Acceptance

As I mentioned earlier, bird watching is a hobby where you can’t control the situation, and that’s why you get to learn acceptance. 

There will be times when you would travel for miles only to not find the bird you want to see. You can wait for hours, and you’ll miss capturing the perfect moment the bird passes by. There are also cases where you’ll be met with bad weather and other forms of bad luck that will postpone your birding trip. 

These situations are frustrating. But this is where the learning comes in. You get to accept that not everything will turn out the way you want it to be. 

8. Helps Reduce Stress

Another great thing I love about bird watching is that it helps reduce stress levels. 

The very fact that you get to go out and connect with nature is already a great step in releasing stress. And because the activity helps improve your mental and physical health, you’ve got lesser things to worry about, too. 

There are also many birders, including me, who see bird watching as a form of meditation. 

As you know, nature is a quiet place. The only things you’ll hear are the birds singing, the rustle of the leaves, your footsteps, and other soothing sounds. These all help improve your breathing and focus, which are two things required when you’re meditating.

9. It Gives You Perspective

When you’re bird watching, you will expect to see a lot of things. 

• Birds building their nest
• Young birds trying to learn how to fly
• Birds flying freely in the air
• Birds singing
• Birds foraging on the ground

And a whole lot more. 

Seeing these things in nature can remind you of something in your life. Perhaps it can tell you that birds may not be different from us when it comes to doing everything they can to survive. 

These mini-events you see may have substantial implications in our every day. And these may help give certain situations around you more perspective. 

10. Allows You To Become A Part of a Community

I also love how bird watching allows you to become a part of a community. 

When I first started bird watching, I really thought very few people would be interested in it. But soon, you get to meet very interesting people. And these people aren’t just people you meet and then forget; they become part of you. 

On top of that, if you’re sharing pictures of birds online, you’ll be gathering people with the same interest. And before you realize it, you all become one community. 

If you’re new to birding, you might start going on trips alone. But trust me, even if you go alone, you’ll get to know some friends. 

11. It’s A Great Family Bonding

I also love how bird watching is an activity for all ages. 

No matter how young or old you are, you can enjoy watching birds. And this can be a great family bonding. 

You can bring your kids to hike with you and teach them everything you know about birds. Share with them some facts and watch their interest grow. On top of that, you get to teach your kids patience and acceptance, too. 

12. It’s A Good Excuse to Travel

Do you love traveling but don’t have a good excuse? Then maybe bird watching is for you. 

Whether you’re feeling bored at home or just want to destress, you can easily schedule a trip to the nearest bird-watching destination and relax. The best part is, you get to see different places, which is sometimes the only thing you’d need if you’re feeling a bit down.

13. Makes You a Better Person

Lastly, bird watching helps you become a better person overall. 

Try to imagine the results of keeping your mind and body fit, reducing your stress, improving your patience, and being more accepting. Don’t you feel like you’re becoming a happier person? 

You’ll be carrying positivity everywhere. You don’t get angry or irritated easily, making it easier to connect with people, reach out, and live harmoniously every day. 

Final Thoughts About the Benefits of Bird Watching

And those are the 13 benefits of bird watching. 

As you can see, bird watching is more than just an activity. It can really change your life. And a lot of birders would certainly agree. 

So, if you’re stressed out, try to look outside your window and catch a glimpse of a bird. Observe the bird and try to understand how you feel. If it makes you feel better, then perhaps this is something you should try. 

Start by researching birds found in your neighborhood. Know how to identify them and perhaps start arranging your backyard in a way that would attract those birds. This will be a great start if you’re a beginner. 

And if you want to go to the higher level, feel free to travel to many bird-watching destinations to see bird species outside your area.