Birding is good for your health

For those of us who enjoy birds and spending time in nature, we already know that birdwatching can be fun, fascinating and educational. The first sight of a new species is exciting, as is watching a pair of birds build a nest, raise their young or return to our yards year after year. Many birds make remarkable migrations, traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles twice a year. They navigate, communicate, find food, choose mates and raise families, often in ways we are only beginning to understand. There is seemingly no end to what we can learn about the lives of birds and the ecosystems they inhabit. But it turns out that birds may be doing something for us, too. A growing body of research suggests that watching, listening to and learning about birds can benefit us physically, mentally and emotionally. Birdwatching can get us moving, reduce stress and anxiety, improve our mood, exercise our brains, connect us with other people and even provide a greater sense of meaning and purpose. Recent studies are beginning to offer objective, measurable evidence to support an abundance of subjective and anecdotal observations. There are perhaps six areas where birdwatching and time in nature can contribute to our health and well-being: physical health, mental health, emotional well-being, cognitive health, social interaction and meaning and purpose. Our physical health considers how the body functions, including blood pressure, heart health, immune function and cortisol levels. Many of these are measurable, and researchers have found that even a short break in nature can help relieve stress. In a 2019 study published in Frontiers in Psychology, researchers asked 36 people to spend at least 10 minutes in nature three days a week for eight weeks. Levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, were measured using saliva samples taken before and after some of the nature outings. Researchers found that nature experiences were associated with lower cortisol levels, with the greatest benefit occurring between 20 and 30 minutes. In an increasingly difficult and complicated world, mental health has become an important focus. Mental health includes disorders and symptoms that affect our psychological functioning, including depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. In a 2024 study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, more than 100 participants at North Carolina State University were assigned to birdwatching, nature walking or a control group that continued its normal activities. Those in the birdwatching group took a series of 30-minute walks and used the Merlin Bird ID app to help identify birds. The birdwatchers showed greater gains in subjective well-being and reductions in psychological distress than the other groups. In a separate German study published in Scientific Reports, 295 people listened to six minutes of either birdsong or traffic noise and were evaluated before and after. Listening to birdsong was associated with reduced anxiety and paranoia, while traffic noise was associated with increased symptoms of depression. Closely related is our emotional well-being, which can be defined as how we feel day to day, even when no mental illness is present. This can include our stress levels, mood, calmness and happiness. A recent study at the University of Tübingen in Germany examined people before and after a roughly 30-minute walk through a botanical garden. Participants generally reported improved mental well-being after the walk, including feeling more refreshed, calm and peaceful. Researchers also measured physiological indicators such as heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol and found evidence of reduced physical stress. Participants who were directed to pay particular attention to birdsong reported additional benefits related to well-being and their experience of nature. The evidence for nature's mental health benefits extends beyond individual studies. In 2025, researchers writing in Nature Cities reviewed 449 peer-reviewed studies and conducted a meta-analysis of 78 field experiments examining 12 mental health outcomes. They concluded that exposure to urban nature provided significant benefits across a broad range of mental health measures, with forests and parks particularly associated with reducing negative moods such as depression and anxiety and improving overall well-being. Of increasing importance in our current world — and something many of us want to focus on as we age — is cognitive health. This includes cognitive abilities such as memory, thinking, reasoning, concentration and language, as well as concerns about neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and other causes of dementia. Other aspects of brain health include creativity, mental fatigue and restoration. A fascinating new study suggests that birding expertise may be associated with differences in the brain itself. Researchers studied 58 adults across a wide age range, half of whom were expert bird identifiers and half novices. Participants underwent diffusion-weighted MRI to examine brain structure, as well as functional MRI while performing bird-identification tasks. Compared with novices, expert birders showed structural differences in areas of the brain involved in attention and visual perception. The study raises intriguing questions about lifelong learning, expertise and maintaining cognitive function as we age. Another area of cognitive health involves the restorative benefits of nature. A PBS segment, "How Nature Affects Your Brain," from "America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston," explored research examining how time outdoors may help restore attention and reduce mental fatigue. Social well-being is about our connections to other people and our communities. It includes things such as loneliness, belonging, friendships and social support. Organizations like Black River Audubon have been around for more than half a century not only to advocate and educate about birds and nature, but also to offer a social setting for people who enjoy them. The social aspect of an organization can offer a sense of belonging and create friendships that last a lifetime. It provides a place to both share experiences in nature and take memorable trips to birding locations around the world. Finally, there is meaning and purpose — a sense that our lives have direction and a connection to something larger than ourselves. It can provide perspective, wonder and an opportunity to contribute. I am not alone in thinking that we humans have, in many respects, lost our way — separating and distancing ourselves not only from our evolutionary and cultural history, but also from the natural and ecological world around us. Nature can help us see the bigger picture, putting daily worries into perspective and helping us focus on what matters. And a deeper connection with nature can motivate us to care for and protect the places and wildlife we have come to love. More research is needed in many of these areas. Much of the existing research examines spending time in nature generally, and more studies are needed to determine which benefits are associated specifically with birds and birdwatching. Of course, I'm a little biased, but all things considered, birdwatching may just be the perfect hobby. It can be fun, rewarding and challenging, while benefiting us physically, mentally, emotionally, cognitively and socially. And for many people, it can provide something harder to measure — a sense of meaning, purpose and connection to the world around us. And perhaps best of all, birdwatching can be whatever we want it to be. It can cost almost nothing, requiring little more than a comfortable view of the trees in your backyard. Or it can become a lifelong passion that takes you to some of the most remarkable places around the world. Field trip A presentation based on this column, "Why Birds Matter More Than We Think: Health, Happiness, and the Human Connection to Nature" is available to libraries, social clubs and other organizations. Black River Audubon's monthly trip is Oct. 17 from 9-11 a.m. at Wyandot Wetlands Meadow Preserve, 5401 Cleveland Road West in Huron. The November program is Nov. 3 from 7-9 p.m. at the Carlisle Reservation Visitor Center — Nest Quest: Exploring Avian Nests & Cavities with Judy Semroc. Rob Swindell is executive director of the Black River Audubon Society. Contact him at robswindell@yahoo.com.