5 Reasons To Start Birding!
Global Big Day and World Migratory Bird Day are coming up. Why get involved in the birding community?
On Saturday, May 13, 2023, I will be among the thousands of people flocking to fields, forests, wetlands, and even backyards in search of feathered friends. Why? It’s World Migratory Bird Day and Global Big Day, a worldwide celebration of birds and birdwatching (also called birding).
Depending on your experience with birdwatchers, you may think of them as “cuckoo” or “bird nerds.” Why do people spend their lives chasing birds? But there are a lot of good reasons to start birding. It may even change your life.
1. It’s an accessible activity.
If you stepped outside today, drove in a car, or looked out a window, chances are, you saw or heard a bird. Birding is not limited to specific times or places, because birds are everywhere you go, in every season: from summer to winter, the downtown to the beach. You don’t even have to leave your home: programs like FeederWatch and the Great Backyard Bird Count encourage watching birds from a stationary place, like a window or porch.
Yes, you can “birdwatch,” but listening to bird songs and calls is equally acceptable under the branch of “birding.” And with the help of apps like Merlin Bird ID, bird guides, and websites, there are plenty of resources to help you get started no matter your knowledge of birds.
2. It’s good for you!
There has been lots of research on the benefits of birding and how it can improve physical, social, and mental health. It keeps your brain active and body active, engages your senses, helps you develop focus, reduces stress, and connects you with friends and a community of bird-lovers. The list goes on and on, but because I’m not a scientist, I’ll let you read some sources for yourself:
https://time.com/6231886/birdwatching-mental-health/
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/12/health/sw-birding-for-health/index.html
https://www.audubon.org/magazine/winter-2019/birding-benefits-how-nature-improves-our-mental
3. It helps you find community.
You may be surprised that the birdwatching world does not match its stereotype of retirees and scientists. In reality, it’s a world as vibrant and diverse as birds themselves. There are birders everywhere you go, from every age and stage of life: birdfeeder owners, photographers, gardeners, artists, teachers, business owners, students….
Bird festivals located worldwide are fun ways to meet new people and learn together, and joining a local bird or nature club can help you find new friends with similar interests and build lasting relationships.
4. It helps science.
By birding, you gain a better appreciation of and understanding of the natural world and help you learn how to better care for the hearth.
In addition, you can participate in programs like eBird and iNaturalist, which collect data based on the sightings reported by citizen scientists. Yes, your hobby can be part of scientific research!
5. It’s fun!
I’ve heard people compare birding to Pokémon. I’ve never played any Pokémon game, but the comparison is fair.
Many birders keep a “life list” of all the species they’ve seen in their lives (and eBird will keep lists for days, months, and years for different locations). It’s thrilling to see something new or to find a species in an unexpected place, and trying to beat your personal records becomes unexpectedly competitive. There are even birdwatching competitions like the World Series of Birding!
I could write much more, but I’ll stop the list for now. What would you add to it?
For more information on Global Big Day and how you can get involved, visit https://ebird.org/news/global-big-day-2023.
Happy birding!