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AIPROPX ReportFortune · 3h ago
Sit back and watch the birds—your health will thank you, data shows
If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in a rut while cooped up all day at a nine-to-five job, or just felt stressed about work, school or life in general, you’re not alone. Hearing “just go outside” might sound like trivial advice, but researchers have been investigating a new, unconventional strategy to boost mental health: Seeking the company of wild birds.
You’ve probably heard them singing or noticed them flitting through the canopy, but if you’re not deliberately paying attention to their presence, they can fade into the background. A growing body of research suggests that keeping a watchful eye or attentive ear out for birds can help people from all walks of life feel more calm, present and refreshed.
Birding , the practice of observing birds in their natural habitat and also known as bird-watching, has experienced a renaissance in recent years. Birding exploded in popularity during the pandemic , and you may have even seen it popping up on your social media feeds. Newcomers to the practice discovered something seasoned birders have always known: Simply paying attention to birds can be surprisingly rewarding .
There is a wealth of data demonstrating that spending time in nature leads to health improvements. For example, reviews of scientific research have cited consistent evidence for nature’s important role in supporting health and well-being.
An increasing body of research, which my colleagues and I reviewed in 2024 , also suggests that interactions with birds may play an especially important role in well-being. Encounters with birds may improve mood, reduce stress, restore attention, strengthen social connections and even encourage people to care more about the environment.
Birding Rx
Birding seems to perform a special psychological function beyond the capabilities of other outdoor activities. For example, one recent study demonstrated that a walk to see birds was more likely to increase well-being and reduce distress than going on a nature walk alone or a control condition of just keeping the status quo.
My lab at Morehouse College, where I am an assistant professor of psychology , has recently replicated and presented these findings at various conferences, including the annual convention for the American Psychological Association . We measured mindfulness behaviors in a group of undergraduate students both before and after either going on a bird walk, a nature walk, or watching a nature documentary. These mindfulness behaviors included feeling connected to the present moment, noticing the emotions or sensations in one’s body, or having moments of feeling alert and aware. Mindfulness practices have a positive effect on mental health, and these can prove especially helpful if you’re in your 20s or 30s .
We discovered that a bird walk led to more substantial increases in a participant’s mindfulness when compared to the other nature activities. These results suggest that there may be something unique to paying attention to birds that makes people more likely to be aware, engaged and present.
Birding engages multiple senses, and you don’t even have to spot a bird to reap the rewards associated with birding. Experimental data suggests that just listening to birdsong can improve mental health. In other words, there is no one-size-fits-all bird experience when it comes to associated health benefits.
Bird-brained
Birders learn to identify species through careful observation of field marks – for example, a bird’s unique plumage, size and shape – as well as a bird’s behaviors, vocalizations and surrounding habitat. Species identification allows birders to practice their attention, memory, pattern recognition and decision-making skills, all of which support healthy cognitive functioning.
Some studies have linked birding with increased memory function and attention . Brain imaging research has also indicated that experienced birders are more likely to demonstrate stronger activity in brain regions involved in visual processing, working memory and object identification.
It is still an open question whether birding actually causes these changes, or whether people with these abilities are naturally drawn to birding. However, the findings suggest a relationship between birding and brain health that merits further exploration.
These results have prompted some researchers – myself included – to investigate birding as a potential low-cost intervention for mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, diagnoses that have substantially increased in younger generations. Given the promising data for brain health noted above, birding might also prove helpful for cognitive conditions involving attention and memory, ranging from ADHD to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Hence, a forthcoming prescription for birding might not be so far-fetched.
If so, birding as a mental health intervention could mimic other nature-based prescription initiatives, such as those from the National Park Service and other health providers .
Flocking together
Although birding can be a pleasurable solitary hobby, it also builds communities. Many birders belong to local chapters of the National Audubon Society , which represents one of the most prominent organizations in the U.S. dedicated to the conservation of and education about birds and their habitat. Similarly, many birders enjoy participating in bird walks or other bird-related activities in groups.
Furthermore, millions of volunteers contribute observations through citizen-science projects such as eBird and Project FeederWatch , from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, generating data that helps scientists monitor bird populations across the globe and helps birders connect with one another. These projects allow anyone, ranging from experienced birders to curious be...
SitHearingSeekingYou’veBirdingBirding NewcomersSimplyThereEncountersMorehouse CollegeAmerican Psychological Association
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