Birding - Science Backed Health Benefits of Watching Wild Birds

Birding meaning: observation of wild birds doing their thing in nature.

In two of my previous videos, I have mentioned that there are scientifically proven health benefits to birding (also known as birdwatching, though there is slight difference between the two). The two videos are:

Feeding Fat Balls to Tits and Sparrows in Winter
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nophoneman/oabtmfhd

Woodpeckers - Compilation of Videos + Droppings Reveal Nesting Location
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nophoneman/uulptvfi

In this video I put the money where my mouth is and go over the research papers which looked at the health benefits of Birding.

Cited studies:

Doses of Neighborhood Nature: The Benefits for Mental Health of Living with Nature
https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/67/2/147/2900179

The importance of species diversity for human well-being in Europe
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800920322084

Bird sounds and their contributions to perceived attention restoration and stress recovery
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494413000650

A Review of the Benefits of Nature Experiences: More Than Meets the Eye
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5580568/

Materia Non Medica
https://www.bmj.com/content/2/6185/324

The video contains 18 minutes of wild birds, including colorful tits feeding on sunflower seeds at my birdhouse, and woodpeckers chiseling on trees in the woods. That’s plenty to get you started on your quest to enjoy the health benefits of birding.

Granted, nothing beats going into nature and observing live birds while also breathing the fresh forest air and absorbing the healing energy of the woods. Plus, as is outlined in one of the cited studies, Phytoncides offer antimicrobial health benefits, however those can only be had while in the presence of plants and trees.

But if you’re not in a position to go out into the woods, watching video of wild birds is the second best thing. In this video you can have both - learn some science backed facts and at the same time, get the relaxing meditative health benefits by watching wild birds. The phrase “you can kill two birds with one stone” comes to mind, but somehow, given the topic of this video, it seems strangely inappropriate :/

It is my sincere hope that you will find this video helpful and benefit in some way from the images of the wildlife. All the videos were recorded by me and are exclusively provided for your benefits in this compilation.

Do however keep in mind that I am not a doctor, a scientist, a psychologist or your mother. I am not an expert on anything and have never claimed to be. Please always do your own research and if you need an expert advice, do consult an expert. You can get more information in my medical disclaimer:

https://www.nophoneman.com/medical-disclaimer/

I’ll conclude the post with the quote by the biologist Luis Enrique Morales, director of the Bird Observatory of San Pancho (Observatorio de Aves de San Pancho), in the Bahía Banderas region, Nayarit, Mexico.

"Having a contact with nature [can bring] social level benefits such as the reduction of respiratory and mental diseases; and also other ecological benefits, such as: environmental services, which are essential assets for the health and well-being of human beings.

The act of observing the birds and having to make a coordination effort between our eyes and body to maintain balance, allows us to use both hemispheres of the brain, as well as waking up the acuteness of the senses, that is, to pay more attention to what we hear against what we observe, use our eye muscles in a more regular way, [...] give a good use to our senses."

00:00 Songbird in Slow Motion (GoPro)
00:40 Birdwatching reduces anxiety, depression and stress
01:28 More bird species around you make you happier
02:15 Birding for attention restoration and stress recovery
02:49 Review paper of multiple health benefits
03:51 Indirect viewing of nature works too (through images or windows)
04:32 Phytoncides – plants emitting antimicrobial
05:02 Shinrin-yoku – Forest bathing
05:21 Materia Non Medica
05:46 Birdwatching may prevent suicides (1979 study suggests)
06:45 Ornitherapy
07:48 Relax by watching my wild birds
08:29 Coal tit (Periparus ater)
08:50 Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
09:07 Great tit (Parus major)
10:34 Different angle of tits feeding on sunflower seeds
11:42 Tits perched on trees
13:48 Compilation of songbirds flying to the birdhouse
15:58 Woodpecker chiseling a coniferous tree
16:29 Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
17:36 Bonus: Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

Keep rocking :o)

Mark
https://www.nophoneman.com/