How a spot of birdwatching can cure depression

STUDYING blue tits, robins and blackbirds in your garden could help beat the blues, a university study has revealed.

Scientists have found that people in neighbourhoods with more birds, shrubs and trees are less likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and stress.

Those who spent less time out of doors than usual were more likely to report they were anxious or depressed.

The study by Exeter University, the British Trust for Ornithology and the University of Queensland, suggests that “twitching” could help tackle the mental pressures of modern life.

Study leader Dr Daniel Cox, of Exeter University, said: “Birds around the home, and nature in general, show great promise in preventative health care, making cities happier places to live.”

The research, published in the journal Bioscience, found that all that matters is seeing a good number of birds rather than a wide variety of species.

Dr Cox surveyed mental health in more than 270 people of different ages, incomes and ethnicities in Milton Keynes, Bedford and Luton.

He found that lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress were associated with the number of birds people could see in the afternoon.

Dr Ieuan Evans, of the BTO, said: “It may be because birdwatching distracts us from our everyday worries.”