Hear them sing!

Feel at peace as you head outside on this holiday, which focuses on observing birds in their habitat. And simply hearing the birds sing can soothe stress, according to a study conducted by the National Trust organization in the U.K. When they asked 600 volunteers to listen to birdsong and other woodland sounds for 1 minute, they reported feeling 30% more relaxed than they did when listening to silence or a meditation app.

Take it to the next level! To identify the birds you see or hear, download the Smart Bird ID app (free for Android and iphone).