Name That Bird
Birdwatching improves mood and health
Gardeners agree that time spent in their garden pruning, weeding and admiring their plants really does make them feel more relaxed and happier. Recent studies have identified another outdoor hobby that offers stress relief and mental health benefits – birdwatching. Before you laugh, let me offer a few statistics that confirm this.
A 2022 study in Scientific Reports had 1,300 people with smartphones log their mood several times a day and note whether they could see or hear birds at the time they posted. Whether hearing a bird chirp or watching a dove hop along a branch, participants noted an improvement in their feelings if they saw or heard a bird.
A 2020 study published in Ecological Economics looked at 26,000 adults living in areas where there were trees and shrubs offering habitat for birds. The participants in the study recorded their feelings after seeing one bird or more than one bird. The participants recorded an increased feeling of happiness as the number of birds viewed increased.
The great thing about birdwatching is you can do it anywhere and anytime you wish. It is a fun hobby for persons with limited mobility. As long as a person has a window overlooking a spot where birds visit, they can birdwatch. Add a bird feeder and bird bath to your yard, then sit back to see how many feathered friends flit by. To prevent disease, clean the bird bath regularly and keep fresh seeds in the feeder.
Along with birdwatching from your home or backyard, actively getting out in nature and walking an area to see and record birds helps improve your physical health. Many times, a 15-minute birdwatching walk turns into an hour as you are drawn further and further along a trail hoping to see just one more bird to log on your ebird app. Birdwatchers slowly walk an area searching for birds. Their slow, deliberate movements work the muscles in their legs, which strengthens them. The more you walk, the more your body benefits.
Interestingly, during covid lockdowns, birdwatching increased significantly. It was a way people could spend time outdoors enjoying nature. People discovered this new hobby lightened their depression and anxiety caused by the pandemic, and they enjoyed learning more about birds they saw.
It has been noted that since COVID-19, membership in social organizations has decreased dramatically, and people are more reluctant to leave their homes to participate in social activities.
Birdwatching is perfect for those who are no longer comfortable being in groups, since they can grab their binoculars and head for the nearest park to birdwatch alone.
Birdwatching is also a great hobby for families to enjoy. A friendly competition to see who spots the most birds is always fun. Identifying birds and learning about their habits is a good opportunity to get children interested in nature and being outdoors. Our West and East Wetlands Parks are easy to walk and have many bird species to identify.
All it takes to birdwatch is a pair of 8x42 binoculars and an app or bird book to help you identify birds and record your sightings. Merlin Bird ID (birdcount. org/merlin-bird-id-app) is a popular free app created by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It allows you to record
a bird’s song on your smartphone, and the app will identify the bird.
ebird mobile app (birdcount. org/e-bird-on-computer) is free and lets you record the number of birds sighted and their species each time you birdwatch. You can download other apps, such as Audubon Birds, ipro, Peterson Birds or Sibley’s eguide to Birds.
If you prefer a bird book, National Geographic’s “Field Guide to the Birds of North America”, Peterson’s “Guide to Western Birds” or Sibley’s folding pocketbook “Backyard Birds of the Desert Southwest” are handy.
Many birders carry a camera to photograph their sightings and later identify any unknown birds in their photos. It is also fun to share and compare bird photographs with other birders. Yuma Birders and Yuma Nature
Photography are Facebook pages with lots of beautiful photos taken by local birdwatchers.
“If you are stumped as to the name of a bird, Yuma Audubon Society is very helpful,” said Banook Rodarte, local birdwatcher and photographer. “I find birdwatching to be very relaxing because you must focus your attention on looking for birds and photographing them. I learn something new each time
I go out.”
The best time to birdwatch is whenever you feel like being outdoors to enjoy a breath of fresh air and sunshine. Die-hard birders will get up at the crack of dawn to begin watching, but you can see birds throughout the day in Yuma during our cool months and early mornings during our hot months.
“The largest number of birds in Yuma occurs during spring
and fall migrations,” said Nancy Meister, Yuma Audubon Society president. “In cool months, as many as 50 different species can be seen. That number drops to around twelve species during our hot summer months when many birds migrate to cooler climates.”
“I recommend birdwatching at West and East Wetlands or Cibola Wildlife Refuge. They are easy to get to and have plenty of birds,” said Rodarte.
If you would like to learn more about birdwatching, attend a meeting of Yuma Audubon Society. Meetings are usually held the second Tuesday of the month, 3 p.m., at Arizona Game and Fish, corner of Avenue 9E and 28th Street. For more information, email yapresident@ yahoo.com. A birdwatching fieldtrip is planned for March 11 to Dateland and Agua Caliente Fish Farm, 7 a.m., meet at Starbucks in the Foothills, 11211 E. Commercial Centre Loop.
“We invite the public to join us each Wednesday, 9 a.m., at the East Wetlands parking lot below the Territorial Prison near Riverside Park. We take our binoculars and walk the area to see what birds are out and about,” said Meister.
Bird watching is one of the fastest-growing hobbies in the United States. Perhaps this is the year you add birdwatching to your list of hobbies.
Happy gardening.