Spending time and energy finding and observing birds is great for your physical, mental, and emotional health. Sure, you’ll be in great shape if you are literally running around chasing birds, but you don’t have to be that intense to get the health benefits of birding.

Looking for birds gets you outside in the fresh air and gets you moving. Even just pottering around at an easy pace is far better for your health than watching Netflix on your couch or sitting at a desk for hours.

You might even end up hiking to somewhat remote areas or at least walking for miles to find interesting birds. Some of the most rewarding birding experiences are those that you work the hardest for.

By becoming a birdwatcher, you are stimulating your brain in healthy ways. You must hone your senses and learn to observe little details. You’ll come to remember the names and habitats of many species. All of this gets keeps your neurons firing and helps form new neural connections in your brain. Birding is perfect for those of us who are lifelong learners.

Your emotional well-being can benefit from birdwatching as well. Birding can be a very fun social activity (see below), but even if you do it alone, you can gain happiness from the gradual accumulation of experiences, knowledge, and species on your ‘Life List’ (should you choose to keep one). Research has shown that cumulative activities like birding can bring us a lot of satisfaction and pleasure.