Turns out, a few minutes with your backyard birds can do more for your mood than you think.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to step outside and tune in. Birdwatching and birdsong aren’t just nice background noise—they can actually help support your mental wellbeing. Yep, science says those chirps and flutters may help reduce anxiety and depression. Pretty cool, right?

A recent study from North Carolina State University, published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, found that people who participated in birdwatching reported significantly higher levels of well-being and lower psychological distress than those who simply took standard nature walks.

An earlier study by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience King’s College London found that people who could hear or see birds showed improvements in mental health in both healthy people and those with depression.

In the United Kingdom, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) teamed up with healthcare professionals to offer Nature Prescriptions beginning in 2018. The goal of this combined effort was to improve patients’ health and wellbeing through a connection with nature. Since then, more than 1,000 healthcare providers have received training, and more than 10,000 Nature Prescription Booklets have been shared. Booklets include prompts such as listening to birdsong from the comfort of your home, watching the clouds drift by, or looking at the intricacy of a leaf. According to the RSPB website, 74% of patients with Nature Prescriptions say they have benefited from the prescription and 91% of healthcare professionals said they will continue to “prescribe” them.Some of the Nature Prescription Booklet prompts are things you can easily do from home in your comfy clothes. You can hang a bird feeder in your backyard and experience the benefits of birdwatching and birdsong every day. Add a birdbath to attract even more birds (and be even more entertained). If you don’t have a backyard, go to a local park and see what feathered beauties are singing from the treetops or foraging for a snack.

Holly Merker, a birder and art therapist, experienced the therapeutic benefits of birdsong when she faced her own personal health crisis. During that time, she discovered what she likes to call “Ornitherapy” ─ connecting with wild birds and natural surroundings to experience the positive recharge nature can give to mind, body, and spirit. Ornitherapy can be practiced in your own backyard or a neighborhood park.

How to Practice Ornitherapy*

• Find a place to sit in an area that offers a view of nature (being outdoors is best, but indoors can work, too).
• As you sit there, envision yourself becoming part of the natural landscape ─ just like the plants, birds, and other animals.
• Gently close your eyes and listen quietly for a minute or two.
• Ask yourself, “What am I noticing?” When we are intentional in directing our attention onto sounds, patterns, and melodies, we might notice things that otherwise would have escaped us.
• Slowly open your eyes. Colors may be amplified, shapes crisper, and you will be more attuned to the birds around you. You’ll also notice that birds might come closer as you relax, magnifying your experience with them.

“This designated time away from life’s pressures allows birds to recharge us and sparks our wonder and curiosity,” said Merker. “When we give ourselves time to invite birds to be a part of our selfcare, it’s mutually beneficial for us and the birds. As you think about your backyard birds and the care you provide them, remember that this is a reciprocal relationship. Wild birds take care of us as much as we take care of them. They, too, help us thrive and enjoy a happier and healthier life.”

If birdwatching and listening to birdsongs isn’t already a part of your self-care routine, we highly recommend it. It’s what all the cool kids are doing. So, set your phone down, walk away from your computer, and start connecting with your backyard singer songbirds today!

*Please note that Ornitherapy and birdwatching should not replace your medical care. If you are experiencing any problems with your mental health, please contact your doctor or a mental health professional.