Bird Life and Love in the Time of Covid
By: Tricia Chadwick
Tags: Animals, Learning, Health, Birds, Hobby

Are you tired of everything, and frankly, of everyone? Wish you had an excuse to just get out of the house for a few hours, preferably by yourself?

Looking for drama, heartbreak, outrage, despair, violence, and pure rage to snap you out of the winter doldrums?

Look no further than the bird world. Birds lead dramatic, violent, and passionate lives. Multilayered and complex, the bird pecking order is no laughing matter. And size does not guarantee power. I’ve seen my share of birds with Napoleon complexes.

The tendency to stay home and the slow pace of 2020 have made bird life my favorite soap opera. I have watched endless hours and have my favorites.

Mother and Father Cardinal are a wholesome couple, the Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson of birds.

There are the mourning doves, first two, then one. Their whole relationship played out in front of me. The devastation felt by the widowed dove was palpable. This romance could have been penned by Nicholas Sparks. I could empathize with this lonely bird as he kept his routine, just trying to keep his sanity.

Bird world has your typical villains, as well. Blue Jay is, well, he’s just an asshole. There’s no nice way to put it. There are whispers that he may have ties to organized crime. I’m the one whispering, but still, I’m starting to believe it.

Not yet convinced of the mystery and intrigue that comes with birdwatching? Give these feathered showboaters an afternoon, and you’ll be convinced.

Birdlife is downright dangerous. They swoop down and peck each other as they take chase across the rooftops. They don’t let up either. Sometimes a bird no bigger than my hand will chase one 3 times its size.

Besides being tough as nails, birds are enormously beneficial to humans.

Pest control? Birds have it under control, able to access even the most difficult to reach pests, saving farmers billions of dollars each year.

“Birds can reduce the intensity of spruce budworm outbreaks and mitigate damage on spruce tree plantations comparable to effective insecticides. In Washington, avian control of spruce budworm was calculated to be worth at least $1,473 per square kilometer per year.” — Çağan H. Şekercioğlu

Birds offer economic benefits in other ways too. As master seed spreaders and pollinators, birds are responsible for spreading much of the world’s vegetation. They create a food source and habitat for other creatures, ensuring a healthy ecosystem.

“ In some tropical forests, birds disperse up to 92 percent of all tree and woody species, including 85 timber species, 182 genera of edible plants (including spices), 153 medicinal plants, 146 ornamental plants, and 84 genera with other economic or cultural uses.” — Çağan H. Şekercioğlu

Birds are an economic boon in other ways too. People can’t get enough. They are even willing to travel for them! Hunting and birdwatching are popular hobbies around the world, and tourism money comes along with hobbyists.

The more diverse the bird population in an area, the more money the local economy stands to make.

Birds are superheroes that keep us safe.

Have you heard of the canary in the coal mine? Coal miners used to bring a canary into the mines with them. The canary was so tiny that any dangerous chemicals in the air would affect the bird first. The men would take a cue from the canary and get out before they died.

Scientists still study birds in many similar situations to better understand the human impact on our ecosystem and identify pollution areas that will make us sick.

Photo by Matteo Vistocco on Unsplash

Birds are also expert meteorologists. Before Al Roker, people relied on birds to forecast weather events. Their ability to predict the weather is due to the Vitali Organ found in the middle ear. This tiny organ increases birds’ sensitivity to atmospheric pressure, causing them to alter their flight patterns in response to pressure changes that cause weather patterns.

When you see a bird flying high in the sky, you can conclude that the weather is nice and clear.

When birds fly low, they are attempting to escape the pain from the low atmospheric pressure resulting in stormy, turbulent weather.

Many migraine sufferers can relate, as they can also be sensitive to pressure changes that trigger migraines. I feel a bond with my backyard birds, knowing that they can empathize with my migraine suffering.

So, who is your typical birdwatcher? A quick google search seems in agreement that your typical birdwatcher is creepy. Apparently, people are creeped out by hobbies that involve quietly “watching.” It was right up there with collecting dolls.

I have to tell you, though, the birds don’t seem to mind. Sometimes they stop their conversation when they notice me, but most of the time, it is like watching the Kardashians. They don’t even realize I’m there after awhile.

The average birdwatcher “is likely to be around 53 years old, white, and have a better-than-average income and education,” according to a 2011 demographic and economic analysis study conducted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Photo by Regine Tholen on Unsplash

This has been changing over the last decade and with the rise of birdwatching during the pandemic.

With lots of time and little to do, more diverse people than ever are tuning in to nature and birds in particular.

Some celebrity birders are Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Laura Bush, Wes Craven, Darryl Hannah, and Albert Einstein.

Pretty good company to be in! The birder crowd is more diverse than ever, with birdwatchers trending younger, gender diverse, and urban.

What are the benefits of birdwatching?

Okay, let’s be real here. I know you aren’t the kind of person that will just stare at some birds for hours because I told you they are entertaining.

You need some solid evidence that staring at those birds every day is going to improve your life.

Come on, birds, what can you do for us?

A lot, actually!

Birds can reduce tension and make people happier. Really!

The study, done by the University of Exeter in 2017, “found that lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with the number of birds people could see in the afternoon.”

Getting out into nature, specifically into areas with birds, shrubs, and trees, and intentionally noticing nature is vital to good mental health. This reduction in stress and increase in focus takes effect in just minutes of being outside. Birdwatching is a great way to get yourself off the couch and out the door without feeling like it’s a chore.

Birdwatchers tend to flock to other birdwatchers, creating a tight-knit community that can combat loneliness and satisfies a human need for connection.

Patience can be hard to come by in 2020, but we can all agree more is needed. Practicing patience is the best way to strengthen the skill, and birdwatching just happens to be a great way to do this.

There is a wait time involved in birdwatching, but nothing like the line at the DMV. Waiting for birds is peaceful, and your body is soaking up the benefits of being outdoors. Cultivate your patience in this way!

Ninja-like reflexes are the benefit of birdwatching I am most excited about. To become a ninja, first, become a birdwatcher. Remarkably, birdwatching does improve your reflexes. Since calm and quiet waiting periods can be followed by a quick dash for binoculars or a camera, birdwatching is a chance to increase this skill and become deft and stealthy, ready to stare at the most timid of birds.

Give it a try today! You might start birdwatching because you’re bored in a pandemic, but you’ll keep birdwatching because it’s good for the planet, the economy, and your well-being.