Study: Birds Are Linked to Happiness Levels

[MoonRiver]

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A new study reveals that greater bird biodiversity brings greater joy to people, according to recent findings from the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research. In fact, scientists concluded that conservation is just as important for human well-being as financial security.
The study, published in Ecological Economics, focused on European residents, and determined that happiness correlated with a specific number of bird species.

"According to our findings, the happiest Europeans are those who can experience numerous different bird species in their daily life, or who live in near-natural surroundings that are home to many species," says lead author Joel Methorst, a doctoral researcher at the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center, the iDiv and the Goethe University in Frankfurt.

The authors calculated that being around fourteen additional bird species provided as much satisfaction as earning an additional $150 a month.

https://www.ecowatch.com/birds-happiness-study-2649413979.html?rebelltitem=2#rebelltitem2

[Hortensis]

1. :) Well, I like it and easily believe the basic findings. I'm sitting in

an ancient, decrepit MH right now chosen only because it's surrounded by hammock and wetlands preserve and all kinds of critters, including very much birds. We have feeders to draw them close. There are beautiful views out windows to both sides, but even I could quickly kick a hole in the wall and we really should get those soft spots in the floor fixed.

I'm questioning, though, the application of the numbers reported to reality. What's that $150 a month "additional" to? Obviously, it'd be on top of at least some discretionary income on top of what's needed to sustain.

Shameful as it might be to admit it, I might decide to be happy with..., what, 2 or 3 species?, in order to keep internet service. After that, I'm afraid, it'd be a very reluctant and difficult sacrifice. The internet's become very important to a lot of happiness also. In the real world, there are always hard tradeoffs.

Nevertheless, this information offers meaningful insight that hopefully will cause more people to bring more birds into their lives. The wellbeing of everything, including happiness, is incredibly interconnected.

[Arkansas Granny]

2. I don't know that I can place a monetary value on birdwatching, but it has certainly been

helping me keep my sanity this year. I've upped the variety and quality of the feed I'm putting out for the birds this year and I've been rewarded with seeing more species than I've ever seen before. They've become so accustomed to my presence that they don't mind me sitting just a few feet away from the feeder. They also know that just about daylight I'll be putting out fresh food. I barely make it back into the house before they are showing up for the breakfast buffet.

[cwydro]

3. Same here.

I love birds. They actually come look in my large window if I dare let their feeders go empty.

[Vinca]

4. I know I get pleasure from watching them at the feeder. Yesterday I got excited because I saw

a woodpecker that is supposedly uncommon in our area. It's funny to watch the woodpeckers when they latch onto the feeder. The ones who turn up are so much larger than the other birds. We have a pileated woodpecker in the neighborhood, but he's so big I'd be surprised if I ever looked out and saw him at the feeder.

[RainCaster]

14. We have many pileateds in our trees

I love their calls, so tropical sounding. We also have Ravens, Red Tailed Hawks, Barred Owls, Stellars Jay's, finches, hummingbirds, Great Blue Herons, Kingfishers...

[madaboutharry]

5. There is a park and tons of trees behind my house.

I love all the birds. Listening to them in the morning and seeing them nearby does make you happy. I believe this is true.

[CrispyQ]

6. I love birds.

I was heartbroken when West Nile virus decimated the corvid population in my area. IIRC, it hit around 2004 & took about 10 years for the blue jays to return, a few more years after that for the crows & ravens, & we are finally seeing magpies, again.

This summer we had a few Steller's Jays. I've never seen them this low before, but then a friend reminded me of the forest fires we were having in the mountains. Bird refugees.

[FirstLight]

7. Not surprising...

I love my feathered and furry friends

I often say they give me so much JOY

Being in a natural setting is definitely my only way to feel "normal" when I go to the more urban areas, I feel that disconnect.

[OriginalGeek]

8. I love listening to them sing

I don't think I've ever gone outside specifically to watch or listen to birds but it happens ALL the time that I'll go outside to do whatever and I start hearing the chirping and it just get a warm feeling and especially when I hear one I recognize because when I was little my grandma and I would sit outside on the back porch to nap and relax and she would identify songs and (try to) teach me which was which. But whether I remember my lessons or not it makes me happy to hear them sing.

[FM123]

10. I love birds. I couldn't name all the species of birds in my area, but I can tell you

that I feel so honored when any one of them comes to pay me a little visit in my yard....

[Nitram]

11. That is the effect of bird diversity on me, but I'm not sure many urban dwellers would think so.

When I lived in Tokyo the bird species were largely limited to pigeons, sparrows, crows and the bulbul.

[barbtries]

12. i love birds.

the hawk is my spirit animal.

[True Dough]

13. Generally, yeah. Not always though

[marble falls]

15. Wasn't this study made by Dr Ben Obvious and Dr Emil Noschitz with the Institute ...

... for the Investigation of Things That if We Didn't Know It, We'd Still Assume It?

[mokawanis]

16. I put seeds and peanuts on my deck every morning

and then I go back in the house and watch jays, sparrows, woodpeckers, doves, finches and others while I eat breakfast. They never fail to entertain.

[Rebl2]

17. I love

watching the birds that come to our yard-yes even the hawks, although I don’t like it when they grab a bird or rabbit. I miss them when they aren’t around.

[kimbutgar]

18. I have a bird bath on my deck in my city

And I enjoy seeing those birds as well as my cat!

[angstlessk]

19. Though I never connected the two till I read this,

as a child, we lived in a kinda secluded house, and every summer morning (we had no air conditioner) I heard birds calling us to wake up, and no matter what I always woke up happy, looking forward to the day...

The reason I connect it to the birds, I don't recall waking like that during winter with windows closed..even on weekends without school to look 'forward' to.

[Botany]

20. Plant native plants

https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Best-Hope-Approach-Conservation/dp/1604699000/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&aaxitk=ciWNBvYyMJnjydmZ-ExR9w&hsa_cr_id=9215374530901&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_td_asin_0


https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Best-Hope-Approach-Conservation/dp/1604699000/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&aaxitk=-roAZuuVisn.BbfnoL.A4w&hsa_cr_id=9215374530901&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_td_asin_0

[marlakay]

21. We bought a bunch of new feeders

After covid started, two that suction cup to the dining room windows, one hummingbird pretty blown glass one by cats tall climber window. And two more for different birds out in the yard.

With staying home I can attest to them helping my happiness, watching them daily is soothing. Few have hit the windows and fell down, none died just stunned for 5 min. I went out and scooped up and put on top of table outside so dogs sniffing wouldn't hurt it.

[ArchTeryx]

22. In a real way...

Birds are a link to the distant past. They're the direct descendants of theropod dinosaurs, and it's easy to qualify them *as* modern dinosaurs. Just as we evolved from the tiny squirrel-like mammals that were present when the dinos were dominant.

Further, they're visual and aural, which we are seriously into. Most mammals communicate by scent, and our noses just aren't up to detecting their subtle world. We can sure see and hear the birds, though!

[VA_Jill]

23. I love

watching the birds at our feeder. We feed all winter and stop after the last frost in spring. The cats like to watch them too, and don't bother them whatsoever. I am, however, quite creeped out by birds in the house. Birds should not be caged or kept as pets. That is my considered opinion. YMMV.

[MustLoveBeagles]

24. I love birds

[Hermit-The-Prog]

25. Just saw an owl fly away ...

Last night while walking the new big dog, he stopped and looked at a cedar tree about 30 feet away. I saw a small gray-brown shape standing on the ground and assumed it was a big rabbit. It didn't hop away so I shined a flashlight and it was a little owl. I turned the light off and it remained standing there while the dog and I went back inside. My guess is that it had caught a rabbit and was waiting for us to go away.

Just a few minutes ago I saw an owl flying silently and low away from the same area as I was coming back inside. There have been several rabbits coming into the yard at night so this could be the reason the owl or owls have an interest so close to the house.

[SMC22307]

26. I didn't appreciate this until the past couple of years. Amazed at how much enjoyment...

I get from watching them at the feeders or birdbath. It's so calming...

[NickB79]

27. I've got 18 chickens. Does that count?

[MoonRiver]

33. Yes, as long as you don't eat them!

[NickB79]

34. As long as they keep laying eggs I won't 🤣

Sucks for the spring-hatched roosters every fall though, as I can only keep 2 roosters without them fighting.

[Greybnk48]

28. I believe it. It is certainly that important to me.

Not surprisingly, we've got lots of bird feeders in our yard, as do so many other people.

[StarryNite]

29. I love birds.

[smirkymonkey]

30. Where would those places be?

I wish they had a map. I love it when I open my balcony door and my windows and can hear the birds chirping in the morning and the earlier part of the day. Even into the afternoon. It makes me feel so peaceful.

I grew up with that sound. My parents had bird feeders all around our yard, but I think even if they didn't I still would have heard a lot of native upstate NY birds, but we did get exotic birds like Baltimore Orioles (very short season), Cardinals, Blue Jays, Goldfinches, and the usual robins, sparrows and finches. Some blackbirds as well, but they kind of creeped me out.

We also had hummingbird feeders and saw them too. I loved seeing these birds all the time. I kind of miss it in the city, but I am glad I can still at least hear them. We don't get the show here in the city, but we can hear their songs. It's very soothing.

Then of course, being near the sea, we have the gulls. They are total scavengers, but I still kind of like them.

[BootinUp]

31. sure, i believe it. nt

[MissB]

32. We've left half our property wild

Lots of trees, bushes, ground cover. We have so many birds year round. I love to sit on our wraparound porch and listen to them in the spring.

We usually have a pair that nests in a house hanging from our porch. I put out foil on the railing underneath to deter our cat.

We don’t feed them, because.. cat. The guy next door has multiple feeders out on high poles. He’s moving soon though so I may need to start feeding them.