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Its nice to watch something thats happy with a few seeds.
One minute youre young, carefree, and hanging out at the bar with friends.
While the bar-to-birdwatching pipeline usually takes decades to develop, millennials and Gen Z are getting into it early.
The hobby has over181 million views on TikTok but why is it so popular?
A 30-something covers themselves in seeds and sits in a lawn chair for anup-close view of chickadees.
Another is kitted out withfield guidesandbird-call appsso that they can tell the difference between cardinals and robins.
Birdwatching may have big retiree energy, but the relaxing pace is a big part of the draw.
Ill sit and watch for an hour, he tells Bustle.
The birds are so funny and fascinating and full of life but its also so fleeting.
The only way to see anything extraordinary, he says, is to wait quietly and patiently.
It breaks my heart how many birds I couldnt get my phone out in time to take a picture.
Alana, 26, is also obsessed with birdwatching.
Eventually, that led to me sitting outside with my dog to look for them, she tells Bustle.
Then I downloaded theMerlin Bird IDapp so that I could track and identify which birds I was hearing.
Some of them bring binoculars while others just bring coffee.
It brings me outside in nature and gets me thinking about the world around me a bit more.
And that adds a whole new level of excitement and commitment to the hobby.
Its like trying to catch Pokemon in real life, he says.
I have heard one and seen ones butt fly away, but have still never seen one fully.
Its like a game.
For some folks, birdwatching is about relaxation.
For others, its about finding a new hobby or connecting with friends.
Studies referenced:
Tryjanowski, P. (2022)Nature and Mental Health-Birding is a Proven Solution.
Source:
Allison Soss, LMHC, psychotherapist withNew York City Psychotherapy Collective
