| Friendship, companionship and sheer pleasure, these | | | | and the beauty of the landscape. We can see and |
| are some of the benefits to be gained from the hobby | | | | feel all of this firsthand, not via images on a TV screen. |
| of Birdwatching or Birding. In this article, I review six key | | | | Family. Many family members go birdwatching in pairs |
| reasons why birdwatching fascinates around 70 million | | | | or larger groups. A father teaching his son or a |
| Americans and countless more people around the | | | | grandfather showing his grandson the tricks to tracking |
| world. | | | | down that rare bird. Or showing him the basics of |
| Fitness and health. Birdwatching promotes health and | | | | identifying and naming our more common visitors. All of |
| fitness in a number of ways. First is the simple | | | | this goes to strengthen the bond between generations |
| advantage of being outdoors and breathing fresh air. | | | | and knits families more closely together. |
| Secondly, getting to good sites for birdwatching often | | | | Finding that elusive bird. Wired into our genes, |
| involves walking or hiking and hill climbing, all good for | | | | particularly those of men, is the desire to hunt. This |
| the heart, lungs and circulation. Another significant plus | | | | gives us the thrill of the chase, the satisfaction of |
| point is exposure to sunlight. This promotes the | | | | finding our prey. Birdwatching is the civilised expression |
| production of vitamin D. Due to our modern lifestyle; | | | | of these feelings. It provides us with the emotional |
| many of us are deficient in this essential vitamin which | | | | charge while preserving, indeed prizing, life. It is no |
| helps strengthen teeth and bones. Sunlight has also | | | | coincidence that many birdwatchers strongly support |
| been shown to combat depression and help protect | | | | efforts to save the environment. |
| against disease. | | | | Friendship. Valuable friendships are made from striking |
| Companionship. The public image of birdwatching is | | | | up conversations with fellow birdwatchers. We already |
| that of a solitary birdwatcher spending the day in the | | | | have our hobby in common so breaking the ice is |
| field then returning home to a lonely supper. As with | | | | much easier than with other people. Keeping in touch |
| any hobby, there are some people like that - but not | | | | with news of sightings, our successes and failures and |
| many of us. The majority of birdwatchers are friendly, | | | | our plans all helps to maintain and develop our |
| convivial folk who love to go out birding with each | | | | birdwatching friendships. |
| other. There are popular birdwatching clubs in just | | | | In summary, there really are lots of positive reasons to |
| about every part of the world. Companionship plays a | | | | be a birdwatcher. If you already are one, |
| central part in the attraction of birdwatching. | | | | congratulations on being part of our family. If you are |
| Pleasure from nature. Birding brings us back in touch | | | | thinking about becoming a birdwatcher, you can start |
| with a more natural way of life, one that we can lose | | | | small. Observe your local birds; begin to identify them |
| sight of in our urban homes. We are struck by the | | | | and their songs. Above all, start now - you'll find |
| vitality of nature, the rhythm of the changing seasons | | | | birdwatching to be an exciting and rewarding hobby. |