10/10/2026
It's World Mental Health Day!
Did you know that watching birds could be good for your mental wellbeing?
This World Mental Health Day, we're sharing some fascinating research into how watching and listening to birds may help us feel better.
- A UK study found that just 30 minutes of watching garden birds was followed by improved wellbeing and reduced anxiety. Even better, people who focused on how much joy the birds brought them experienced the biggest reduction in anxiety! (White et al., 2023)
- In a 2026 study, 95% of 3,658 birdwatching citizen scientists said the activity had a positive impact on their wellbeing. Participants described feelings of joy, relaxation, connection to nature and a sense of purpose from contributing to science. (Langhans et al., 2026)
- Research involving 1,292 people found that simply seeing or hearing birds in everyday life was linked to better mental wellbeing, with the association lasting beyond the moment itself. (Hammoud et al., 2022)
- In one experiment, just six minutes of listening to recorded birdsong reduced anxiety scores. A recording featuring several bird species also helped reduce feelings of low mood. (Stobbe et al., 2022)
- A study found that people taking part in regular birdwatching walks experienced less psychological distress, with promising improvements in wellbeing too. (Peterson et al., 2024)
Why not take a few moments today to step outside, listen to the birds and notice what they're up to? And if you enjoy watching your garden visitors, why not make your observations count for science?
Join BTO Garden BirdWatch! It's free to take part, you don't need to be an expert, and your observations can help us inform conservation action.
https://www.bto.org/get-involved/volunteer/projects/gbw
