# A non-obvious way to improve well-being and mood has been identified

Scientists have found that feeding wild birds noticeably improves a person's well-being: 95% of those who do it reported a positive effect. The study was published in the journal AMBIO.

Bird feeding is one of the most widespread nature-related hobbies: in the United States alone, about 56 million adults engage in it. Scientists had long suspected that contact with nature is beneficial for mental health, but just how much such a simple habit helps remained unclear.

Researchers led by Kelly Langhans from Virginia Polytechnic Institute surveyed participants in the citizen science program Project FeederWatch, who observed birds at their feeders over a six-month period. The scientists compared how bird feeding and other significant life events during the same period affected well-being.

It turned out that 95% of participants noted a positive impact on their well-being from feeding birds, compared to 55% for other life events. The researchers identified three main mechanisms of benefit: positive emotions such as joy and calm; heightened interest and engagement, when a person curiously observes the birds; and a sense of meaning — from helping birds or contributing to science.

According to the authors, such a simple and accessible activity can serve as an inexpensive way to support mental health and strengthen a person's connection with nature. Moreover, such programs are beneficial for science itself: observations from thousands of volunteers help scientists track the status of bird populations. The researchers emphasize that caring for nature and caring for oneself go hand in hand here. They advise against treating a bird feeder as a trivial matter: regular bird watching provides a sense of rhythm and connection with the living world that city dwellers often lack. At the same time, scientists remind that birds should be fed properly — with appropriate food and by keeping feeders clean — so as not to harm the birds.