12 Reasons to be a Birder
Birding is for Everyone! Faraaz Abdool presents twelve of the many reasons that we should all be bird-watching!
Oh, birds! We’ve all experienced them at some point. Whether in passing or deliberately, birds, their superhuman abilities, and their symbolic representations have captivated humans for millennia. Presently, the term “birder” is a person who enjoys birds, irrespective of degree or methodology. While some may argue to the contrary, a person who cracks a smile upon hearing the sweet song of the wren in the morning is as much a birder as the person who sloshes through kilometres of flooded forest, battling millions of mosquitoes to catch a glimpse of a roosting potoo that looks like nothing more than a broken branch.
Being a birder is both a right and a privilege. There is no specific dress code, nor a thousand-strong species list needed to qualify one’s status as a birder. Being a birder does not make anyone into an authority either, in fact, the very essence of birding is humility. Let’s explore twelve reasons why you should be a birder.
The Osprey subsists entirely on a
diet of fish, and is consequently a reliable indicator of the health of the
aquatic ecosystem. Photo by Faraaz Abdool 
- It’s easy!
The act of appreciating birds is surprisingly straightforward. There are no extraneous steps involved in allowing birds to weave a web of wonder in our minds and hearts. The simple observation of the birds around you is all it takes - the Bananaquit singing its sunshine song, the oropendola weaving its pendulous nest, the couple hundred corbeaux rising in a giant upward swirl as the day warms - before you know it, you’re hooked.
- Improve mental health and reduce stress
When birds feel threatened, they make specialised alarm calls - typically short, sharp noises which alert other animals to the presence of a threat. They break into their most melodious songs when they know that there are no immediate threats nearby. Studies now show that hearing birdsong reduces our levels of stress and anxiety, as our evolutionary primal instinct associates birdsong with a danger-free zone.
- Patience, patience, patience
In a world crammed with faster food, internet, and entertainment, patience seems to be fading into relic status. Being a birder cultivates patience like few other activities; the unhurried birder reaps the most splendid rewards. Nothing can chase a bird from its perch faster than a rapidly approaching human.
The Spectacled Thrush, locally known
as "big-eye grieve" is a common backyard resident across T&T.
Apart from its noticeable eye-ring, this bird has a rich and varied
son.. Photo by Faraaz Abdool
Physical activity is necessary to
see some species, The Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush resides on Trinidad's
highest slopes, typically above 700m. Photo by Faraaz Abdool
- Cultivate a connection with the natural world
Many species of birds are considered indicator species - animals whose health and wellbeing mirror that of their habitat and associated ecosystem. Piscivorous Ospreys, for example, can be found where the fishing is good, giving us a clear idea of what is unfolding underwater. When we spend time observing birds, we become better equipped to pick up on ecological red flags.
- Boost physical activity
While many birds can be seen from one’s backyard and car window, some species require walking, hiking, or even mountaineering. Many of us lead sedentary lives, and the urge to exercise is often nonexistent. Birds create an irresistible lure to get us out of the house and on our feet. Congregating flocks in the canopies of towering trees add another layer of resistance to our physical training: the shoulder burn from heaving binoculars and cameras skyward.
- Reduce screentime
We’ve all experienced minutes morphing into hours hunched over tiny screens doling out short-term dopamine hits. We don’t know the full consequence of that habit at this point, but what we do know is that looking at birds gracefully shepherds us away from these rectangular lightboxes. From exercising our eyes looking at distant objects to the mental exercise of solving identification puzzles, there are many benefits from observing our feathered friends.
House Wrens across the Caribbean
were recently re-examined and re-described. Scientists realised that they were
all genetically distinct - this one is now known as the St. Lucia Wren, a
species of wren that is endemic to (only found in) St. Lucia. Photo by
Faraaz Abdool
- Stay in the here and now
There is no bird that languishes in the memory of the past nor fears the future. They, as all of nature, live in the present moment. When we step into nature and allow it to unfold before us, we get the opportunity to join our kin in the ever-elusive present. No meditation, sound baths, or gurus necessary - only a willingness to wholly observe.
- Cultivate humility amid lifelong learning
The number of species of birds on this planet is gradually increasing. Not because new birds are alighting on Earth from outer space, we are simply uncovering new truths about more of them. Genetic studies are rewriting textbooks and field guides, single species are being split into multiple, and sometimes vice versa. Further to this, some species are so frustratingly similar that misidentifications are more commonplace than many of us would admit.
- Contribute to citizen science
Birders can now log sightings on apps such as eBird that are instantly added to a global database of bird sightings. This information is used to broaden our understanding of avian ecology, migration patterns, responses to human activity, and more. Traditional ornithology depended upon a small number of people visiting a limited number of locations. When everyone is adding information, observation-based data continually rushes in from all corners of the globe.
- Birding can be done anywhere and at any time
Birds are everywhere. They are on every continent, in every observable habitat. While many of them are most active at dawn and dusk, the hottest parts of the day prove profitable for large birds of prey, and the nocturnal soundscape is punctuated by a variety of melodious and mournful hoots and whistles. Wherever, whenever, you are ready to go birding, it is always possible.
- All the non-birds!
There is a plethora of unfeathered fauna that also competes for our attention while we are out birding. From anteaters to tegus, we are often surprised by the sudden appearance of the unexpected furry or scaly beast.
Birding puts the birder in place for
unexpected sights such as this Southern Tamandua, a mammal rarely seen on
Trinidad. Photo by Faraaz Abdool 
- No initial investment needed!
Birding remains one of the most inclusive and accessible activities. Beginner birders do not need any specialised equipment to start appreciating birds. A typical backyard in T&T easily supports 10-20 species of birds, all of which can be observed with the naked eye. As time progresses, however, binoculars tend to be a popular purchase, followed by cameras, followed by plane tickets, and the list goes on…
Birding is a journey, one in which there is no particular destination or path. Leaving nature in charge means that we do not dictate which birds we see. The laws of probability may suggest that we begin with common birds and gradually work our way toward uncommon and rare species, but anyone can see anything, anywhere, at any time. This unpredictability is the essence of birding, a lesson in relinquishing control and trusting the process. It is now widely accepted that birds are the only surviving dinosaurs. What better reason can there be to enjoy them!
