Reclaiming Birding Without the Guilt

Actress and avid birder, Lili Taylor, makes a comment that epitomizes a common dilemma for the passionate birder. In Turning to Birds, Taylor writes, “I needed to find a festival close-ish to home and one that fell around Mother’s Day, which made it easier to justify to myself and my family why Mama was leaving to go see birds.”

Taylor wanted to experience a birding festival. She wanted to go birding. Yet, like many birders, something held her back. She felt the need to justify her time away, both to herself and to her family. A birding festival is enjoyable, but taking the time and spending the money can feel self-serving. So she found a solution. By tying the trip to Mother’s Day, she could quiet the inner voice of guilt. “It’s my day,” she may have thought, “so it’s okay if I go birding.”

It is unfortunate that so many birders see their passion as an indulgence that must be justified. They love birds, yet they sometimes feel guilty for taking time to pursue that love, especially if their spouse, partner, or family members do not share the same enthusiasm. Birders who strive to be responsible family members, community-minded neighbors, and committed professionals often find it difficult to justify spending a morning, a weekend, or a trip focused on birds.

Because of this guilt and a limited understanding of what birding truly provides, many birders stay home. They do not want to appear selfish. They do not want to feel like they are pursuing only personal pleasure. And so, they pass up opportunities not just to see birds, but to experience something much bigger: a life of energy, meaning, and purpose that can grow out of an active birding life.

But what if birding actually makes us better spouses, parents, sons, daughters, coworkers, and neighbors? What if birding is a pathway to energy and vitality? What if birding becomes part of a self-care plan that restores us so that we can give more to others, not less? Imagine discovering that your passion for birds can be used to bring hope, joy, and life to other people. That is the message of WellBirds: birding enhances our wellbeing and gives us a deeper sense of purpose, a purpose that benefits not only ourselves, but our communities and the world around us.

This idea that birding enhances wellbeing is not a flimsy excuse to do something we enjoy. It is supported by research. Environmental psychologist and neuroscientist Marc Berman of the University of Chicago argues that engagement with nature is essential to our mental and overall wellbeing. As he writes, “Nature isn’t an amenity, it’s a necessity.” For years, I encouraged employees and organizations to take self-care seriously. Birding certainly qualifies as self-care, but it is even more than that.

Birding gets us moving, helping combat the diseases associated with sedentary living. Birding keeps our brains active, engaged, and growing. Birding connects us with other people and strengthens social bonds. Birding places us in moments of awe that improve our mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

We do not need Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or a birthday to justify going birding. The benefits of birding are justification enough.

If you struggle to justify the time you spend birding, you are not alone. But you may be seeing birding too narrowly. Birding is not selfish. Birding is not a waste of time. Birding is an investment in your health, your relationships, your community, and your life.

Come back to WellBirds regularly to learn more about how birding can enhance your wellbeing and consider how your passion for birds might become one of the most meaningful parts of your life.

Bird Well. Live Well.