Listening to birds sing really does soothe your brain. Here's why.
But why does birdsong feel special? As social creatures, 'we are hardwired to want to connect to things,' says Cindy Frantz, social and environmental psychologist and chair of psychology at Oberlin College and Conservatory. The parts of our brain that we use to form relationships with people help us build bonds with nature too—birds included.
Here's why paying attention to their playful chirps, buzzy whistles, and whimsical calls really is as restorative as it feels. How birdsong bolsters our mental health
A growing body of research suggests that birdsong is a gateway to nature's many benefits, whether you live in a rural town or a bustling city.
For a 2022 study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers asked roughly 1,300 people to log information about their environment and how they were feeling three times a day for two weeks. When theyreported seeing or hearing birds, they had a significantly better sense of mental well-being, even after the researchers accounted for the benefits of being near green and blue spaces (like seeing trees or hearing water). The mental health boost from bird encounters lingered for hours too.
The researchers noted that the participants were aware of the study's primary goals, which may have made them more conscious of and biased toward their own feelings. Plus, the study took place during the height of the COVID pandemic, likely affecting the participants' baseline stress levels and emotional response to birds.
(What happens to your brain when you see a bird in nature?)
However, another 2022 study published in the same journal also highlighted the contrast between listening to the sounds of nature versus urban environments. Among 295 participants, those who listened to six minutes of birdsong through headphones reported feeling less depressed, anxious, and paranoid.
And the more vibrant the birdsong, the better: Reduced depression was specifically linked to hearing a variety of species singing together compared to those who only listened to the songs of two species. Participants who were subjected to six minutes of traffic noise, unsurprisingly, felt more depressed.
A 2020 study from California Polytechnic State University drew similar conclusions after researchers played a 'phantom chorus' throughout a quarter-mile of two hiking trails in Boulder, Colorado. They hid speakers where birds would naturally reside and broadcasted a variety of songs to simulate greaterbiodiversity.
'We had to use some deception,' says study author Clinton Francis, an associate professor who researches avian and evolutionary ecology at Cal Poly's biological sciences department. 'One of my graduate students was so nervous that an incredibly good eBirder was going to find a speaker and be outraged.' (To their knowledge, the speakers went undetected by the trails' visitors.)
(Nat Geo's ultimate guide to "touching grass.")
Once visitors exited the paths, they were asked to fill out a questionnaire designed to tease out how they felt mentally. It's worth noting that self-reported data, in general, is limited because people can struggle to accurately recall and interpret their own thoughts and emotions. Still, the results were uplifting: People who experienced the 'phantom chorus' which only lasted about 10 minutes, felt a greater sense of cognitive restoration—a 'clearing of the mind,' per Francis—than those who hiked the trails while the speakers were turned off.
Scientists don't fully understand why hearing more bird species can lead to a greater wellness boost, but they're hopeful that future studies will continue to explore the link. What is it about birdsong that soothes our brains?
Many experts believe birdsong signals safety. Imagine feeling on edge as you walk through a suspiciously quiet forest: 'You realize that all the birds have stopped singing,' Francis explains. 'That's a cue that there may be a predator or other source of danger around. So it could be that birdsong, over our history, has been a reliable cue that the world is at ease and we can be relaxed.'
As for the boost in mental clarity? Researchers haven't pinned down how birdsong, specifically, refreshes your mind; some studies have indicated that exposure to nature reduces activity in parts of the brain associated with stress and rumination, or repeatedly thinking negatively about yourself. The natural world squashes self-consciousness because it allows us to forget ourselves, Frantz says.
Tuning into birds is also a form of mindfulness, because it roots you in the present moment, she adds. Being in community with nature delights your senses with what scientists have dubbed 'soft fascination,' meaning it captures your attention but doesn't overload it. The sights, smells, and sounds of the outdoors are starkly delicate compared to flashing lights and blaring horns. Watching tree buds unravel, soaking in the smell after rain, hearing the gentle coo of a mourning dove: 'Maybe it just makes us feel like we're actually living,' Francis says. How to get more birdsong in your life
While studies have found that recordings of birdsong benefit your mental health, Francis stresses that nothing compares to experiencing the real thing.
Still, 'nature does not have to be expansive or pristine,' Frantz says. Put up a smart bird feeder in your yard or download an app like Merlin Bird ID, which identifies birds based on their songs. She theorizes that learning the names of different species may help you feel even more connected to them.
And the next time you hear a symphony of white-throated sparrows or spot a flashy warbler singing from the treetop, pause and appreciate the magic—the sounds of spring are fleeting, after all.
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