Mindful Birding

By Lara Cueni

It’s a warm November day with a light breeze. I notice the temperature on my skin cools as the clouds move across the sun. In the distance, across the pond, I hear red-winged blackbirds calling. Overhead, a raptor soars and then suddenly dips down. Ripples spread across the water, a few yellow leaves left fluttering on the cottonwood. Turtles often sun on the log here, but not today. Do turtles hibernate? A black-capped chickadee hops into view…notices me…continues on with its day, tipping this way and that, foraging along the underside of a branch. I wonder what it has found to eat. This is mindful birding. 

People often wonder how mindful birding, also sometimes called slow birding, differs from traditional birding. In reality, the line between the two is more relaxed than rigid, and lies with intention:  

The intention to be present and appreciate each moment

The intention to enjoy and respect each bird and its behavior even if it’s a “common” one

The intention to allow the experience to be what it is without expectation or disappointment

The intention to observe closely, ask questions, and bring a spirit of deep curiosity 

At its heart, mindful birding combines bird observation with established mindfulness techniques. The goal is not to identify, label, or list birds or other wildlife, but simply to notice them and to exist with them in the present moment. For many of us with Merlin or eBird at the ready on our phones, this practice – like any mindfulness practice – can be a challenge, but a worthwhile one. If you ever find yourself saying, “Oh, it’s just a mallard,” you may just need a change in perspective! 

The benefits to engaging with birds and nature in a slower, more mindful way are myriad. From a purely physiological standpoint, studies show that birding and mindfulness practices reduce blood pressure, anxiety, stress, and heart rate, while boosting the immune system and triggering endorphins. Just 20 minutes spent outside can create measurable physiological benefits in the human body that last up to 8 hours. The same goes for mindfulness practices, like meditation. Imagine what happens when you put the two together! 

When we look past the physiological benefits, many people find that by approaching their birding experiences mindfully, they are able to connect with nature in a spiritual way that can be a form of self-care and healing for both ourselves and the natural world, regardless of our spiritual or religious background. We live in a stressful and fast-paced world that can be filled with distractions and fear for ourselves, our community, our planet, and future generations. But being mindful and fully present in nature can teach us so many things. 

Nature teaches us resilience and recovery. Every time we see the first green bud on a tree in the spring or the tracks of a sparrow in a fresh blanket of snow, we’re reminded that everything happens in cycles. In the immortal words of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (and Pete Seeger), “to everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the heaven”. 

Nature teaches us impermanence. Death and decay are constants and we can never throw a stone in the same stream twice as the water rushes by. The present moment is actually the only moment that’s real, and what a gift that moment is! The late Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, “To lose the present moment is to lose our one chance to encounter life.” 

Finally, Nature teaches us oneness. As surely as the blue jay needs the oak, the oak needs the blue jay. As much as we might try as humans to separate ourselves, we too are still a part of the natural world, and when we truly immerse ourselves in it – away from our phones, away from our goals and our lists, we are reminded of our need for the air, the water, the earth, and, in turn, our beloved community of avian friends. 

When we approach birding in a mindful way, we open our eyes to these lessons and we open our hearts to a transformation of the mundane to the sacred. We appreciate every bird, even the ones we see every day. 

Mindful birding is ultimately a way of birding that deeply honors the birds themselves while also providing benefits to us along the way. Rather than rushing from one bird to the next, looking for as many species as possible, chasing the rarities, and keeping a list, mindful birding gently suggests respecting each bird (and plant, and insect, and mushroom and so on) as both an individual worthy of respect and observation and as part of the greater whole of which we too are a part. 

There are many ways to take a more mindful approach while birding. You might try one or more of the following the next time you’re out in nature and notice how they make you feel. 

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1. Experiment with mindful walking in a quiet location. Relax your body and breathe normally as you take one step per breath. How does this change the quality of your movement? How does your experience of the world change when you move more slowly through it? If you’re in a safe spot with no obstacles, you might even try closing your eyes for a few steps. 

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2. Try finding a sit spot near your home that you can revisit every day or every week for 30 minutes. Notice how things change with the seasons. Are there any regular birds or animals that you see? What questions come up for you about the plants or wildlife around you? What details might you have missed? You may find it helpful to write or draw your observations in a journal. 

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3. Enjoy the moments “in between” birds by observing the patterns in nature. Taoism discusses the concept of Li as the markings in jade or the grain in wood as an example of patterns making up the greater whole. What examples of patterning can you find around you? 

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4. Try engaging some of your lesser used senses. Most humans are inherently visual creatures, but could we enhance our understanding of a bird’s experience through our other senses? What does the water feel like on a duck’s feet? What’s the smell of the leaves that a spotted towhee is foraging in? Don’t be afraid to be playful! 

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While it may feel foreign to take a different approach to birding, the good news is, as birders, we don’t have to choose! Counting birds has immense scientific value for conservation purposes, and it can be very exciting to get a big list of species for the day or a new life bird. But mindful birding can be a helpful alternative for a different day, or an idea to incorporate into any day of birding — respect every bird, appreciate the moments in between, and share in gratitude for the world we’re so fortunate to live in. 

For additional information and resources, please visit www.themindfulbirdingnetwork.com and join Denver Audubon for upcoming monthly Mindfulness offerings (coming soon on our calendar!)