The word Ornitherapy has been around for a while, but is growing in its usage as more people recognize the benefits to our wellbeing that observing birds can bring to us.

First referenced in print in 1979 in the British Medical Journal, Dr. A.F. Cox in London stated that watching birds had positive effects on his patients that were like a tranquilizer, but safer and cheaper than any drugs he could prescribe.

While Dr. Cox aptly titled the therapeutic value of watching birds, the name itself can have many interpretations based on individual styles and preferences.

Ornitherapy is defined here as a practice of Mindful Birding.

Constant demands on our attention and energy can wear on our overall wellbeing, driving a need for more deliberate self-care practices to improve our emotional and physical health.

Deepening our experiences with nature by intentionally slowing down, engaging our senses, and being aware of the present moment, holds a myriad of benefits to overall human wellness. We know through science-based research that spending time connecting to nature helps lower cortisol levels, which in turn supports our physical and emotional wellness.

Studies show when we use nature to redirect our attention, by intentionally paying attention to birds and nature, we can be pulled out of our own headspace, carrying us away from our worries and stress, and that ever-growing to-do list.

This practice is restorative and helps boost our feelings of wellbeing, of mind + body + spirit.

Birds are natural gateways into deeper nature experiences, displaying charisma in their color patterns, shapes, behaviors, flight, and their full concert of vocalizations. When we stop to pay attention, there are benefits beyond just the enjoyment. This is Ornitherapy.

Mindful Birding is synonymous with Ornitherapy as is defined here, and combines observing birds with mindfulness techniques, creating a practice that incorporates a heightened awareness of natural surroundings and self.

Labeling or identifying birds is not the primary focus, but instead, the intention is slowing down and noticing, using birds as our guides.

The intention of Mindful Birding differs from other styles of birding as the intention of Mindful Birding is as a practice or act of self-care and the promotion of wellbeing, and being purposeful in forming a deeper relationship with the birds surrounding us.

This style of observation invites self-exploration, reciprocity, and an acknowledgment of our physical and emotional responses while within the practice.

Guiding principles of Mindful Birding are:

• An awareness of being in the moment with the birds

• An intention to turn our attention to birds and nature for self-care

• Being without judgment in order to allow an experience to be what it will be, and not be disappointed by what happens (or doesn’t)

• An exploration of one’s curiosity, wonder, and openness to experiencing awe.

Mindful Birding / Ornitherapy brings an intention to explore our relationship with birds and nature, and ultimately ourselves.

Learn More About Mindful Birding through the Mindful Birding Network