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Study Suggests Becoming An Expert Bird Watcher May Protect Brain Health

Research found that participants who were expert bird watchers showed “differences in both brain structure and brain activity.”

Study Suggests Becoming An Expert In This Beloved Hobby May Actually Protect Your Brain

Research found that participants who were experts in this pastime showed "differences in both brain structure and brain activity."

HuffPost
Mar 5 at 7:29pmWeb
Show threadgivesomefucksMar 5

It’s not about birds, go spend time in nature paying attention to similar things and categorizing them and you’ll get the same benefits.

It’s exercising the brain while getting fresh air and physical exercise

Show threadtidderuufMar 5
No, the goal of Huffpost is for all of us to stop criticizing their journalistic ethics and go be thoughtless bird watchers. Go now or the fury of Clinton/Harris corporate donors will be upon you!
Show threadKowowowMar 5
I kind of do this but it’s just simply keeping my eyes out for any edibles along trails, would be nice to have more variety outside of hazelnuts and a few berries
Show threadJokulhlaupsMar 5
It’s the mushrooms for me
Show threadthevoidzeroMar 5
Could also be “has free time and no stress in life” factor that correlates with watching birds. But being in nature and doing activities that involve the brain is probably good anyway
Show threadwateroreMar 5
How about a mediocre “look at that bird” birdwatcher?
Show threadartifexMar 5
Unfortunately it seems to be the “expert” thing that’s important, even more than the “bird watching” thing. As it turns out, training your brain for hundreds or thousands of hours over the course of years is good for it.
Show threadHubertManneMar 5
curses. im in the same boat. oh look a birdies. and theres another birdies.
Show threadsin_free_for_00_daysMar 6
The number of times I’ve taken a picture of a bird in Merlin to identify a bird and it spits back “House sparrow” or “House finch” for the umpteenth time. I think I have bird blindness. Unless it’s an obvious one, I have no idea what I’m looking at.
Show threadavgMar 5
My cats must be sharp as hell, all they do is watch the birds outside and daydream about murdering them.
Show threadaltphotoMar 6
Bday present idea for your cat: quad copter! You stick your cat in it and then just set it to chase birds.
Show threadAssassassinMar 5
What if I just really like birds out of a deep seated jealousy?
Show threadCocodapufMar 6
I mean, become an expert at anything and then use that expertise daily. That should get the same result.
Show threadwhotookkarlMar 6
Similar but not the same most likely. Bird watching requires training and practicing certain mental capabilities (attention, awareness, etc). Some other skill mastery may require developing different mental skills (mindfulness, focus, memory, imagination, etc).
Show threadaltphotoMar 6
So if I want to become a neurosurgery expert all I need is birds in my life?
Show threadMinnesotaGoddamMar 6

Can you identify these? 🖕🏻🖕🏻🦆

I kid I kid. But can I have a 930 for a neuro consult please

Show threadaltphotoMar 6

You’ll have to excuse my rusty neurology as I add chatGPT which supports fascism in to my dairy way of twerking…

You’re not crazy!-_ 930 _ for a consult is the cost you’ll have to pay please.

2)if you’re referring to bird bird duck the children’s game you’re not crazy it exists. It has the following goals as a game, which may help with neilurological disorders: 1)if you’re shy, you get to touch your crush on the shoulder for approximately 4 microseconds! Enough time to consume your obsession with him or her for a lifetime! They know everything about you and you’re not making things up, they love you and want to be with you but they can’t say that because they’re shy and because of Bryan. Bryan is next, c’mon squeeze really hard so it hurts. You’re not crazy …punch! Punch again! Robert is with him! Kick him in the ass before he gets up too!

You’re not crazy! Bird Bird duck is a colloquial game that may be played with the purpose of establishment of a life long obsession and possession of your childhood crush and to enable drama.

Ask me anything! -they’re after me, this is present day Romania. -should I walk straight paths or will wavy paths prevent me from getting struck by bullets shot at a different guy who’s behind me and may be running from the law?
-I’m unable to use several of my extremities an woke up in a weird place… Is that blood?

Usage at heavy levels, come back later!

Show threadMinnesotaGoddamMar 6
excuse me but its called bird bird grey bird where i’m from we must now politely dance battle to the death.
Show threadaltphotoMar 6
Very well, but be aware that I can ask my AI for kungfu and adorable and graceful ballarina moves with deadly determination. It is one of the things I can as my AI for. And cake.
Show threadMinnesotaGoddamMar 6
dammit all i got is the shovel. you win today altphoto. you win today
Show threadpostmateDumbassMar 6
Its better to practice on bird brains before trying it on people brains.
Show threadMinnesotaGoddamMar 6
Is it becoming an expert in any hobby or just that one? Because I have a couple hobbies I’m an expert in, one I am two heartbeats away from being the world authority in, and I don’t think it’s helped my brain.
Show threadJigglySacklesMar 6
Are those heartbeats someone else’s and are they now dead? Also what hobby? This peaked my interest a lot.
Show threadMinnesotaGoddamMar 6
yes they are other peoples, and no they are not yet dead.
Show threadbryophileMar 6

I don’t know, but when I started recognizing birds by sound I noticed it was working as a constant mindfulness exercise whenever I went outside. You’re training to be aware of your surroundings. I suppose mindfulness has similar positive effects on the brain?

Then I’d say any hobby that encourages mindfulness has a positive effect on your brain?

Show threadWiddershinsMar 6
I was folding laundry inside once and heard a Nerf Turbo Screamer football being thrown outside. It was a red tailed hawk in a tree a few doors down.
Show threadSpacetimeMachineMar 6
Do those hobbies include spending a lot of time in nature outdoors? An activity that has also been shown greatly improves mental health?
Show threadMinnesotaGoddamMar 6
not the ones i’m good at no