{"id":549,"date":"2024-03-21T10:54:50","date_gmt":"2024-03-21T10:54:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amazing.greensmartmobility.com\/birds-need-you-this-winter\/"},"modified":"2024-03-21T10:54:50","modified_gmt":"2024-03-21T10:54:50","slug":"birds-need-you-this-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amazing.greensmartmobility.com\/?p=549","title":{"rendered":"Birds Need You This Winter"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Winter is a time of reflection, but for some it can also be a lonely time. Connecting with nature is\u00a0proven to reduce feelings of loneliness and boost overall wellbeing. One way to connect with nature is to become friends with the wild birds in your area. No, you don\u2019t need to be Dr. Doolittle to establish a surprisingly satisfying relationship with birds that benefit you both. Here\u2019s the why and how of befriending birds.<\/p>\n

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Why Make Friends with the Birds?<\/h6>\n
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It benefits us<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Observing, learning about, and interacting with birds encourages mindfulness, gratitude, and in-the-moment thinking. It also reduces the time and inclination one might have to ruminate in an unhealthy way. Plus, it\u2019s proven to\u00a0lessen the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.<\/p>\n

It benefits them<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Believe it or not,\u00a0winter can also be a tough time for birds too. Between a scarcity of insects and other natural food sources to braving the snow, rain, and cold to providing for their new families, it\u2019s a lot of pressure! We can help support our feathered friends by offering them\u00a0high-energy foods, and places to shelter and\u00a0nest.<\/p>\n

How to Be a Bird Friend<\/h6>\n
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We\u2019ve discussed the why, now let\u2019s get into the how. How, exactly, do we become friends with birds? I mean, we can\u2019t exactly invite them over for a glass of wine and a chat. So how do we attract them to our yards and gardens, build their trust, and show them we appreciate them? We\u2019ve come up with a few ways:<\/p>\n

Learn about them<\/em><\/strong><\/h6>\n

Can you identify the birds that come to your\u00a0bird feeders,\u00a0or those you see when you\u2019re out walking your neighborhood or hiking? If not, start there. Take a journal and a\u00a0field guide\u00a0with you and make notes on the birds you see, their markings and coloring, the sound of their bird call, their behaviors (swooping, nesting, ground feeding, etc.). There are also tons of apps, like\u00a0eBird\u00a0and\u00a0Merlin, to help you identify and learn key facts about the birds in your area.<\/p>\n

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Offer them a safe, supportive environment<\/em><\/strong><\/h6>\n

Much like our human friends, birds respond well to safe, calm, and inviting environments\u2014and are more likely to frequent those places. What does this entail for birds? It means a place away from noise and traffic, one that offers shelter from the elements and predators (including the\u00a0neighborhood cats), and one where they can eat,\u00a0drink, and rest.<\/p>\n

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Be consistent<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

No friendship works without mutual trust, and it\u2019s the same with birds. As natural prey, birds are ever on alert for danger. That just means we have to work a bit harder, and more consistently, to build their trust. One of the ways we do this is by being consistent with keeping our\u00a0bird feeders\u00a0and\u00a0birdbaths filled. Birds are pretty forgiving if you forget for a few days, but if your bird feeder goes empty more often than not, they will find other places to eat. Same goes for your birdbath: if it\u2019s usually empty, or the water is always dirty, it\u2019s likely your bird friends won\u2019t hang around.<\/p>\n

Birds Help Seniors Battle Loneliness<\/h6>\n
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Along with lowering blood pressure and slowing the production of stress hormones, birdwatching has many other benefits for older adults. For one, it gets them out in nature and provides a backdrop for socialization. Birdwatching walks and birding groups offer a chance to meet new friends with common interests. And even for seniors who aren\u2019t as active, or those who are housebound, a bird feeder in the window can mean the difference between a gloomy day and one filled with wonder and joy.<\/p>\n

Birds Teach Young Ones Key Lessons<\/h6>\n
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Patience,\u00a0empathy, compassion,\u00a0stewardship: who doesn\u2019t want to teach their children these important life lessons? But did you know that learning about birds can actually be powerful educators for our young ones? In fact, studies show that teaching kids at a young age about birds and nature actually\u00a0has a profound effect on them when it comes to developing healthy relationships\u00a0with peers, parents, and teachers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t<\/span> Post Views:<\/span> 263<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n
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Winter is a time of reflection, but for some it can also be a lonely time. Connecting with nature is\u00a0proven to reduce feelings of loneliness […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":550,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/amazing.greensmartmobility.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/amazing.greensmartmobility.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/amazing.greensmartmobility.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amazing.greensmartmobility.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amazing.greensmartmobility.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=549"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/amazing.greensmartmobility.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amazing.greensmartmobility.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/550"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/amazing.greensmartmobility.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amazing.greensmartmobility.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amazing.greensmartmobility.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}