Birds &
Wellbeing

A recent report by Time Magazine stated that seeing or hearing birds improved people’s mental wellbeing and the benefits weren’t explained by other environmental factors such as seeing trees, plants, or water.  

In a recent research paper from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London, Research Partner & Landscape Architect Jo Gibbons wrote: “Who hasn’t tuned into the melodic complexities of the dawn chorus early on a spring morning? A multi-sensory experience that seems to enrich everyday life, whatever our mood or whereabouts.”

Birds as a catalyst for improved well-being was recently explored by Richard Sima in the Washington Post.  He wrote that birds are a way to connect with nature and research shows that this is associated with better body and brain health.  If you’re looking to improve your mental health, pay attention to birds.  Two studies published last year in Scientific Reports indicated that seeing or hearing birds could be good for our mental well-being… Birds appear to be a specific source of healing benefits. They are almost everywhere and provide a way to connect us to nature. And even if they are hidden in trees or in the underbrush, we can still revel in their songs. 

The Melville Bird Sanctuary stands for the importance of birds in our environment, of biodiversity, of making nature accessible and of improving habitat.  It also has the potential to provide tangible health benefits to all who visit. As part of the Attadale-Alfred Cove Foreshore Masterplan we will see improvements in biodiversity and habitat over the next few years as areas are rehabilitated and revegetated. Hopefully the pay-off will be an increased diversity of bird species who call the Melville Bird Sanctuary home, seasonally or year round.