It’s not just time-wasting!
By Fleur
@Fleura (34163)
United Kingdom
February 27, 2026 3:12am CST
Ever since I started on this garden birds survey for the British Trust for Ornithology (which was three years ago this week!) I have been obsessively glancing out of the window every few minutes, jumping up with the binoculars if I think I’ve seen something unusual, constantly looking over the shoulder of chatting visitors… it obviously does disrupt my work day and could be considered a waste of time.
But a study published a few days ago has shown that bird-watchers have better cognitive function and a more complex brain structure than control subjects, and could help to limit cognitive decline with ageing. So there you go, I’m not just procrastinating, I’m improving my mental abilities 
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/02/24/bird-watching-improve-brain-health-research/88844038007/
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/02/24/bird-watching-improve-brain-health-research/88844038007/3 people like this
3 responses
@DaddyEvil (168823)
• United States
3h
Are you considered a professional/expert bird-watcher or a novice? I also see that the report states "how decades of expertise reshape the brain to support expert performance throughout adulthood". 
I DID like the concluding paragraph's conclusion for your brain health, though. "While bird-watching does not definitively halt cognitive decline, the study shows that bird-watching and similar hobbies may boost overall brain health."
So, all in all, it's a good activity to engage in as long as the people around you don't get discouraged by you "constantly looking over the shoulders of chatting visitors" instead of paying attention to the conversation.
I DID like the concluding paragraph's conclusion for your brain health, though. "While bird-watching does not definitively halt cognitive decline, the study shows that bird-watching and similar hobbies may boost overall brain health."
So, all in all, it's a good activity to engage in as long as the people around you don't get discouraged by you "constantly looking over the shoulders of chatting visitors" instead of paying attention to the conversation. 
