>>1247486It helps you become more awqare of your surroundings and the larger world around you. Think about how many times you've heard birdsongs all around you but never actually see any birds. Birdwatching can help train your senses in a way that allows you to not only hear but also see and distinguish the different bird species you encounter while hiking. It helps develop a different mindset and way of seeing the environment, if you actually take it seriously as a hobby. It's good for understanding ecology, if you want to know more about the place you are exploring.
Also, it's like IRL Pokemon. You can be autistic about it and mark off checklists for how many birds you've spotted and identified. I've personally seen about 4 dozen species so far and usually see something new every time I go someplace new. 4 dozen out of roughly 700 species in North America. So there's always something new to look for and always familiar species you can start to easily identify as you wander the outdoors. You can also try to photograph or record their calls for extra activities while /out/. The same is true for butterfly or wildflower watching etc.
I saw pic related today. California Scrub Jays are everywhere and I usually see at least one every hike, but they're always unique in the sense that they may be exhibiting different behaviors or you see them in a new environment or pose and so on. I've never taken a picture of one from this angle, for example.
I mean, at the end of the day you either get it or you don't. No problem if it's not the hobby for you, but it's worth trying your hand at at least. You can get a good guidebook (I recommend Sibley's) for about $15 and get a pair of binoculars for another $50 or so. It's a cheap hobby, since it can be subsidiary to whatever outdoors activity you are engaged in. It's not like there's a scarcity of places to see birds.
