Bird watching is a hobby soaring in popularity worldwide and research has found the practice is benefiting human health. In a remote coastal town in Victoria, it is not just keeping its residents active but also helping birdlife conservation efforts.
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00:00From the excitement of spotting a vibrant Azur Kingfisher to tracking down an endangered glossy black kookatoo,
00:09birdwatching, or twitching, is keeping people in this remote community active and its health benefits are visible.
00:17The impact that birdwatching has on mental health and on people who are able to connect with nature is very clear and it's very positive.
00:26Particularly as a GP working with this population out in Mallacoota, you can really see the difference.
00:34Boat Captain and avid birdwatcher Dale Winwood says he's seen the wellbeing benefits first hand.
00:40It's good for the mind, it's good for the soul. You wander off in the bush and go birdwatching, it's just good for you.
00:47You're out and about and you're moving around.
00:49While studies have identified mental health benefits of birdwatching,
00:53recording bird data as a citizen scientist is also helping research and conservation efforts.
00:59For volunteers like Martin Butterfield, it's about the real change citizen scientists make.
01:05We basically provide raw material for evidence-based decision making.
01:11It's an essential contribution to bird life conservation that's spreading its wings across Australia.
01:17It's such a huge area that without the volunteers taking part, the citizen scientists taking part,
01:22they wouldn't get access to the data for remote areas like this.
01:26From birdsong reducing stress to observations aimed at protecting bird life,
01:31the human nature relationship is a true win-win situation.
01:35The connection between positive mental health outcomes and the actual participation in citizen science
01:41have a really great impact on conservation because it shows that you as a single person
01:46can actually have a role in helping conservation.
01:50A glimpse into the benefits of twitching, an offer for anyone willing to give it a go.
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