A study finds that people are happier if they are exposed to more biodiversity of birds in their environment. Seeing fourteen different species of birds on a regular basis brings as much happiness as making an extra $150 a month would bring.
Despite my semi-urban environment, my yard is usually full of birds. But do we have fourteen species? Let’s see how many I can count. Here are the bird species I have seen in my yard:
- Cardinal
- Blue jay
- Sparrow
- Chickadee
- Catbird
- Crow
- Starling
- Grackle
- Carolina wren
- Flicker
- Downy woodpecker
- Pileated woodpecker
- Ruby-throated hummingbird
- Robin
- Cedar waxwing
- Cooper’s hawk
- Sharp-shinned hawk
- Tufted titmouse
- House finch
- Mourning dove
- Yellow-throated vireo
- Ruby-crowned kinglet
- Orange-crowned warbler
- Common yellowthroat warbler
So, I’m already at 24 species, and I’m sure I could come up with more if I tried — not to mention all the birds I’ve seen but have not been able to identify. I’ve also spotted other bird species in (or over) my neighborhood that I have never actually seen in my own yard (goldfinches, bald eagles, turkeys….) In other words, all around us, happiness is chirping, warbling, squawking, and pooping on the car. But can I have the extra $150 a month, too?
What birds do you see where you live?
