Secondly, bird watching is a great excuse to spend time outdoors. Too many of us spend the year either closeted inside our homes or in a job cubicle. We've forgotten what it's like to breath fresh air and commune with nature. We've forgotten that we're not the only creatures blessed to live on this planet. We've forgotten that it's natural to be outdoors.

Third – bird watching can be very convenient. What's more convenient than watching birds in your very own back yard? You can go down to your local garden center, purchase a simple bird house kit and some feed, and have a bird sanctuary in your back yard in one afternoon. If you've done your homework correctly, your newfound bird friends will love you. If you're industrious enough and handy with a hammer and saw, you can even build a custom bird house.

Fourth – bird houses provides you with your own private animal reality show. You'll quickly find yourself involved in the bird family pecking order. Who's dominant? Who's selfish? Who's nurturing? Who's a bully? You'll start to recognize distinct personalities. And those among us with slight psychological problems will start to name them.

Fifth – bird watching is a relaxing activity. No matter how stressed out your day has been, once you sit down with your binoculars and aim it towards your bird friends, you'll notice a sense of calm and tranquility coming over you. It's inevitable and can't be stopped. It's impossible not to feel your blood pressure dropping and the stresses and worries fleeing from your mind.

Sixth – bird lovers realize that they're helping nature by helping the bird species to survive and thrive. In so many parts of the world, the natural habitats of the indigenous creatures, including birds, have been destroyed. In contemporary society, modern industrial needs and housing development trumps nature every time. With your bird watching hobby, you can help restore some of the habitat balance by providing nesting places, shelter from predators, and food for the birds that you enjoy.

Seventh – bird watching is such a great social and bonding activity for people. Finding people who love the same thing as you do and spending time with them lets you re-connect with your humanity. Rather than spending hours in front of the T.V. screen, you can form friendship bonds that will stay with you the rest of your life.

Eight – It's great exercise. Hardly a day goes by without us hearing some newscaster talking about the obesity epidemic and how we Americans are getting fatter and fatter by the day. We all know that we should exercise more, but very few of us actually do it. Bird watching is a great way to exercise and have fun at the same time. Following and tracking birds through forest settings will give you plenty of exercise and help to keep you in good health.

For all these reasons, and more, bird watching is an activity that becomes more popular each year. In truth, it surprisingly has become one of America's most popular pastimes.