If the holidays have you down, grabbing a pair of binoculars, and stepping outside to look for birds might boost your mood.

According to a 2020 article titled “The Importance of species diversity for human well-being in Europe,” published in Ecological Economics, happiness can tie directly into how many species of birds can be spotted in an environment. The research suggested that an additional 10% increase in bird species boosts life satisfaction as much as a comparable increase in income.

Fortunately, we have won the bird lottery in California. There are approximately 450 commonly seen species in the state, making it one of the country’s most diverse, according to Audubon California. You do not have travel to remote areas to see a variety of birds. December is a great time of year to spot birds enjoying winter berries and stocking up on acorns in your backyard. Bird watchers who are patient might even spot a hawk stalking the feasting songbirds.

If your ID skills are rusty or nonexistent, there are several apps for that. The Merlin app created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is an easy to use, region specific field guide for your phone. This free app is available in the Apple App Store as well as Google Play. Once installed, Merlin will recommend a “bird pack” download that is specific to your location.

Merlin gives suggestions for the bird species based on region, size, color and where in it is in the habitat. The program also has sound and photo identification that will compare recordings and photos the user has taken to the most likely species match.

Another free and helpful app is iNaturalist, a joint initiative by the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society. This crowdsourced species identification system encourages users to photograph, upload and map their observations of plants and animals. Users who are uncertain about the species they have spotted, can get help from other members of the community in identifying it.

Both Merlin and iNaturalist make outdoor adventures and observations more interactive and entertaining.  In addition to be being easy enough for the entire family to use, they also give citizen scientists a meaningful way to participate in research. Both applications provide significant and helpful data to researchers and conservation organizations.

Birders wishing to volunteer in person and help research can participate in Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count. The event, which is in its 123^rd year, takes place between December 14, 2022 and January 5, 2023. Each count covers a 15-mile-wide circle and is led by a compiler who guides volunteers and submits the tally of bird species and numbers to Audubon. Those interested in participating in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties can visit San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society’s website for volunteer opportunities.

Volunteers do more than count birds, they help shape bird conservation efforts. In 2022, Audubon published a study using 90 years of Christmas Bird Count data to show how bird ranges have moved over time. This data can be used to prioritize conservation efforts in areas that are critical to sensitive and endangered species. Some of these areas are right here in the Inland Empire.

While California has an impressive diversity of bird species, many are threatened or endangered. Often this is due to the loss of habitat. In Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, Rivers & Lands Conservancy preserves habitat for species such as the least Bell’s Vireo, California gnatcatcher and burrowing owl. Along with many other partners in the region, we want to be sure the next generation gets to cash in on the diversity of birds. We can’t be certain that seeing more bird species makes everyone happier, but we don’t want to risk it.