The Magic of Hand-Feeding Chickadees

    Many people look to medication and therapy to lower stress, however, nature is one of the best therapies available. Levels of stress decrease after mere minutes of being in nature: lowering your heart rate and blood pressure, decreasing muscle tension, and lowering the production of stress hormones. Doctors across Canada have been prescribing nature walks since 2020 to patients with anxiety or depression.

    Being in nature not only decreases negative emotions such as anger and stress, but also increases positive ones such as joy and calmness. The air quality outside is often higher, helping to prevent illness. People who spend a lot of time in nature often lead a more active lifestyle. The benefits of nature go beyond the time you spend outdoors--it will also increase your focus and concentration when you return to your previous task. You may think you don't have time to go outside, but with such valuable benefits, why not give it a try? 

    In addition to simply going outside, it's just as important to look around and connect to nature with your five senses. Hand-feeding chickadees is a great way to do just that. It's an unforgettable experience that I undertook during the pandemic.

    I remember standing as still as possible, listening to the birds around me and learning to identify their calls. I remember when chickadees first started to approach me, how I couldn't even move my eyes without scaring them away. On that first day one landed on my hat (right). They darted in, taking a seed before flying back to the oak tree. Over time, they grew more used to me, taking less and less time to approach and allowing me to look at them. The feeling of their little feet as they pick up a seed is something I will never forget.

    Now that other birds have migrated south and we are experiencing an unseasonably warm winter across Canada, I encourage everyone to give hand feeding chickadees a try. Here's how:

1. Hang up a bird feeder and observe them from afar, gradually moving closer. How far back to stand or sit will depend on how used the chickadees are in your area. Typically a few feet or a couple metres away is a good place to start. Observe the chickadees feeding for a few minutes everyday, and move a bit closer each time. Eventually, you will be able to stand right next to the feeder without disturbing them.
2. Feed them from a bowl. Going straight from getting the birds used to your presence to hand-feeding them is a big jump. Instead, transfer some bird seed into a bowl you can hold. Stand perfectly still where the bird feeder was with the bowl. It will take a long time for them to approach you the first time you bowl-feed them--patience is the key. Each day you do this exercise they will become more comfortable around you.
3. Feed them from your hands. The next leap is from bowl-feeding to hand-feeding. Again, it will take a while for them to gain enough confidence to land on your hands, and you'll have to hold them very still, but soon enough you are sure to experience the magic of hand-feeding chickadees.

Note: These directions are adapted from directions in The Big of Nature Activities by Drew Monkman and Jacob Rodenburg.

    Did it work? How was your experience with hand-feeding chickadees? Let me know in the comments below!