A Song that Changed Me

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Photo Credit: Barry Hetschko

Alicia Bridge, Podcast Producer, The Bird Who Made Me Happy

Ididn’t intentionally seek out to become fascinated with bird songs . . . it just sort of happened. Perhaps it was the stress of motherhood, or the pandemic. Either way, I needed some new form of relief as my old life hacks for keeping it cool were evading me. That is when I heard a bird singing and something shifted in me. It seems a bit too poetic to name it as a calling, but the more I listened to the bird singing around me, the more I felt moved to find out if the song of birds is also intended for our human ears. And if so, then why?

Initial research on the subject brought forward some intriguing answers. Listening to bird songs can reduce our stress levels, help us to feel regenerated after onerous cognitive work, and generally assure us the coast is clear, we can head outdoors. Even more baffling, a recent study showed that an increase in bird populations can be as satisfying as a comparable increase in income (next time I owe someone money, I’ll ask if they’d prefer a donation to Birds Canada!)

If bird songs make us happier, than how does this happen, and what does this mean for us ecologically, psychologically, financially or even musically? And might our Cowichan community of bird lovers have some exciting answers.

So, with some naiveté and a bundle of excitement for the topic, I pitched an idea to Telus STORYHIVE Voices to explore and share the effects bird songs have on our happiness, with a focus here in the Cowichan Valley. And so was born the visual podcast series: The Bird Who Made Me Happy.

From local naturalists, audiologists, researchers, psychologists and the backyard bird fanatic, I hope the podcast will give voice to how bird songs might change mine and perhaps your approach to stress, which local birds are the most relieving and more! As a visual podcast series I hope to showcase the incredible bird habitat and local song birds that call this Valley home.

Interested too? Have a story, answers, or a fantastic bird video? Lets talk. alicia@ wildpeace.ca Insta/FB @ thebirdwhomademehappy https:// thebirdwhomademehappy. wildpeace.ca/