Why do middle aged people become obsessed with birds?

[HauntedBungalow]

I have seen it many times. Onset appears to be between 40-45 and by 50 they are deep in the grip of it.

What is going on?

Ooh, I might just do that, would give me an excuse to sit and watch the birds all day! I'm just doing some research dear, be a darling and fetch me a cup of tea and some biscuits would you....😂

Haven't RTFT as just back from a nice morning at Martin mere. Lots of avocets and godwits and heard my first reed warbler of the year.

Sorry, what was the question?

I do constantly. The other week here there was an unpredicted heavy snow fall overnight. I pulled back the curtains to see tons of snow and a very agitated robin on the windowsill looking back at me.
Don't know how long he'd been trying to get my attention but I immediately shouted "Oh I'm so sorry" and went outside with some bird feed.

OK but no fig rolls!!!! 😂

Yikes no! I like rich tea fingers to dunk in a cup of tea!!😂

I love this!!
DP and I are bird-obsessed but we thought it was incredibly interesting and quirky of us.
Er...no

I have always been interested in birds. I used to be able to recognise them better than I do now. I love listening to their song but I do with our magpies were as tuneful as Aussie ones! Ours sound like rusty gates!

I was blabbing in about the birds in the garden to DH this morning, he was looking at me like ‘why the hell are you suddenly bothered about birds’ - now I know it’s because I turned 40 last year so obviously the ‘bird lover’ switch has been activated!

I developed a middle aged interest in birds. It started when we did the middle aged move out of London to the countryside move. Then birds kept appearing on our thatched roof - greenfinch, robins, pigeons, magpies and when we garden the robins watch us. It moved on to visiting islands around the UK to see puffins - Farne Islands, Skomer, Skye / Canna then to bird spotting on holidays abroad in Mauritius (e.g. pink pigeon) and Costa Rica (e.g. toucan). Lockdown led to keeping silkie chickens. Always been a penguin fan.

I hate caged birds but since moving to the "country" I adore them. I even asked for a "what Bird Is That?" book for xmas. The beautiful flocks we get ( massive all year dam befind us) are just a joy. Could do without some ( like the ibis), but lovely to see pelicans when we are about 100km inland. Sooooo many ducks and wrens. Corellas, lorikeets, galahs etc, Everyone'e fave was a bonded pair of black swans , everyone was devestated when their last cygnet disappeared.

I always hated birds. Now mid 40's I take the long way through the park in order to record them on my Merlin App.... like a bloody weirdo.

I'm 34 and started loving birds in my mid twenties lol

This is me! Got a very longed for bird table for Christmas and we love it. Especially the two robins who bob about the garden every day. The obsession is real. x

I'm not really qualified to answer this one because although I am a middle-aged person obsessed with birds, my obsession started when I was about four 😁

I’ve only ever been interested in vultures and I’m in your demographic

I’m that age and have zero interest in birds. My mum does though (and always did, even when she was young).

Yup. Happened to me. My lifetime kingfisher count is 3, my lifetime goldcrest count is two.

Yup. Happened to me. My lifetime kingfisher count is 3, my lifetime goldcrest count is two.

Yep, guilty as charged.

I love to get out my Cornell university bird ident app as I go for my morning walk.

I've been interested in birds since I was a kid.

I think being a 'Twitcher' is the term that's used for those that are nutty for ornithology. You know, the ones that chase around the country after rare bird sightings. Its probably a middle aged thing because there generally more time and more money for it.
I have MERLIN on my phone which is awesome for identifying bird sounds and humans.

I know lots of people in their 20's and 30's who love birds. This thread is really ageist.

No idea why, but I found myself considering buying birding books in my mid 40s. Then I remembered I had a smartphone.

i also named the birds that came to my office window last summer.

its like a switch flips.
though I did move to an area with absolutely amazing raptors so that did pique my interest.

Got to 40
Jacked in teaching and started work for a wildlife based charity
Bought binoculars
Became a bird nerd 👍

To be fair I come from a nature loving family but I resisted for years 🤣

Because as I get older I'm happier in the company of animals and nature than humans.