May is unquestionably my favourite time of the year. As an avid lover of birds and someone who feels a profound connection with the natural world, May is a veritable concert season for me and my family, who live in a cabin nestled in the heart of the woods.

While dawn is still dark, a few shy notes from the earliest risers commence; brave souls chirping in the break of day. The burgeoning sound of tweets commences a willing collaboration with the spring peepers or small tree frogs, but soon takes over, entirely drowning out the gentle amphibious nocturnal love songs. Within minutes, the forest is resounding in full chorus, the melodic songs of thrushes, warblers and finches echoing through the trees like a symphony conducted by nature herself. These elaborate songs (we like to assign titles like, The Carnival Song, The Electric Whirly, The Water Droplet) are sung to attract mates, or are warning calls from migrants returning to their territories that they must defend.

Who would have guessed that these creatures, no heavier than their hollow bones will allow, wield a profound influence on our autonomic nervous system? Rather than harbouring a bleary-eyed resentment for these innocent creatures who have woken us so early, immersing yourself in their song and sounds encourages our nervous system to responds in kind by shifting into the gentle cadence of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). This activation of the PSN triggers a cascade of physiological changes within us. Our heartbeat slows, our muscles relax, and a sense of balance and equilibrium washes over us.

This profound shift isn't just a coincidence; it's an evolutionary response ingrained in our very being. Birds, like us, are keenly attuned to their surroundings, singing only when the environment is safe and free from danger. As such, the melodic tunes of songbirds serve as a sign of peace and safety, tapping into our primal instincts, signaling our nervous system to relax, rest and return to a place of equilibrium.

 We naturally wake in the morning with high levels of cortisol, this is our biological way of getting us up, alert and going. Layer on a cup of coffee and before we know it our heart is racing, our stress levels are mounting, and the day carries on as it starts, at a frenetic pace. There is much we can do to start the day on a more calm and intentional way. Taking your hot cuppa joe outside, feeling the early morning sun on your face and just listening to bird song are interventions that are not only healthful and relaxing but deeply satisfying and enjoyable.

In the realm of music care, harnessing the therapeutic power of birdsong can amplify the healing benefits for both caregivers and those they care for. By incorporating these sounds from nature into relaxation sessions, therapy sessions, or simply creating a serene environment where the sounds of nature abound, caregivers can create spaces of tranquility and restoration.

Researchers from Kings College London published a study STUDY in 2018 examining the effects of bird song and interactions with nature on individuals’ mental health. The study revealed that bird song not only positively impacted anxiety, depression, and general wellbeing but it also helped individuals’ self-regulation, allowing for deeper concentration, and focus. I, myself can attest to this as I sit at my computer with a noticeably tamed and less tangential mind while being serenaded by my feathered companions singing their complex harmonies outside the windows. The gentle stimulation of birdsong, while not being distracting is found to help relieve fatigue that impairs concentration.



Whether being serenaded at the start of the day, enjoying the company of sweet birdsong throughout the day, or even witnessing the sun being sung to sleep at day's end, I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude for these fleeting weeks. It's a time when the courageous Wood Thrush, the vibrant Yellow Warbler, the cheerful Gold Finch, the ever-present Robin, the haunting Whippoorwill, and an array of other feathered friends tirelessly fill the air with their melodies. They sing not just for love, lust, and territorial instincts but simply for the sheer joy of it, as confirmed by scientists and felt in the depths of our souls.