BLACKSBURG, Va., Sept. 2 -- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University issued the following news release:
Research at a glance
More than 56 million U.S. adults feed wild birds.
For many, filling a feeder is a routine way to connect with birds and other wildlife. But researchers know less about what that interaction may mean for the people doing it.
A Virginia Tech-led study of people who feed birds in the United States and Canada found that most believed feeding and watching birds had a positive effect on their well-being. The study also identified three ways people described that connection: through emotions, engagement, and a sense of meaning.
"Feeding and observing birds is a really meaningful way for people to connect with...