Sexy, Nerdy, Birdy: Why Bird Watching Is Your Next Cool Hobby

Sponsored by brands we genuinely love and trust: NOCS Provisions, Haikubox, and Maven.

A few years ago, on Mother’s Day, we were on our way to brunch—me, my mom, my husband, and a couple of our kids—when we spotted a small pile of fluff on the ground. A baby bird. And then another. And then two more. Their nest had been destroyed, and, featherless,  they were far too young to fly.

We stood there, watching—and worrying. Usually, I’m a “let nature be” kind of gal, but I knew we wouldn’t enjoy brunch knowing those helpless babies were out there with little chance of survival.

My husband, Liam—now affectionately known in our family as “St. Francis” (as in the patron saint of animals and all things wild)—sprang into action. I called the South Carolina wildlife hotline to ensure we were helping rather than harming. They were incredible (they even requested photos to assess the situation) and confirmed what we suspected: the babies needed to return to a nest to survive.

So Liam got to work. He repurposed a natural basket, added some materials from the forest, climbed up and rigged the new nest into the tree the babies were under, and then—here’s the part that still gets me—gently cradled the chicks into it. (By far the sexiest thing I have ever seen.)

We waited, breath held, until the parents returned and began feeding the babies again. We went back week after week to observe “our" babies and their bio parents.

It was the best Mother’s Day gift—for me and for the mama bird. And it was also the beginning of something.

Not long after that, my St. Francis got into bird-watching in a serious way. And while I still haven’t memorized a single bird call, I’ve learned that bird watching is officially cool—and yes, dare I say, kind of hot.

Birding: Not Just for the Birds (or the Boomers)

The stereotype of birders as grandpas in socks and sandals doesn’t really hold up anymore. These days, if you show up at a community bird walk or local Audubon meetup, you’ll find all kinds of people—Gen Z, millennials, parents with strollers, twenty-somethings with tattoos and field guides. Birding has quietly become a young person’s sport, and the appeal makes total sense.

It’s low-cost. It’s low-pressure. It’s hyperlocal and wildly portable. You can bird watch on a cross-country road trip or from your apartment window. All you really need is a good pair of binoculars, a curiosity about what’s flapping around you, and a little time.

Why Bird Watching is a Win (Even if You Don’t Know a Finch from a Flycatcher)

• It’s a mindfulness practice in disguise. Birding forces you to slow down, breathe deeper, and look closely. You’ll find yourself standing still in a park for ten minutes because you thought you heard a blue jay—and honestly, when was the last time you just stood still for ten minutes?

• It’s cheaper than therapy. Free apps like Merlin Bird ID and eBird do most of the heavy lifting. The only real investment? Binoculars. (More on that in a second.)

• It’s social… if you want it to be. Local parks, public lands, and eco-minded community groups often host free intro-to-birding walks—especially during spring migration season. Not a people person? Take an online class or pick up a beginner birding book.

• It helps you notice things. Not just birds, but weather patterns, trees, bugs, the shape of the clouds. Birding teaches you to be present, and there’s nothing square about that.

What You Really Need to Start Birding

Not much! But here’s the breakdown:

Binoculars or a monocular are your best investment.

You want something light, water-resistant, durable, and easy on the eyes (literally and aesthetically). My husband’s a big fan of NOCS Provisions for their rugged designs, No-Matter-What Lifetime Warranty, and dreamy natural colors. The Zero Tube monocular is perfect for any nature enthusiast and casual birders. It’s waterproof, fog proof, and lightweight but not flimsy. Their REI-exclusive collaboration with Bird Collective introduces binoculars that are rubber-armored, built for the elements, and seriously so good-looking that you'll want to show them off around your neck (the strap alone is such a fun pattern). And psst… we’ve got a giveaway for those very binoculars, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

For those who want to level up, Maven’s C.1 binoculars are seriously top-shelf. They’re made to last a lifetime, with crystal-clear optics and a sleek, no-fuss build that feels like luxury. If you’ve got a budding obsession—or just want gear that grows with you—these are worth the splurge. Maven is known for their award-winning optics, and since they are only sold directly, there’s no retail markup (which you find with many other high-performance binoculars).

Apps are your new birdwatching besties.

Merlin Bird ID is free and helps you ID birds by sound or sight, and eBird, also free, lets you log sightings and contribute to citizen science. Both are intuitive, fun, and neither will make you feel like you’re cramming for a test.

Want to know what birds are hanging around your backyard—even when you’re not looking? Enter the Haikubox. It’s a smart, always-on bird listener that uses AI to detect and alert you to birds by sound. Ours lives on our screened porch near the feeders. The alerts you can set are customizable. We get alerts when new or rare species arrive, and it even tracks patterns over time—like a birdwatching buddy that never sleeps. If you’re trying to ID your mystery morning songster or want to learn which rare migrants are stopping by, Haikubox is pure gold.

A small notebook (optional).

Old-school, yes. But jotting down your first osprey sighting or that weird cardinal-squirrel standoff you saw? Kind of magical.

A good spot.

Whether it’s a national wildlife refuge, a city park, or your own front porch, birds are everywhere.

My Husband, Liam, Field Trip’s Resident Birder

I still don’t know all the bird names, but my husband does. He can ID a goldfinch by its song and spot a hawk while driving (safely, I swear). He saved those baby mockingbirds, and ever since, he’s been bringing sexy back to bird watching—at least for me.

He’s the kind of guy who packs a monocular on our way to the grocery store “just in case,” and who lights up at the sound of a warbler. He shares fun facts about birds he’s learned with anyone who will listen (you’ve been warned). And there’s something undeniably attractive about someone who’s both obsessed with birds and deeply invested in their place in the ecosystem.

So we’ve got a deal: he spots the birds, I bring the camera, and we wander into the woods together—both of us a little more tuned into the world around us.

If you spot a sexy guy in the woods pointing excitedly at a tree and whispering, “Blue-gray gnatcatcher!!”… that’s probably Liam. But hands off—he’s taken. Go find your own breathtaking bird nerd. They’re out there, binoculars and all.

This content is sponsored by the brands featured here. Field Trip always tests products before recommending them to our readers. We genuinely love and trust the brands you find featured on our platform.