Anyone can do it - you can go bird watching by yourself or with a group. It makes an ideal family activity, because children learn from it (and it lets them become involved in a family hobby).

It's outdoors - Bird watching will get you outdoors and it doesn't matter if you live in New York City (there are wild birds in Central Park), you can find birds somewhere nearby.

Inexpensive hobby - The only things required for bird watching are (1) a pair of binoculars, (2) a bird watching journal, and (3) a birding guide. Binoculars start at about $60, a journal can be a simple spiral notebook, and a good birding guide can usually be bought for under $20 (at your local bookstore or online at Amazon.Com)

Builds on itself - Your bird watching journal eventually becomes your 'collection'. With each new sighting you get to collect a new entry in your journal.

Flexible commitment - You can go anytime of year and choose not to go any time you want.

Bird watching is a life-long hobby that everyone and anyone can enjoy. The biggest satisfaction of bird watching is watching your list (known as the lifelist) grow over time. The single biggest reason people love it: it's addicting!