Review of Birders: The Central Park Effect (2012) by Tr J — 14 Jan 2019

This is a thoughtful, loving and modest documentary focusing on birders in Central Park, enthusiasts who try to express their devotion to the activity. There's no pretense or attempt at contrived drama.

Instead, the film simply follows and interviews various birders who frequent Central Park, a surprisingly lively oasis for various species of birds in the middle of Manhattan. The film's approach becomes a bit dry and repetitive at times, but the local birders help keep our interest.

I wish the filmmakers had included more about the nature of bird behavior, and the ending is more a fade-out than a moving conclusion. There are two excellent bonus features on the DVD of the film--a writer featured in the film as a bird enthusiast talks in an eloquent way about his attachment to nature, and an authority from Cornell's Ornithology Lab gives excellent insights into birds and their current fragile state on our planet.

Portions of those features would have strengthened the film itself, and especially more emphasis on the declining populations of birds passing through the park.