“Birders: The Central Park Effect” is a documentary that is both narrated and directed by Jeffrey Kimball. The main focus of this documentary are the numerous species of birds that stop in Central Park every year and the “Birders” that watch them. As numerous birds migrate to breed and feed throughout the year, they always manage to make a pit stop in Central Park because it is the only green space in the urban jungle known as Ney York City. “Birders” are a unique and interesting species of people that enjoy the hobby of bird watching and live for everything it stands for. In “Birders: The Central Park Effect,” you get to see anything and everything you ever wanted to know about bird watching and the different species of birds that pass through Central Park through the 4 seasons.

Seeing as how I am traveling to New York City in April, which is one of the best months for bird watching, I thought this was a good documentary because it gave me another item to add to my to-do list during my trip. I am not in any way a “Birdie,” but this documentary made me really want to experience the joys of bird watching as well as taking some cool pictures of exotic birds while on vacation. The picture quality of this documentary and the video footage of the birds were so sharp and the colors were so vibrant that I forgot it was on DVD and not a Blu-ray disc. Also, the music was soothing to fit the relaxed pacing of the documentary. They also included some extended “Birdie” interviews, a video guide to find the birds of Central Park, and a field guide booklet to help you identify the birds while you are actually there. I thought the extras and bonus footage were cool and very thoughtful because they are some good resources for me to use while I am in Central Park.

The only gripe I had with “Birders: The Central Park Effect,” was that it might not appeal to everyone. The “Birders” might be a bit too mellow or odd for some viewers and prevent them from enjoying this well-made documentary. Especially when they try to justify why they are “Birders” might turn off some viewers as well. Other than that, I really enjoyed watching “Birders: The Central Park Effect” and I cannot wait to do some bird watching and photography in Central Park along with the other touristy things I have planned for my trip. For those reasons, I am giving this documentary a “B-.”