If it’s a complicated song, figure out how many notes it has. Describe the sound to yourself, draw a diagram, or write it down. To speed up the learning process, don’t just listen passively: Focus and analyze what you’re hearing. Plus, it’s a method you can repeat with other familiar species. Spend some time with them and study their repertoire the knowledge will be useful practically anywhere you go in North America. Are there American Robins in your yard or local park? In addition to their rich, caroling song, robins have a surprising number of different calls. ![]() Mastering the sounds of one or two species is the key to learning more as you build up your mental library, you’ll have more practice and more basis for comparisons.Īs with other aspects of birding and bird ID, it’s good to build on what you know. The benefits of birding by ear start to kick in as soon as you learn a handful of voices. The good news is that you don’t have to learn them all, especially not right at first. Picking out a single voice from the chorus feels hard enough, but trying to name each singer is downright overwhelming. A spring sunrise could serve up dozens of different species calling at once. To work through these sticky IDs, birdwatchers need to double as bird listeners, too.īirding by ear can seem daunting when you’re just getting started, though. Eastern and Western Meadowlarks, dowitchers in winter plumage, and several kinds of flycatchers all fall into this category. Plus, for species that are easy to spot but hard to tell apart, voice can be the best clue. (Parker was legendary for his ability to identify thousands of birds by voice.) The same can be said about dense, species-rich habitats here in the states, from wooded swamps to the sagebrush sea. “Birding in tropical forests by sight alone is like watching the news on television with the sound turned off-you’ll miss most of what’s going on,” the late Ted Parker once said. ![]() In dense surroundings like rainforests, sound becomes even more essential. Rails rattling in a marsh, a tanager whistling from the treetops, pipits calling in flight overhead, a Canyon Wren singing from a ravine wall-these species can easily go unnoticed if you’re not listening. She wasn’t mad-she heard and IDed the same birds.Įxperts never stop birding by ear, and for good reason: Sound is very often the best way to detect a bird’s presence. When my wife, Kimberly, and I got married, for example, I identified eight species by voice during the ceremony. In my case, whenever I’m outdoors or even close to a window, I never stop listening for birds. People may speak of “birding by ear” as if it were different from normal birding, but it’s not it’s something you’re already and always doing. ![]() ![]() But for birders, learning to recognize birds by their voices is tremendously valuable. Is it a nightingale or a skylark? The question is a matter of life or death: If it’s the lark singing, that means daybreak is coming, and Romeo must flee for his own safety.įortunately, nailing bird IDs doesn’t usually have such heavy consequences. During a secret nighttime tryst, the star-crossed couple argues about a bird they’re hearing outside the window. Don’t believe me? Check out Romeo and Juliet. (Bonus: You're probably already doing it!) To catch up, check out part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, and part 8.įirst up, master birder and Audubon field editor Kenn Kaufman on why you should give birding by ear a chance, and what you need to get started. Follow along with our birding-by-ear series to learn how to use vocalizations to better ID birds. The sheer volume of songs and calls to learn can often feel overwhelming for birders, but these sounds offer both an opportunity and a challenge. Editor’s Note: There's a lot to look forward to in spring, including the welcomed hullabaloo of birdsong.
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