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| Red-eyed Vireo mid-song. |
Now this may sound like crazy talk to people just getting into birding, but hear me out! With all of the discussion about field marks, identifying features, general impression of shape and size, behaviors, etc., now I’m telling you that there’s a whole new thing to learn!?! That doesn’t even involve these expensive binoculars I just bought!?!
Short answer: Yes.
Longer answer: YYYEEEEEEESSSSSSS.
Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up:
1- Birds are awesome at hiding. We know this. Bummer for us. Many of the birds that are here in the spring and summer make their livings in the canopy. Double bummer! It’s too much to ask to lay eyes on every single one of them.
2- For the birds, all of this hiding is good, but only to a point. How do you find your friends? Or that special lady friend you’ve had you’re eye on? Maybe you’ll bump into her while you’re both going for the same caterpillar.
Or maybe you’ll belt out a song that will be totally irresistible to her and totally intimidating to that other male three trees over. What a jerk.
For all of the variety of colors, shapes, sizes, plumages, and habitats that we know about birds visually, the same diversity exists in their song. Many, many birds have identifiable songs that are unique just to them! If you are familiar with a bird’s song, you’ll already know what to look for up in the canopy or down in the understory!
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| Blue Grosbeak belting it out. |
So how do you get started? Much of the birding-by-ear strategies are similar to the regular birding-by-eye recommendations.
Start in your backyard: You know all of those Northern Cardinals, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, and Carolina Wrens you have in your backyard? They all have songs that you’ll hear just about everywhere you go. Get to know them well so when you’re out for a walk you can pick out the new songs from the familiar.
Practice listening: We’re often in the habit to look first. But if you listen first, often you’ll get a better picture of what’s going on. Is the bird moving? Is it high in the canopy? On the ground? Is it agitated? What kind of song is it? Buzzy? Flute-like? Ethereal? Coo-ing? Caw-ing? Initially, it may feel little unusual to not look for the bird immediately, but taking time to just listen will help you remember the sound.
Make a recording: Many of us are already walking around with our portable recording devices: our cell phones! If you can make a recording of a mystery bird, you can then start working on other details, like where is it calling from or identify any field marks. If you can’t find the bird visually, you still have the recording to use for more research!
Mnemonics and catch phrases: One of the easiest ways to recognize bird songs in to turn the pattern into something familiar. This is also one of the best ways the best ways to remind you of what you already know. Some of the more popular ones lots of birders use:
Carolina Chickadee: chk-a-dee
dee dee; fee-bee fee-bay; see-dee-dee-dee
Tufted Titmouse: Peter
Peter Peter!
Carolina Wren: Teakettle
teakettle teakettle!
Eastern Towhee: Drink
your teeeeeee!!!!!
Red-eyed Vireo: Where
are you? Here I am.
Black-and-white Warbler: weezy-weezy-weezy
Come out with us!: The best way to learn is in the company of others! We’ll have a couple of birding opportunities during the next few weeks and we can work on listening to everything going on around us before getting out the eyewear!
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| A whole trail of White-eyed Vireos... easy to hear, hard to see! |
Some useful links for more information:
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