|
Audubon at Home
> Bird Watching
> Studying the Basics: How to Listen
>
Studying the Basics: How to Listen
You will often hear a bird before seeing it. Habitats such as thick forests and dense shrubbery frequently make spotting birds difficult. Luckily, many birds are identifiable by their song alone. In fact, some birds that look similar in color and shape to others are only distinguishable by their sound. Once you hear a bird call, remain still, focus on where the sound is coming from, then grab your binoculars and try to spot the source.
© George Jameson
© George Jameson
© George Jameson
|
Know the more common songs: There are sure to be birds in your area that are abundant and vocal. Familiarize yourself with the more common local species, and you’ll soon be able to separate them from the infrequent visitors.
Know your mnemonics: There are also species that are named for their songs, making them easier to learn. The chickadee, for example, sings chicka-dee-dee-dee-dee) Eastern Towhees sings drink your teeee. Just keep an ear out for imposters like the Northern Mockingbird, which is known for imitating other birds and sounds!
Read aloud, ruminate, and repeat: Learning birdsong is like learning a new language. Read your guide’s description, try to sound out the song, and then repeat. There are also a number of birdsong audio tapes and CDs, but there really is no substitute for going out in the field, trying to imitate the song yourself, and describing the sound in your notebook.
Here are some songs to get you started
(All files are in mp3 format; right-click and Save As to save on your computer)
If you’d like to purchase audio aides, we recommend a set of CDs called "Birding By Ear" and its companion, "More Birding By Ear," published by Peterson Field Guides. They also include a narrator to describe each birdsong before playing it for you.
|
Now that you that you know all about birds’ looks, sounds and behavior, find out how humans should behave in the field: Birding Etiquette.
|
