Learning Bird Songs
3/20/16
By David Brown
Before I was interested in birds, a friend and I were in my backyard and he commented that the whistling we could hear was a cardinal. I thought it was neat that someone could recognize different birds by ear and made a note to myself that one day I would sit down and memorize the songs of all our local birds. That may sound like a plausible idea, but it is a bit like reading a French dictionary cover to cover and expecting to speak fluently at the end. The truth is that it takes time and experience.
I often hear people say that they wish they were better at recognizing bird songs. For the next few months, you won't be able to go outside without hearing birds singing so this is the perfect time of year to start to learning. Identifying birds by ear is a skill that is learned. Some people may have more of an aptitude for it, but no one learns without putting in effort. If you put in the work you will improve. Here is my advice on the best way to learn.
At first you may be overwhelmed by the number of songs you are hearing. At this stage the best strategy is to focus on the songs that stand out to you. You will begin to recognize a song but not know what species it is. There are a few ways to figure out the species. One of the easiest ways is to be with someone who knows bird songs well and can tell you what you are hearing. Another way is to get a look at the bird as it sings and identify it by sight. Most bird identification websites and cell phone apps include audio and instructional CD sets are also available. Alternating between listening in the field and studying at home is better than only doing one or the other.
Song Sparrow
Some species have a lot of variation in their song. In this case it is important to focus on the overall characteristics of the sound. Is it pure or rough? Is it a few notes or a jumble of many? Is the song short or long? Over time you will get familiar with how much variation each species has and if any other species sound similar.
Use songs you already know well to learn others. If you already know the song of the American robin then you can easily learn the song of the scarlet tanager when someone tells you that it sounds like a robin with a sore throat. Rose-breasted grosbeaks sound like robins singing opera. Red-eyed vireos sound like robins taking a breath between phrases.
Listening to birds is an enjoyable experience and learning to identify birds by ear should increase that enjoyment. Be patient and remember that forgetting is a natural part of the process. Focus on the songs that are memorable to you and learn the common birds well so you'll notice when something different shows up. Happy birding this spring!
