Audubon

Birding By Ear

Black-capped Chickadee. Photo: Tim Lenz /Flickr CC (BY 2.0)

 

There's a lot to look forward to in spring, including the welcomed hullabaloo of birdsong. The sheer volume of songs and calls can often feel overwhelming for birders, but these sounds offer an opportunity and a challenge. With our birding-by-ear series you can learn how to better ID birds through their vocalizations. 

A Few of Our Favorite Sounds

   

Tech

Meet Your New Birding-By-Ear Assistant

Amazon's Alexa can now access more than 2,000 birds sounds from the Audubon library—as long as you say the magic words.

More Birding Advice

Learn to Identify Five Owls by Their Calls

Learn to Identify Five Owls by Their Calls

These hooters have surprisingly big vocabularies.

Is This the Most Beautiful Bird Song on the Planet?

Is This the Most Beautiful Bird Song on the Planet?

According to famed ornithologist Frank Chapman, it is.

Canceled Birding Festivals Deal Host Towns a Major Economic Blow
Birding

Canceled Birding Festivals Deal Host Towns a Major Economic Blow

By Asher Elbein

As event organizers are forced to make tough decisions over coronavirus concerns, local businesses and nonprofits brace for the fallout.

This Was Supposed to Be Their Birding Big Year—and Then the Coronavirus Arrived
Birding

This Was Supposed to Be Their Birding Big Year—and Then the Coronavirus Arrived

By Andy McGlashen

These extreme birders know there are much more important impacts from the pandemic, but it still hurts to watch their plans dissolve.

Birding Is the Perfect Activity While Practicing Social Distancing
Birding

Birding Is the Perfect Activity While Practicing Social Distancing

By Andy McGlashen

This global pandemic has us all pretty freaked out. Handled responsibly, open space and wildlife observation might be just the balm you need.

My Brief Reign and Embarrassing Fall as a Fantasy Birder
Culture

My Brief Reign and Embarrassing Fall as a Fantasy Birder

By Nicholas Lund

Here's where I failed and the best players cleaned up during 2019's inaugural fantasy birding season.

Everyone Has a Bird Question They’re Waiting to Ask
Birding

Everyone Has a Bird Question They’re Waiting to Ask

By Rebecca Heisman

If they’re paying enough attention to birds to ask questions, they’re halfway to becoming an advocate for wildlife.