Birding by Ear

There's a lot to look forward to in spring for birders.

The flowers are blooming, old friends are returning,  and birdsong is at its peak. 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. 

Pt. 1: Start Listening for Songs and Calls
Pt. 2: Learn the Most Common Kinds of Sounds
Pt. 3: Connect Noises With Pictures That Stick
Pt. 4: Grow Familiar With Neighborhood Voices
Pt. 5: “Read” Sounds on Spectrograms
Pt. 6: Know If It's a Mimic or the Real Deal
Pt. 7: Learn Different Regional Accents
Pt. 8: Eavesdrop on Nature's Orchestra
A Few of Our Favorite Sounds
Adopt a Bird
American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus
Herons, Egrets, Bitterns
Priority Bird
Varied Thrush
Ixoreus naevius
Thrushes
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Hawks and Eagles
Pied-billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps
Grebes

More Birding Advice

How to Go From Watching Birds to Drawing Them
July 26, 2017 — Sketching while outdoors or even at home will broaden your birding skill set and add a whole new dimension to the hobby.
In the Field
Listen to Drew Lanham's Keynote Speech at the 2017 Audubon Convention in Utah
July 20, 2017 — An author, ornithologist, and professor of ecology and conservation at Clemson University, Lanham spoke on the importance of inclusiveness and diversity in birding, among other themes.
News
Birdist Rule #81: Learn How to Handle Your First ‘Dip’
July 13, 2017 — Missing a bird you've traveled to see, or ‘dipping,’ can be a disappointing experience. It’s also a birding rite of passage.
The Birdist’s Rules of Birding
One of These Chicks Does Not Belong in This Nest
July 07, 2017 — To identify the imposter, start with the adult.
In the Field
Goodbye Thayer’s Gull, Hello Cassia Crossbill: This Year's Changes to the Official List of North American Birds
July 06, 2017 — The American Ornithological Society’s 2017 updates are here. Study up.
News