Birding by Ear
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
American Bittern
Latin:
Botaurus lentiginosus
Varied Thrush
Latin:
Ixoreus naevius
Red-tailed Hawk
Latin:
Buteo jamaicensis
Pied-billed Grebe
Latin:
Podilymbus podiceps
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
News
An Ode to Weird Duck Time
November 29, 2022 — Cartoonist Rosemary Mosco reflects on a season that’s special to her—and not only because she invented it.
News
A Duck Hunter’s Tips for Quickly Identifying Waterfowl on the Wing
November 14, 2022 — Take limits require rapid ID of fast-flying birds—a useful skill for any birder. One waterfowler breaks down how she does it.
Birding
A Beginner’s Guide to Using eBird
October 07, 2022 — Birders and scientists alike have come to depend on this powerful platform. New to birding or intimidated by eBird? Don’t worry, we’ve got you.
Birding
How the ‘Elevator Music of Birding’ Became My New Favorite Tune
August 25, 2022 — After the Merlin Bird ID app helped me discover the Warbling Vireo, its song now feels like a secret message meant just for me.
News
Here’s How Drastically Birding Has Changed Over the Past 50 Years
July 28, 2022 — On the 25th anniversary of his book "Kingbird Highway," Kenn Kaufman reflects on the many ways the hobby has transformed since he first hitchhiked across the country chasing birds in the 1970s.
In the Field
Learn to Identify Five Owls by Their Calls
These hooters have surprisingly big vocabularies.
Podcast
Is This the Most Beautiful Bird Song on the Planet?
According to famed ornithologist Frank Chapman, it is.
