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

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

By Rosemary Mosco
November 29, 2022 — Cartoonist Rosemary Mosco reflects on a season that’s special to her—and not only because she invented it.
A flock of ducks flying in the same direction with an out of focus landscape in the background.
News

A Duck Hunter’s Tips for Quickly Identifying Waterfowl on the Wing

By Holly A. Heyser
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

By Jenny McKee
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

By Rebecca Heisman
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

By Kenn Kaufman
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.