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
Herons, Egrets, Bitterns
! Priority Bird
Varied Thrush
Thrushes
Red-tailed Hawk
Hawks and Eagles
Pied-billed Grebe
Grebes

More Birding Advice

Audubon Guide to Hawk Watching
September 07, 2012 — Ten awesome places to catch one of nature's greatest spectacles.
Birding
Birding by Zipline
May 16, 2012 — Clipping into a zipline and flying through the canopy of a West Virginia hardwood forest gives thrill seekers a decidedly different perspective on their favorite birds. 
News
Fall Migration Hot Spots
October 19, 2011 — With autumn on the horizon, you can soon witness—up close and in person—billions of wings on the go in peak season. Here are six of my favorite lookouts.
Birding