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

A Vagrant European Robin Is Drawing Huge Crowds in China
January 15, 2019 — The rarity popped up at the Beijing Zoo earlier this month, revealing a booming Chinese birding scene.
Conservation
How Do Birds Spend Cold Winter Nights?
January 02, 2019 — Huddling together and fluffing up are some of the ways that birds protect themselves from the chills of winter.
Podcast
A Mexican Hawk in Maine Has Somehow Survived Two Snowstorms
December 19, 2018 — Hundreds of people have visited the first wild Great Black Hawk to venture into the United States, where it's dining on squirrel instead of lizard.
News
Better Know a Bird: The Massive, Fickle Breeding Colonies of Tricolored Blackbirds
December 18, 2018 — At first glance, the species might be hard to distinguish from Red-winged Blackbirds, but wait until they gather by the tens of thousands to nest.
News
Where to Go Birding in El Petén, Guatemala: Part 2
December 13, 2018 — In Tikal, birders can seek exotic specialties among some of Central America's most magnificent ancient ruins.
News