Back to Great Lakes close
Audubon
Type in your search and hit enter
Type in your search and hit go

Birding By Ear

Black-capped Chickadee. Photo: Tim Lenz /Flickr CC (BY 2.0)

 

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

Learn to Identify Five Owls by Their Calls

Learn to Identify Five Owls by Their Calls

These hooters have surprisingly big vocabularies.

Is This the Most Beautiful Bird Song on the Planet?

Is This the Most Beautiful Bird Song on the Planet?

According to famed ornithologist Frank Chapman, it is.

The Man Behind the Brilliant Winter Finch Forecast Is Passing the Torch
News

The Man Behind the Brilliant Winter Finch Forecast Is Passing the Torch

By Ryan F. Mandelbaum

Ron Pittaway might be retiring, but fear not, finch fans: His collaborator Tyler Hoar will continue the highly anticipated reports.

Why the Northwestern Crow Vanished Overnight
Birding

Why the Northwestern Crow Vanished Overnight

By Kaeli Swift

The loss of a species should always capture our attention, but it need not always demand our grief.

The McCown's Longspur Is No More, but the Debate Over Bird Names Continues
News

The McCown's Longspur Is No More, but the Debate Over Bird Names Continues

By Jessica Leber

In response to growing calls, the American Ornithological Society recently renamed the bird the Thick-billed Longspur. That's not enough for critics.

Finding a Constant in Nature During the Uncertainty of a Pandemic
News

Finding a Constant in Nature During the Uncertainty of a Pandemic

By Gabrielle Saleh

Birds, the Trinity River Audubon Center, and nature provide stability for me when everything else feels so changeable.

Birdwatching Is a Bright Spot in a Pandemic-Stricken Economy
COVID-19

Birdwatching Is a Bright Spot in a Pandemic-Stricken Economy

By Neel Dhanesha

Sales are through the roof for seed suppliers, birdhouse builders, and small businesses helping people connect with the nature in their backyards.