Bird song

[Wild-Woman]

I wish there was a quick and easy way of learning bird song. I know the basics but it's hard to pick out one song in the dawn chorus. I've been on the RSPB site and listened but I think it must be something that is learnt through years of experience.
Is anyone on WAB good at it? WW

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

I wish there was a quick and easy way of learning bird song. I know the basics but it's hard to pick out one song in the dawn chorus. I've been on the RSPB site and listened but I think it must be something that is learnt through years of experience.
Is anyone on WAB good at it? WW

I'm not bad, though I put it down as you say, to experience as I have been fascinated since I was a child, my Aunt gave me a 'Dartington Birdsong' tape when I was seven and I used to listen to it going to sleep at night. It's like learing a foreign language really and you do learn much better as a child, I think they found that you use a different part of the brain for learning languages when you are a child..... If only you could tap back into that as an adult!

I'm still learning all the time but it takes much more effort to get it to go into my brain and make it stick!
Hints I would give would be of course to get out and watch the bird singing wherever possible, pay close attention to what kind of habitat you're in when you hear a bird as you can use this to help with the ID in the future - it also helps learn by association too.
Learn the common birds first then your ears are more likely to pick up something a little more unusual out of the song around you, that's how I learnt both Redstart and Black Redstart - I otherwise would have missed both these birds.
Don't be afraid to id by a process of elimination for example 'well it's rich and fluty song but it's not repeating phrases - so it's not a songthrush - what other thrush like birds could it be?'.
I find standing still and closing my eyes helps my brain focus on identifying the number or location of a singing bird/s and once it gets above three birds (six Nightingale at Fingringhoe Wick - how lucky was I!!!) I start pointing to where the noise is coming from to help keep track of those I've already counted. Ok I look a bit of an idiot, but I'm used to that, I've had years of practice he he he !!!

Learning birdsong has lots of benefits but one of the most useful for me is the kingfisher - it has a distinctive but easily missed call and they so frequently announce that they are flying down the river towards you and then when you hear it, you know to stand still and not to blink and you see so many more little blue bullets that you would otherwise have totally missed and kingfishers are always a treat .

[Wild-Woman]

Hey Gill, thanks for that, I'll give your learning method a go. Off to Northward Hill reserve at the weekend to listen to the warblers that have just arrived. Got a guide this time so I'll pick his brains. He'll probably tell me to sush and listen. Cheers. ww

[Jonny]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Hey Gill, thanks for that, I'll give your learning method a go. Off to Northward Hill reserve at the weekend to listen to the warblers that have just arrived. Got a guide this time so I'll pick his brains. He'll probably tell me to sush and listen. Cheers. ww

You said there what I was going to suggest, go with a guide or an expert. I do voluntary work at the local wildlife reserve and I have bumped into loads of people who do know their birds and I have learnt loads...................Jon (twit tweet pink pink tweet toowoo)

[Mark43]

I am sure i read somewhere the Blue Tit has 82 different calls/songs so it's an uphill struggle.

I have found that starting with the common birds first like Blackbird,Robin,Chaffinch etc helps me rather than getting bogged down with the more obscure birds.

There are some like Cetti's Warbler which are unlike no other and can be easily remembered.

I also carry an Ipaq with bird songs on it which give the alarm calls and main call which i find helps,especially when trying to id a singing bird i don't immediately know ........i can play the call of the bird i think it is and match it up.

[nightshade]

The local wildlife people offered a birdsong walk start at 4:30 my (then)young son signed us up and it was absolutely fascinating we have been on several since and as I have mentioned before I whistle some of the simpler birdsong (inexpertly) and can get some suprising results
as they look for the other "bird"

[pheonix]

i'm fairly good with most of the more common birds, but deffinatly still learning.
you may find it easier to try some whare with less birds where it will be less 'busy', it may be easier to pick out individual birds.
im good at identifying birds from site so when i hear a bird i dont know i look to see what it is and learn their calls that way, i have also got some cd's (but they can get a bit boring).
i think it is something that comes with experience.

[nicole]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

I wish there was a quick and easy way of learning bird song. I know the basics but it's hard to pick out one song in the dawn chorus. I've been on the RSPB site and listened but I think it must be something that is learnt through years of experience.
Is anyone on WAB good at it? WW

Its funny you should mention this Wild-Woman, as I have a lecture on this very subject on Thursday and was thinking the same thing. Will let you know if I get any good tips

[Wild-Woman]

Thanks for that Nicole.
Birds could do with coming with a manuscript. I'm not bad reading music!
Ones I know for sure are; blackbird, robin,chaffinch,songthrush, skylark, wren(unmistakeable),collared dove,cuckoo(who doesn't), and some of the calls from crows,jackdaws and kestrels. It's the many warblers that hide in the trees thats difficult. Be interested in hearing about your lecture. ww