The term "birdwatching" suggest that your next nature walk or trip into your backyard might involve watching for birds. But it might be your listening skills that help you find and identify more birds. Getting to know your local birds' songs and calls, known as "ear birding" or "birding-by-ear," is challenging and fun, and can help you spot those birds that don't come to feeders or remain hidden from sight.
The Beauty of Bird Vocalizations
Most birds communicate through their vocalizations, generally broken down into two groups: songs and calls. Bird songs are often melodic and longer, and are usually used to attract mates or establish territory, so they are more likely to be heard in the spring breeding season and into summer. Calls are shorter and more abrupt, those chirps and peeps that birds use to warn of danger or coordinate with others in their flock. While many species make unique songs, many of their calls can sound similar, making them harder to use for bird species identification.
Resident Birds
Resident birds are those which that don't migrate seasonally, but instead remain in a specific area throughout the year. They adapt to the local climate and food availability, and can often be seen flitting around in mixed-species flocks in your winter garden. Without tree leaves to block your view, they may be easier to spot during the winter, and can brighten a dreary winter day. In the colder months, they are less likely to sing their distinctive songs, so learning their calls and using available bird call identifiers, can be very helpful tools.
Finding Resident Birds by Listening
Which resident birds can you find in your winter garden? That depends greatly on where you spend the winter. It also can depend on the environmental conditions in any given year since food shortages have been known to create bird irruptions when birds like nuthatches head further south looking for food.
Some common resident birds found in North America include American Goldfinch, American Crow, Blue Jay, and Northern Cardinal, and you can also spot chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers. In Europe, resident birds include starlings, tits, and nuthatches.
If you are a "snowbird" who seeks warmer winter weather, you might be lucky enough to host wintering warblers, like Prairie Warblers and Black-and-White Warblers, and other colorful species. These are birds that have migrated into your area and are not usually considered residents because they will head north once spring arrives.
Tips for Enhancing Your Ear Birding Skills
Building up your ear birding abilities can take practice, but here are some tips to help you along the way:
- Listen Actively: Spend time outdoors quietly listening to the sounds around you. Consider bringing a notebook to jot down the bird songs you hear.
- Use Bird Apps: Utilize mobile apps that feature bird calls. Play recordings and try to match them to the songs you hear in nature.
- Be Patient: Some days will be more fruitful than others. Patience is key when trying to identify unfamiliar songs.
- Join Birding Groups: Participating in local birdwatching clubs can help you learn from experienced birders. Group outings often focus on listening and identifying birds by their calls.
- Practice at Home: Familiarize yourself with common bird songs in your area before hitting the field. The more you practice, the easier it will be when you’re out and about. Installing a Haikubox at your home can be a great way to become more familiar with the birds in your winter garden. It also will record your birds' songs and calls, so you can listen to them and practice ear birding while snuggly warm inside your home.