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

Field Notes From My First Rare-Bird Sighting
February 01, 2019 — When a Red-flanked Bluetail strayed into Los Angeles, one fledgling birder joined the stakeout—and learned a few things in the process.
News
Subzero Temperatures Couldn't Stop This Rugged Wyoming Christmas Bird Count
January 31, 2019 — A chance to spot Greater Sage-Grouse and see which species will show up at a certain geothermal pool makes enduring the cold worthwhile.
Christmas Bird Count
After an Injury, Maine's Famous Great Black Hawk Faces an Uncertain Future
January 28, 2019 — [Updated] Rehabbers helping the stray raptor from Mexico now face an ethical dilemma: Where to release a bird thousands of miles from home?
News
Meet the Heart and Soul of America's Oldest and Largest Bird Count
January 25, 2019 — Geoff LeBaron has led Audubon's Christmas Bird Count for the last 32 years, long before crowdsourcing scientific data was in fashion.
News
For Chicago Birders, a Christmas Day CBC Is the Perfect Holiday Tradition
January 24, 2019 — Participants in this year's count, including the author and her family, enjoyed a day outside birding while also snagging a pair of rarities.
Christmas Bird Count