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

Here Are the Biggest Changes to the AOU Checklist of North American Birds
July 11, 2016 — Hold onto your scrub-jays (or don't)—this update is shaking up taxonomies and putting a lot of new species up for grabs.
News
Photographing Birds From a Boat: A Guide to the Basics
July 08, 2016 — For a whole new perspective, try a trip where you float.
Tips and How-Tos
Five Ways to Troubleshoot Your Birding Problems
July 08, 2016 — When your bird guide isn't getting it done, try these hacks and alternatives to make a better ID.
ID Tips
Birdist Rule #49: How to Dress for Birding
July 06, 2016 — Your normcore doesn’t impress me, and it sure doesn't impress the birds either.
The Birdist’s Rules of Birding