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
American Bittern
Herons, Egrets, Bitterns
! Priority Bird
Varied Thrush
Thrushes
Red-tailed Hawk
Hawks and Eagles
Pied-billed Grebe
Grebes

More Birding Advice

Ask Kenn Kaufman: Are American Robins Really Robins?
November 05, 2019 — Also this month: What is the one U.S. birding destination every birder should visit? And why can't I count the Great White Heron as a lifer?
Ask Kenn Kaufman: Will My Feeder Keep Birds From Migrating?
October 04, 2019 — Also this month: What happens when a bird gets lost? And what was the most recent newly discovered bird in the U.S.?
Ask Kenn Kaufman: Why Do So Many White Birds Have Black Wingtips?
September 04, 2019 — Also this month: Are kingfishers more photo-friendly this time of year? And what bird would Kenn ride if he could?
This Mysterious Tropical Bachelor Likes to Summer in Maine
August 23, 2019 — For 15 years, a lone Red-billed Tropicbird has attracted visitors and researchers with his unusual habits and misguided mating attempts.
Five Antidotes to Beat the Birding Blues Between Migrations
August 07, 2019 — Birders need to fill the downtime from spring to fall somehow—and they don't always have to use binoculars.