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

Crossbills Are the Grail Birds of the Adirondacks
March 28, 2018 — To find them, you need to know them. And not many know them better than Joan Collins.
News
Ten of the Best Podcasts About Birds
March 16, 2018 — So you can get your birding fill, even when you can't get outside.
News
Pretty Little Fliers
March 15, 2018 — These glamorous female birds outshine their male partners.
News
I Became a Better Birder When I Stopped Focusing on the Males
March 14, 2018 — Kenn Kaufman reflects on ingrained biases in birding—and how moving past them gave him a whole new perspective.
News
eBird Is Now Censoring Sightings for 325 At-Risk Species
March 07, 2018 — Gyrfalcons, Puerto Rican Parrots, Gunnison Sage-Grouse, and Red Siskins are all part of the list.
News