You don’t need to be an avid birder to notice that birds make a wide variety of sounds. Some of these sounds are gentle and pleasant, while others can be abrupt and jarring. Bird sounds can be divided into two main categories: songs and calls. 

A bird’s song is the more musical, complicated sound. In most species only the male sings, and they are singing for two primary reasons: to attract a female and to warn other males to keep off their turf. Birdsong is related directly to courtship, breeding, and territoriality; this is why we hear birds singing in spring and summer, and not so much in fall and winter. Some species will sing from a hidden place in a thicket, but most male birds seek a prominent perch from which to proclaim their songs. 

A bird’s call is usually a short chip, whistle, trill, twitter, or chirp. This is how birds communicate in an everyday sense. Males and female, adults and immature birds call throughout the year. Birds use calls to keep contact among the members of a flock or family group, to warn off predators, to signal food, and in a variety of other ways.

Compared with songs, bird calls can be somewhat harder to learn, as calls are less musical, shorter, and generally less memorable than songs. But mastering bird calls is possible, and, with practice, can greatly enhance your ability to find and identify birds.

Learning to listen to birds takes patience and practice. It may seem an impossible task, but it’s not as difficult as you might think. The key to mastering birdsong identification is to start with the birds you already know—the species most commonly heard in your backyard or neighborhood—and then slowly add new songs and calls to your vocabulary.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

WHAT TO BRING:

- Please wear whatever you will feel most comfortable in. If you want to prevent bug bites, wear long clothing and close toed shoes.

- Drinking water

- Chair for sitting

- Walking stick if necessary

- Bug repellant

- Sun screen

ACCESSIBILITY / LOCATION NOTES:

- Gravel roads and mowed grassy area for parking

- Meeting in the grass under the Grandmother Oak Tree

- Trails: natural surface trails include mowed grass trails along the fields and narrow foot paths through the forests

- Rest rooms: outdoor privy / not wheelchair accessible

A NOTE ON COVID-19

Out of respect for one another, we ask that all attendees come prepared to honor social distancing guidelines with masks as optional.

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We strive to be diverse, intergenerational and accessible people of all walks of life. Please contact us when you'll be attending with children or when accessibility is a concern so that we can be as accommodating as possible.