Tips for Learning Bird Songs
Nov 23, 2009 by Ken Riddleberger, Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Learning bird songs can be a real addition to being in the outdoors, not to mention the benefit to your team during Envirothon! Two-dozen bird species are listed on the specimen study list for the Georgia Envirothon competition, and learning the calls could add points to your team’s score.
Georgann Schmalz is a renowned Georgia educator and birder, and is founder of “Birding Adventures, Inc.” Her website has some great pointers for anyone wanting to learn more about birds and birding, including ideas for learning bird songs.
Georgann points out that the very best method is to bravely venture out with a patient teacher never tires of endlessly telling you, “that’s a Carolina wren, that’s a Carolina wren, that’s a Carolina wren, that’s a Carolina wren.” Also, nothing is better than watching a bird sing. The effort of finding a bird and watching it sing helps to burn the image of the bird and song into your memory. The next best thing is watching a video of a bird singing, or putting in a CD of bird songs in while driving. There are great sources of CD’s and computer software that can help in learning bird songs. Here are a few more hints that Georgann suggests.
1. Learn your common birds first, and use them for standards for new songs that appear during migration or travel.
2. When in the field, train yourself to listen to each individual song, not the entire chorus. It’s like listening to a symphony played by your favorite orchestra. You want to pick out each instrument, finding individual notes from each.
3. Use gimmicks. If a bird sounds like squeaky brakes, make a note of it. You can make up your own voice gimmicks or you can use the widely accepted ones that even the best birders use. These gimmicks, or mnemonics, are very handy for learning bird songs.
4. Learn the components of bird songs. Listen carefully to the pitch, the phrasing or pattern, the tempo, and the quality.
To help you get started, here are a few mnemonics for birds on the study list. Learn those songs, it may benefit you in the competition!
Eastern Bluebird: “cheer, cheerful, charmer”
Carolina Wren: “teakettle, teakettle, teakettle” or you can use my personal favorite,“cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger”
Song Sparrow: “maids, maids put on your tea kettle-lettle-lettle”
Great-horned Owl: “Who’s awake? Me tooooo”
Mourning Dove: “Hu-la hoop, hoop, hoop”
Visit www.birdingadventuresinc.com for more information on birding
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