Grey Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) by Raymond Barlow
Dr. Jim (JJSJ) sent me this link and I think you will also enjoy it. If you look down through there, you will see a Catbird. Now, you will be able to hear him along with all the other Minnesota bird songs. Enjoy!! [Thanks, Dr. Jim]
“…When one rises up at the sound of a bird, …” (Ecclesiastes 12:4 NKJV)
Volume #1 and #2 are now active again here. There are twenty articles to read. These were originally posted around 2012 here, but they were originally written in 1897. Birds Illustrated by Color Photography Volume 1, Number 1, January 1897 and Volume 1, Number 2, February 1897
When you look at the Vol1 #2 articles, there are old photos of advertisements back then (1897) that are quite interesting. I enjoyed re-reading these again while I was moving the post back. If you have the time, you just might enjoy these:
Ad for Birds Illustrated by Color Photography, 1897
These are being prepared. Stay Tuned!!
An Ad for Birds Illustrated, 1897
American Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva) singing by J Fenton
“LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:” (Psalms 10:17 KJV)
I am still in the process of fixing broken links, missing bird photos, etc. I am actually enjoying digging around in the older post. Had forgotten all about this series, and thought you might enjoy a challenge to your birdwatching.
In May of 2007, Start Birdwatching Today: What is that Sound? was published. Thought you might enjoy re-visiting this page. [After fixing a broken link on it.]
Birds are very vocal at times and they give us a great clue as to what bird it is. Eventually, as you become better in your birdwatching adventures, it will help to learn some of their sounds and noises.
As you are observing birds that are singing or calling, you can learn to associate that sound to that bird. That is the beginning and it is almost automatic. When you hear a bird, but do not see it, then you will either recall one you have seen and be able to ID it, or you can start studying the sounds so the next time you can know what the unseen bird is.
There are several methods that birders use. Audio CDs and computer programs have Bird sounds along with photos of the bird to assist your learning.
The Internet has places like the WhatBird, All About Birds, Birding by Ear Basics,
Here is an interesting video about blind people birding by ear. Very interesting.
Here are some of the birds you may already know. These are local birds here, but also seen around other parts of the country. Also a very nice verse to remember while “birding by sound.” I used this verse when taking my General Amateur License test that was all Morse Code. It helped calm my heart even though it refers to the Lord hearing us, but it helped me to hear those dots and dashes. (Only 8 of 115 of us passed the test that day.)
LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: (Psalms 10:17 KJV)
All of these sounds are coming from the Xeno-canto.org website.
Blue Jay in tree at Hampton Pines
Blue Jay
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) by Daves BirdingPix
Northern Cardinal
Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major) at Lake Howard, Winter Haven, Florida By Dan’sPix
Boat-tailed Grackle
Red-winged Blackbird at Bok Sanctuary
Red-winged Blackbird
Whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferus) by BirdsInFocus
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Great Horned Owl – Lowry Pk Zoo by Lee
Great Horned Owl
How many did you all ready know?
**
Some like to put words to their sounds like these from Birding By Ear — Bird Song Identification
Listen here to a few bird songs and calls that have good mnemonic phrases:
Eastern Towhee — “Drink your tea-ea-ea”
Whip-poor-will — The name says it all.
Black-capped chickadee — Some music and talk first, then the “Chick-a-dee-dee-dee”
White-throated sparrow — “Poor Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody
Black-throated green warbler — “Zee zee zee zoo zee”
Barred Owl — “Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all”
Links:
WhatBird
All About Birds
Birding by Ear Basics
*
Start Birdwatching Today Series
*
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) by Lee at Circle B
When birdwatchers want to identify a bird, many times all they are able to do is hear it. Can you listen to a bird and know what kind it is? Some birders use a help called “mnemonics.”
hen birdwatchers want to identify a bird, many times all they are able to do is hear it. Can you listen to a bird and know what kind it is? Some birders use a help called “mnemonics.”
(Definition of mnemonics from Kids Wordsmyth)
mne·mon·ics
pronunciation: ni ma nihks [or] nih ma nihks
part of speech: plural noun
definition: a process, system, or technique used to aid and improve the memory.
Eastern Wood Pewee (Contopus virens) by Raymond Barlow
Many birds say their name, like a Eastern Wood Pewee.
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) by Daves BirdingPix
Carolina Chickadee – “feebee feebay, chick’adee-dee-dee”
Blue Jay by Dan at Bok Tower
Blue Jay – -“jay”
Another way mnemonics are used is to make up a phrase or saying of what the bird sounds like.
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) by Quy Tran
Carolina Wren – “teakettle, teakettle, teakettle”
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) by Ray
Eastern Towhee – “drink-your-teeee”
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) ©USFWS
White-Throated Sparrow – “poor Sam Pea’body, Pea’body, Pea’body”
This is just an introduction to using “mnemonics” to help you find out what that neat bird your listening to is called. We will cover more birds later. The Lord has given us so many beautiful birds to watch and listen to. Each bird has it’s own songs and calls, but there are so many. How do we figure out who is who? Using this method is just one more way to help.
Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. (Proverbs 8:33 ESV)
Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, (Proverbs 1:5 ESV)
See:
Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 