Whether it's a chirp, a trill or a song, it's quite the thrill to hear the amazing sounds birds make. Enjoy facts about their special melodies.
16 Fascinating Facts About Bird Sounds
Updated on Oct. 08, 2024
Winter Bird Sounds
Most North American birds including red-winged blackbirds wait until spring or summer to belt their tunes, but there are some exceptions. Pacific wrens and northern mockingbirds in certain regions are two examples of birds that sometimes start warming up in late January or early February. After you finish reading these facts about bird sounds, check out everything you need to know about bird songs.
Best Bird Mimics
Northern mockingbirds can memorize up to a whopping 200 different bird songs—and can imitate other sounds ranging from sirens to dogs barking.
Not All Birds Sound the Same
When listening to bird sounds, try to note the following: the tone (is it more rich or faint?), the tempo (does it speed up or slow down?) and pitch (do the notes go higher or lower?)
What does a Baltimore oriole song sound like?
Many Birds Are Songbirds
It’s estimated that more than half of the world’s bird species are songbirds.
Listen for the sweet sounds of a song sparrow.
How to Remember Bird Songs
Clever birders have memorized specific bird songs by passing down mnemonic hints. A few popular examples: the American robin’s cheerup, cheerily, cheerio; the yellow warbler’s sweet, sweet, sweet, I’m so sweet; the Carolina wren’s teakettle, teakettle; and the tufted titmouse’s Peter, Peter.
Funny Bird Sounds
Think you hear a bird laughing at you? It might just be a northern flicker. One of their calls resembles a ha-ha-ha sound.
Here’s what a cedar waxwing call sounds like.
Singing on the Water
American dippers may act a bit like ducks, but they’re actually classified as songbirds. Both male and female dippers sing loudly to compete with noise from the babbling brooks and rivers they call home.
What does a mourning dove call sound like?
Most Animated Bird Sounds
One of the most unusual noisemakers in the bird world, male willow ptarmigans make a funny-sounding rattle that
some say rivals the cartoon character Porky Pig, human laughter or even a toy.
Music in motion: these birds sing while flying.
Why Songbirds Are Such Good Singers
There’s a special reason why songbirds sing the way they do: the syrinx. It’s different than a larynx and is a voice box that allows certain birds to sing two different tunes at the same time! No other animal has an organ quite like it.
Regional Differences in Bird Sounds
If you thought regional dialects were limited to humans, think again! Certain birds, including indigo buntings, white-crowned sparrows and Bewick’s wrens, can sound different based on where in their range you’re hearing them.
Clever Hawk Impersonator
Look twice in the trees if you think you’re hearing a red-shouldered hawk’s screech. Blue jays are infamous for copying
that sound, perhaps to scare off other birds or to warn of a nearby hawk visitor.
Learn how to identify a northern cardinal’s song.
Female Bird Sounds
Widely ignored by scientists for centuries, female songbirds have come into focus in recent years. Pay attention
to female northern cardinals, Baltimore and Bullock’s orioles, and several types of warblers including the yellow, chestnut-sided and prothonotary, all documented songstresses. Learn more about the research being done to chronicle these songs at femalebirdsong.org.
Sound-Alike Sparrows
Listen carefully if you’re picking up the song of either a chipping sparrow or a dark-eyed junco—their songs are easily confused! The junco’s song is described as having more of a musical quality to it while the sparrow’s is a bit more “mechanical” sounding to some ears.
Learn Bird Sounds With Apps
Let technology be your guide when it comes to better learning and recognizing bird songs. There are several apps available— including Cornell Lab’s Merlin app—with sound ID features to identify which species is tweeting nearby.
Meet the vireo bird family: sweet summer singers.
Birds That Sing Their Names
A few North American birds have songs or calls that mimic their names: chickadees, phoebes, dickcissels and whip-poor-wills.
Long Lasting Bird Songs
Though a gray catbird’s most infamous call is its catlike mew-mew, its talent doesn’t end there—its songs can last for more than 10 minutes. And it can mimic sounds from frogs and other birds.
Next, meet the thrush bird family: sweet songbirds.
Sources
- National Audubon Society
- All about Birds
- Sibley Bird Guides
- Femalebirdsong.org
Why Trust Us
For nearly 30 years, Birds & Blooms, a Trusted Media Brand, has been inspiring readers to have a lifelong love of birding, gardening and nature. We are the #1 bird and garden magazine in North America and a trusted online resource for over 15 million outdoor enthusiasts annually. Our library of thousands of informative articles and how-tos has been written by trusted journalists and fact-checked by bird and garden experts for accuracy. In addition to our staff of experienced gardeners and bird-watchers, we hire individuals who have years of education and hands-on experience with birding, bird feeding, gardening, butterflies, bugs and more. Learn more about Birds & Blooms, our field editor program, and our submission guidelines.
