This is simple to do and will transform your local birdsong soundscape to a wall of pretty sounds to a wonderful orchestra of individual voices singing and calling to each other.
Get to know birdsong intimately and you will be able to hear dialects in songs from birds of the same species as you travel from one place to another and you will be able to start understanding the language of birds – when danger is near, when they are seeking mates or loving life!
As the soundscape around you gets richer, you will start wondering about how the birds around you are living, you will begin to notice other ways of being on this earth, helping you to challenge the status quo of society.
Learning birdsong is simple and really comes down to paying loving attention and noticing. Through these simple steps I went from not being able to identify any birdsong 2 years ago to knowing the song (and in some cases calls) of Robins, Blackbirds, Chaffinches, Great Tits, Sparrows, Song Thrushes and Chiff Chaffs.
Here’s how to get started:
- Choose a local bird you are particularly drawn to and learn their song by either using a bird song ID app like Merlin or BirdNET or searching for it online.
- Download a sound file of the song from Xeno Canto and add it as a notification alarm sound or ringtone on your phone
(Credit to @lucy_lapwing for this idea) - Listen out for the song when out and about and feel the world come to life!
If you loved learning about birdsong, you may enjoy the ‘Paint a bird nest’ workshop where you will notice in depth the stunning and intricate art of nest building with wing, breast and beak.
Image credit: Tom Bradle from Unsplash
