When bird song fills the air, we've got tools and advice to help you understand what you're hearing so you can sit back and enjoy springtime's beautiful sounds.
Prothonotary Warbler by Ryan Justice / Macaulay Library.
How to Learn Bird Songs and Calls
When birds sing, they are telling you where they are and who they are. But if you're new to bird songs, how do you build your skills? This primer will help you start training your ears to make sense of the whistles, warbles, and chirps that are filling forests, fields, and neighborhoods right now.
Sound ID in Your Pocket: Our Merlin Bird ID app can help you hear and visualize the sounds of the birds calling around you. Try these tips and tricks to get the most out of the Merlin sound ID experience.
Blackburnian Warbler by Beau Cotter / Macaulay Library.
Expert Tips for Spring Warbler Watching
Join a pair of Cornell Lab birding experts for a virtual trip through a northeastern woodland at the height of spring migration. They discuss where to look for warblers, and what to watch and listen for once you find a hotspot. Check out the video, and read our top five warbler-finding tips.
Mystery bird by Peter F; song (below) recorded by Bob McGuire / Macaulay Library.
What Bird Is This?
This subtly marked skulker has a rising, flutelike song that reverberates throughout forests and woodlands across the northern portion of North America. If you catch a glimpse but not an earful, look closely at its face to confirm its distinguishing field marks: buffy lores (the feathers between the eye and the nostril) that connect to a complete eyering, as if it had on a pair of glasses. Are you familiar with this species?
Tap or click to learn how spectrograms can help you "see" a bird's song.
Learning Bird Songs? Try Using Your Eyes, Too
So many bird songs go by in a jumble of too-fast notes. But by learning spectrograms, you can use your eyes to pick apart what you're hearing. We created a game to get you going.
American Redstart by Derek Lecy /
Macaulay Library.
Late Redstarts Race to Catch Up
American Redstarts that get a late start on their northward migration can speed up their travels to make up time—but there is a cost.
Bird News and Resources
Scram, Magpie! When a Black-billed Magpie shows up nest-side at the Hellgate Osprey cam in Montana, the resident pair does NOT give the interloper a warm welcome. Watch the interesting interaction.
Dive into Nesting Data and Win: Visit Nest Quest Go! through May 15 to transcribe the historical details of wren nests and you could be oneof three lucky winners to receive an annual membership to the Cornell Lab.
Free Trial of Birds of the World: Try Birds of the World, a website that provides deep understanding of the sights, sounds, and remarkable life histories of the world’s bird species, free for 30 days.
Attend a Bird Festival: Festivals are a great way to enjoy birds and meet like-minded people—check out our full listings.
Brood parasite (noun): A bird that lays eggs in the nests of the same or a different species, leaving the resulting young to be raised entirely by their host(s).
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a membership institution dedicated to interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds.
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