Songbirds

Joe Meche is a member of the board of directors of the North Cascades Audubon Society and is in his eighth year as editor of the chapter newsletter. Joe is also a member of the board of directors of the Washington Brant Foundation. He has been photographing birds and landscapes for over 30 years and has been watching birds for more than 50 years.

Some of us who have enjoyed birds for most of our lives can look back and remember when we first became aware of songbirds. Unless you live in a vacuum, the start of each spring day is often synonymous with the sounds of singing birds. We sometimes have a tendency to take this phenomenon for granted and even become complacent with the status quo, but it’s difficult to imagine a day without birdsong. You might find yourself slightly annoyed by the robin that’s decided to sing outside your bedroom window before sunrise, but you might also consider the alternative. For a good idea about the alternative, read Rachel Carson’s classic, “Silent Spring.”

I can remember some of the first birds that I learned to identify by their songs. When I was growing up in south Louisiana, the blue jays and cardinals were easy, because they were so common. The northern mockingbird was somewhat confusing to young ears because its mimicry was so varied. With the visual aids in my first books about birds and a little help from Grandpa, I was able to put some of the birds and their voices together. Of course, when the neo-tropical migrants began to arrive in spring, it was back to the bird books.

Whatever your first experience might have been with singing birds, we’ve all heard them; especially in the spring when the breeding cycle begins. There’s no denying the beauty of birdsong and the richness that it adds to the natural world. While humans enjoy the beauty of birdsong and use it as an alternative means to identify birds, the characteristics of, and the reasons for, singing are varied.

The primary function of birdsong is communication, whether it’s used for advertising territoriality or availability. Each species has its own elaborate pattern of song, which can be simple notes or complex phrases and, for those who bird by ear, is as definitive for identification as the visual field marks. Some of the best birders are those who rely on their ears as much as or more than they do their eyes, especially if that bird in the bush remains hidden in the bush.

Some birds choose to sing from the ground. The horned lark, for instance, often sings from atop large boulders, a clump of dirt or a fencepost. Most species, however, sing from perches above the ground. Birds that prefer exposed perches to perform usually have an eye on nearby cover, just in case their singing inadvertently attracts a predator instead of a potential mate. Many sparrow species that nest on the ground can be seen singing while clinging to tall weeds. Some species, like skylarks, bobolinks, pipits and longspurs sing in flight.

It’s not altogether unusual to hear birds singing in winter but the prime time for songbirds is from early spring to midsummer. Most of the singing begins in early morning, tends to diminish around midday, and increases again in late afternoon. One of our finest local choruses is that of the Swainson’s thrush. The beautiful flute-like, ascending-spiral notes are among the favorites of local birders and have hooked many a neophyte into becoming…a local birder.

Ornithologists have been studying bird vocalization and its many nuances for over 400 years, and countless volumes are filled with an amazing variety of different methods. Every facet of birdsong has been studied, including, interestingly enough, the number of songs that some birds sing during the day. One song sparrow, for instance, was noted to have sung its song 2,305 times in one singing day, that is, from just before sunrise to just after sunset. The world record for the number of songs in a day, however, is owned by a red-eyed vireo that sang its song 22,197 times in a single day in 1953. While you think of how amazing that is, try to imagine the state of the observer at the end of that day!

The primary song of most birds usually lasts less than four seconds. One of our local birds, the winter wren, has a song that seems to last forever. However, studies have shown that the song of this little bundle of avian energy lasts only between eight and ten seconds. Some thrasher species and mockingbirds will sing a series of songs and phrases for several minutes. Mockingbirds are even known to sing at night, to the dismay of some humans who hear the song as noise rather than as music.

Birds start singing early in their lives and perfect their tunes as they mature. Nestlings begin with basic warbling and usually practice with subsongs during their first year. Some species reach a reasonable facsimile of the adult song by their first winter. The consensus is that while some birdsongs are hereditary, other birdsongs are learned by listening to the adults. On the other hand, some birds that were isolated their whole lives still develop the same songs as they would in the wild.

The physiological characteristics that enable birds to sing are as fascinating as the characteristics that enable humans to speak. Birds have no vocal cords and produce sound with the syrinx, a sound producing organ located at the base of the trachea. The syrinx is controlled by muscles that change the air pressure from the birds’ lungs and enable them to regulate intensity, volume and pitch. The mouth actually plays a minor role in singing and this is noticeable when observing birds singing even with a mouthful of food.

The vocal repertoire of birds is as rich as they are complex. Many ornithologists have created lists of the top singers in the bird world and members of the wren family lead most of the lists. Three members of that family which can be found locally are the winter, Bewick’s and marsh wrens. When you hear a wren singing on a nice spring day, stop whatever you’re doing and just listen for a while. Be forewarned, however, that you could easily become mesmerized by the energetic songs. It’s best not to operate heavy equipment while listening to a Bewick’s wren! Just sit back and enjoy.

No matter how you choose to appreciate birds, the variety of songs is as vast as the number of birds. Just as you would develop an ear for music, you can also develop an ear for birdsong. This will enable you to enjoy the birds even when you can’t see them. Recordings are available to assist in the learning process and the best format is the CD. CDs allow you to repeat a particular song until it’s thoroughly ingrained in your mind. If you’d prefer to boot up, you can also utilize a CD-ROM that provides a picture of the bird along with its song. When you’re in the field, find a singing bird that you can identify and listen carefully while you observe. Honing your ears as well as your eyes will expand your enjoyment of birds.

Learning birdsong is a pastime that can occupy a lot of time and the degree of difficulty will be determined by your desire. The learning process is especially enjoyable on the many rainy days and nights when you choose to stay closer to the hearth. After putting in a few hours in the comfort of your home, you’ll be better prepared for spring, when the singing begins in earnest. To my way of thinking, there’s nothing on television that can compete with working your way through the songs of North American sparrows and wood warblers. Then, you can start on the flycatchers, vireos and all the other birds that brighten our days with their songs—for free! §