Sounds like a Bird

When you’re out looking for birds it can be tempting to rely solely on what you can see, but listening for birds is one of the best ways to find them! You may hear an American Robin rustling through the leaves on the ground, a woodpecker tapping against a tree, or a sparrow gently “chipping” in nearby shrubs….all before you ever set your eyes on them!

Bird Songs and Calls

Birds make many types of sounds. Songs are usually used to attract mates and defend territories in the spring and summer. Songs are often more complex and musical sounding. Take a listen to the Yellow Warbler song below.

Calls are usually more simple and allow birds to communicate day-to-day messages. For example, they could be sharing their location, or warning others about threats like predators. You’ll hear calls during any time of the year. Listen below to the Yellow Warbler call and notice how simple it sounds compared to the song.

It can take years to learn bird songs and calls, and even the most experienced birders will make mistakes. That said, there are probably some songs, calls, and sounds that are already familiar to you.

Take a listen to the sounds below, and see if they stir up any memories for you. You might not know the name of the bird right away, but perhaps you can picture the habitat that you might hear that sound in. When you’re ready, click “What bird is this?” for the answer.

What bird is this?

Northern Flicker: When you hear this sound they’ll likely be perched in a tree or flying nearby. This woodpecker is common across most of Canada. You likely won’t hear this bird in Nunavut, and it’s also less common in Labrador and northern Quebec.

What bird is this?

Common Loon: If you’ve spent time near some of Canada’s northern lakes, you may be familiar with the mournful cry of a loon. Loons have several vocalizations, but the one you’ve just listened to is used to communicate their location to other loons. If it sounds familiar, but you haven’t heard one in the wild, it might be because you’ve heard it in a movie. Hollywood loves using the sound of the Common Loon!

What bird is this?

Herring Gull: This sound may bring back memories of days spent at a beach or out on the water. There are many species of gulls found across Canada, some of their songs and calls can sound pretty similar to each other. The Herring Gull can be found in all Provinces and Territories.

Tips for Learning Bird Sounds

Learning bird sounds requires a lot of practice and patience, but as you go birding more often, you’ll naturally start to learn more songs and sounds without even realizing it! There are lots of resources online where you can listen to bird songs, or you can even use the Merlin Bird ID app.

Another useful tool is using mnemonics. As Yousif mentioned, the Black-capped Chickadee sounds like it’s saying “Cheeseburger”.

Here are a few other common mnemonics to think about, and don’t be afraid to come up with your own!

Red-breasted Nuthatches say “yank yank yank” or you might prefer to think they’re talking about a person, “Hank Hank Hank”. Take a listen. Notice how the song changes near the end – this is a good reminder that some species can make many sounds.

A Great Horned Owl shouts “Who’s awake? Meeee too!”

An Ovenbird likes to shout for “teacher teacher teacher!”

Learning sounds can be a daunting task, but take your time and have fun with it!