{"id":2889,"date":"2014-08-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-08-27T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/birdhousesupply.com\/?p=2889"},"modified":"2017-05-19T19:36:52","modified_gmt":"2017-05-19T19:36:52","slug":"easy-tips-to-identify-common-songbirds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/birdhousesupply.com\/blog\/easy-tips-to-identify-common-songbirds\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy Tips to Identify Common Songbirds"},"content":{"rendered":"

Magazine racks at the grocery checkout assume that celebrity watching is the favorite pastime. While this is true, it is the faces of the celebrities at the top of the popularity ladder that the publications got wrong! Bird watching is now the fastest growing hobby. So if you want to identify some real celebrities put down the TV remote and grab your binoculars. It\u2019s time for you to be a member of the songbird press.<\/p>\n

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Birding is one of the few activities that serves ecological, activity and self-improvement goals. It can be enjoyed by anyone from the age of 5 to 95. You can log information from your window or hop on a plane and record bird migrations in India. How many hobbies offer so many choices? Jump into birdwatching at the depth and expense that suits your level and budget. You can pre-order that \u201c5 grand\u201d camera\u2026 or just pull out the lawn chair.<\/p>\n

Most individuals get \u201cinto\u201d bird watching after setting up a feeding station<\/a>. Once they see the amazing variety of species winging in \u2013 it’s hard to resist getting hooked on birding. Become a helping hand to nature by setting out a few\u00a0nesting houses<\/a> to target your favorites during the mating season.<\/p>\n

There are a few steps you will want to take to quickly identify songbirds. Before you hit the park or the backyard, birding becomes more enjoyable when you know what to look and listen for.<\/p>\n

Ironically, bird watching is all about listening.<\/p>\n

Being a Bird Detective<\/h2>\n

Sherlock Holmes was right. “The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.\u201d Learning to pay attention to your environment is crucial to locating the birds. If you watch other animals, they are vigilant, listening, watching and being very present in the space and time. This is key. Become a tracker and be intensely aware of your \u201cnow.\u201d Listen for rustles, watch for moving branches, locate movement in your peripheral vision \u2013 you are now a BSI – bird scene investigator.<\/p>\n

Once you view yourself as an integral element of nature the \u201cloudness\u201d of what is happening around you becomes readily noticeable. You will hear birds before you see them. Songbirds are master vocalists (listen to the song of the Eastern Phoebe<\/a>)!<\/p>\n

Birds sing to attract mates, hold territory or to find each other. Songs vary by season, daily expression and by the bird\u2019s age. It is important to learn the variety of calls expressed by the birds that frequent your region.<\/p>\n

Learning how and why songbirds vocalize is fascinating. Birds share the same FOXP2 gene with humans and many learn how to speak \u201cwhile still in the nest, a phase known as the critical period<\/a>, when nestlings listen to the adults singing around them… young birds attempt to replicate these songs, practicing until they have matched their tutor\u2019s song. Some songbirds, such as the catbirds, thrashers, and mockingbirds, learn to mimic other species\u2014frogs, cats, and even car alarms.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walk outside and you will hear birds warbling. Early morning and evening are \u201chot\u201d times for singing, but songbirds are active during the entire day. Biologists use bird songs as the primary subject locater, identifier and as the most efficient way to record population counts. Do what the ornithologists do and record the singing. Focus on one sound at a time and notice the uniqueness of the volume, pitch, rhythm, tone and notes.<\/p>\n

Cornell Lab of Ornithology<\/a> offers an easy-to-use song guide identification search on their website. The site includes photos, behavior and location ranges to help you quickly locate the species recently observed. There is also a link to the Macaulay Library<\/a> and its internationally renowned archive of animal vocalizations.<\/p>\n

Tips and Tricks<\/h2>\n

Begin your birding adventure by familiarizing yourself with the various species \u2013 those likely to visit your watching spots. Most readily available bird information pertains to the United States and Canada \u2013 so a simple search will yield fast results.<\/p>\n

Spend some time perusing through Flickr and Youtube, as these still and video hotspots will offer exciting results caught by fellow birders. Learning how to recognize bird species is just like any form of learning \u2013 never limit opportunities to pick up information. Nature shows on television often highlight birds and many public or local stations have nature programs geared to your locale.<\/p>\n