I don’t know about you, but I’m not very good at identifying birds by their calls and songs, aka “birding by ear.” I know people who are good at it and they tell me it’s simply a matter of perserverance and experience.
I’ve recently come to realize that I recognize more calls than I thought — and you probably do, too. I was walking my dogs in my neighborhood the other day and I heard three calls from unseen birds nearby — and I identifed each species without even thinking. These were calls I hear so often that I’ve just come to incorporate them in my normal, day-to-day world.
Since we had some fun last Sunday trying to ID a bird by sight (a Western Screech Owl) I thought it might be fun to try out a bird song quiz. You might know more calls than you think, so why not give it a try?
I’m going to list links to some calls and songs of birds. I’ll start with those that are fairly common and widespead through many parts of the U.S. Then they’ll get progressively harder, but still common enough birds that just have calls that are a little trickier. I’ll add a hint or two and I’m going to number them. I’ll then post photos I’ve taken of the birds in the quiz using the same numbered order so you can compare and see how you did. So, as you read this, don’t scroll down too far or you’ll see the answers before you begin! Feel free to share your results in the thread if you wish, but this is otherwise an open thread.
Let’s get started!
1. naturesongs.com/… A confidence-booster just for fun. You can do this!
2. www.naturesongs.com/… Aggressive and noisy bird common in the western states.
3. www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/… Treetops and telephone lines, they’re everywhere.
4. www.naturesongs.com/… No mistaking this one. In this case, two talking to each other.
5. www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/… A great mimic with endless song variations.
6. www.naturesongs.com/... Common throughout the U.S. in marshes, meadows and agricultural fields.
7. www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/… Prevalent in every state, it’s the most common bird at feeders.
8. www.naturesongs.com/… Might be the first bird a child learns about in picture books.
9. www.naturesongs.com/… This is not a neighborhood or backyard bird, but if you bird around lakes and marshes, this guy/gal is always chattering up a storm.
10. www.naturesongs.com/… This is the western species of this bird, whose eastern species has a completely different song. You’re likely to encounter this bird with stark coloring when birding meadows and marshes. It has a very melodious and recognizable song.
Now, I’m adding a little more text here and some completely unrelated photos to fill in this space that separates the last question in the quiz from the answers depicted in photos. That way you won’t accidentally see the photos before finishing the quiz. A buffer zone, if you will.
Here are a few sunset pictures from Sacramento to add to the buffer zone. After these, you’ll see the quiz answers in photos.
Without further ado, here are the answers to the quiz. I know you got the first one correct!
So how did you do? Tell us in the comments if you thought it was easy or challenging. And in the meantime, use this as an open thread to share what’s been going on in your birding world. Happy Sunday!