This brings you to the next step in birding: identifying bird songs and calls. This will add another dimension to your birding. As you enjoy re-identifying old friends and recognizing new ones by sight, you will be equally delighted in being able to recognize some by their songs and calls.
There are several aids that are available to assist you in this endeavor: field guides, tapes, videos, etc. One of the more satisfactory strategies is to associate some type of mnemonic with the bird sounds that you hear. For example, some birds seem to identify themselves by "saying" their names such as the Carolina Chickadee with its "chickadee-dee-dee" sound. Others have distinct sounds such as the "drink-your-tea" of the Rufous-sided Towhee. Blending these sound helpers with the songs and calls of birds is both fun and helpful.
Following is a list of 53 that might assist you in getting started. These sound types were gleaned from a variety of sources. Field guides usually have helpers like these somewhere in the narrative. Tapes such as Richard Walton and Robert Lawson's *Birding by Ear* use them (in fact, some of the headings of this list are from their program). Some come from individuals who use this device in teaching. Rob Mardiney of Irvine Nature Center sent me a list of those he uses, and I have incorporated them into this effort. As you continue birding, you will enjoy making up your own helpers. One thing about them is that they are a great aid in learning bird sounds.
Good birding!
BIRD | CALL OR SONG | GROUP
| |
Acadian | Pizza | Flycatcher
Flycatcher | |
| |
Alder Flycatcher | Fee-beeo | Flycatcher
| |
American Kestrel | Killy, killy, killy, | Described by phrases
| killy, killy | or sounds
| |
American Robin | Cheerup, cheerily, | Robin and Robin-like
| cheerup, cheerup, | songs
| cheerup, cheerily |
| |
Barred Owl | Who cooks for you, who | Described by phrases
| cooks for you all | or sounds
| |
Black-and-white | weese, weese, weese, | Warbler
Warbler | weese, |
| |
Black-billed | Cu cu cu cucucu cucucu | Sound its own name
Cuckoo | cucucu |
| |
Black-throated | See, see, see, see, SEE | Warbler
Blue Warbler | |
| |
Black-throated | Trees, tress, murmuring | Warbler
Green Warbler | trees OR |
| 1, 2, 3 I'm lazy |
| |
Blue Jay | Jay, jay, jay | Sounds its own name
| |
Bobwhite | Bob-white, Bob-white | Sounds its own name
| |
Carolina | Chickadee-dee-dee-dee | Sounds its own name
Chickadee | |
| |
Carolina Wren | Teakettle, teakettle, | Described by phrases
| teakettle | or sounds
| |
Chestnut-sided | Very, very pleased to | Warbler
Warbler | meet-cha |
| |
| |
Common Nighthawk | Beans-beans | Described by phrases
| | or sounds
Common | Witch-ity, witch-ity, | Warbler
Yellowthroat | witch-ity |
| |
Eastern Bluebird | Cheer, cheerful, charmer | Described by
| | phrases or sounds
| |
Eastern | Spring of the year | Described by phrases
Meadowlark | | or sounds
| |
Eastern Phoebe | Phoe-bee | Sounds its own name
| |
Eastern Wood | Peee-a-weeee | Sounds its own name
Pewee | |
| |
Great-crested | Wheeeeep-wheeeeep! | Flycatcher
Flycatcher | |
| |
Gray Catbird | Meow of a cat | Name description of
| | call or song
Indigo Bunting | Fire, fire! Where, | Described by phrases
| where? Here, Here! Put- | or sounds
| it-out, put-it-out! |
| |
Killdeer | Kill-dee, Kill-dee | Sounds its own name
| |
Laughing Gull | ha-ha-ha-hahaha-hahaha | Name description of
| | call or song
| |
Least Flycatcher | Che-bec, che-bec | Flycatcher
| |
Mourning Dove | Ooah, cooo, cooo, cooo | Name description of
| | call or song
| |
Nashville | Seebit, seefit, seebit, | Warbler
Warbler | seebit, tititititi |
| |
Northern | What-cheer, what-cheer, | Described by phrases
Cardinal | what-cheer | or sounds
| |
Northern Flicker | Flicka, flicka, flicka, | Sounds its own name
| flicka |
| |
Northern Oriole | Here, here, come right | Described by phrases
| here, dear | or sounds
| |
Northern | Nice old ladies don't | Warbler
Waterthrush | choo choo |
| |
Olive-sided | Quick, three beers! | Flycatcher
Flycatcher | Come right here! |
| |
Ovenbird | Teacher, teacher, | Warbler
| TEACHER, TEACHER |
| |
Prairie Warbler | Zee, zee, zee, zee, zee | Warbler
| (up scale) |
| |
Red-eyed Vireo | Do you see it? Do you | Vireo
| hear it? Do you believe |
| it? |
Red-winged | Conk-a-ree | Described by phrases
Blackbird | | or sounds
| |
Rose-breasted | Cheerio Charlie, how's | Robin and Robin-like
Grosbeak | Mary | songs
| |
Rufous-sided | Drink your tea-ee-ee-e | Described by phrases
Towhee | | or sounds
| |
Scarlet Tanager | Like a hoarse and raspy | Robin and Robin-like
| Robin | songs
| |
Screech Owl | Mournful whinney | Name description of
| | call or song
| |
Song Sparrow | Maid, maids, maids, put | Sparrow
| on your tea kettle- |
| ettle-ettle |
| |
Tufted Titmouse | Peter, peter, peter | Described by phrases
| | or sounds
| |
Veery | Vee-ur, fee-ur, feer, | Sounds its own name
| feer, feer |
| |
Warbling Vireo | Iggley, pigelly, | Described by phrases
| wigelly, pig | or sounds
| |
Whip-poor-Will | Whip-poor-Will, Whip- | Sounds its own name
| poor-Will, Whip-poor- |
| Will |
| |
White-breasted | A nasal "Yank, yank, | Described by phrases
Nuthatch | yank" | or sounds
| |
White-eyed Vireo | Chick-a-per-wee-oo- | Vireo
| chick |
| |
White-throated | Old Sam Peabody, | Sparrow
Sparrow | Peabody, Peabody |
| |
Willow | Fitz-bew | Flycatcher
Flycatcher | |
| |
Worm-eating | If I see him, I'll | Warbler
Warbler | squeeze him and squeeze |
| him til he squirts |
| |
Yellow Warbler | Sweet, sweet, sweet, I'm |
Warbler | so sweet |
| |
Yellow-throated | Three-eight | Vireo
Vireo | |