30 Days Wild Day 13: Listen to bird song
What birds have you been hearing?
We've got our feathered friends to thank for the beautiful soundtracks of our parks and gardens. Learn to tell apart some of the most common and distinct UK bird song with our easy guide. Birds use song during mating season to attract mates as well as using it as a tool to defend their territories. Take a listen to some of the most familiar songs below.
Blackbird
Another early riser, with a clear and confident voice. The beautiful song is low-pitched and given in short, fluty verses. Unlike the song thrush, blackbirds don't repeat their verses. Take a listen...
Robin
Like the larger thrushes, robins start singing early in the morning. The song is clear and beautiful, comprised of rippling notes and whistles. Robins are one of the few birds to sing all through winter. Take a listen...
Song thrush
Often the most confident voice in the dawn chorus, and one of the earliest to start singing. Listen for loud, clear verses repeated 2-4 times. Take a listen...
Black cap
This migrant warbler has one of the finest voices in the dawn chorus. Its song begins as a chattering warble, before breaking into louder, clearer flute-like notes. Take a listen...
Chiffchaff
One of the most easily recognised voices in the dawn chorus. The chiffchaff's song is a repetitive "chiff chaff, chiff chaff, chiff chaff", occasionally with an extra note mixed in. Take a listen...
Great tit
Great tits sound like their rocking between two notes. Sometimes one note, sometimes three, sometimes scratchy, sometimes not. Take a listen...
Coal tit
A coal tit sounds like it is saying something like, ‘Itsy witsy teeny weeny.’ They will often sing from a conifer, or from a dense stand of ivy. Take a listen...
