Many birds are named by the call they make. Chickadee and Phoebe come to mind.
Some birds almost sound like they are saying something. For example the Long-tailed Duck keeps repeating “owl-omelet – owl-omelet.”
Learning a little phrase helps us to learn bird calls. When I tell groups that a bird is “saying something” I get confused looks. But with some imagination the following birds are “speaking.”
NORTHERN BOBWHITE
WHIP-POOR-WILL
KILLDEER
We hear a lot of “kill” in this video but no really good “kill-deer.”
CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER
This one repeats “Quick! Three Beers!” My grandmother preferred “Quick! Three Cheers!”‘
LEAST FLYCATCHER
“Quebec – Quebec – Quebec”
CAROLINA WREN
“Tea-kettle tea kettle tea kettle”
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER
“Cheese cheese cheese no more cheese”
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER
“Beer beer beer beeeee”
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER
“Please please please to meet’cha”
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
“Wichita Whicita Whicita”
OVENBIRD
“Teacher teacher teacher”
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
“Dear sweet Canada Canada Canada”
In Québec it is ”Où es-tu ? Fréderic Fréderic Fréderic”
Miles Hearn
Thank you for these wonderful bird songs, Miles, and for teaching ways to recognize them, with some imagination. I found the last one more challenging: I could only hear four syllables. You must have a very good ear since you are a musician. I am sure it helps! Happy Easter and Happy Spring!
Thank you Miles for a fun post. Oh how l wish that I had the ears that these birds would speak to me.
Wishing you a happy Easter if you celebrate.
All the best, Marilyn
thanks for these bird songs..will try to remember. I spent younger years in the Maritimes visiting my grandmother. The song of the white throated sparrow we called. “Old Tom Peepety Peepety”
Of course, I was expecting a bunch of parrots! I love it when you include bird song in your posts. This time, there were thirteen! Thanks, Miles!
I’ve learned so much on your walks. Two things I’ll never forget are burnt cornflakes and “cherry cherry sweet”