Subject: [Tweeters] Identification by song
Date: Apr 4 14:11:39 2010
From: Wayne Weber - contopus at telus.net


Bob,



The key to learning bird songs (and calls) is repetition, repetition,
repetition. Play your CDs at home whenever you are doing something that
doesn't take your whole attention (e.g. reading or writing stuff at the
computer).

They will start to get familiar after a while. Take them into the field with
a CD player as well, and compare them with what you are hearing. You will
learn bird songs much faster, with or without a CD, if you are able to go
birding 2 or 3 times a week, rather than once or twice a month.



When I was in my teens, I learned the songs and calls of most of the common
birds in my area the hard way, without recordings-I tracked down the bird
that made a particular song, and learned them that way. When I bought my
first Peterson Guide to Western Bird Songs on LP records, I didn't have a
tape recorder or any way of taking these songs into the field with me. So I
played the LPs again and again until I had memorized what most of them
sounded like. When I made my first visit to Arizona and Texas, I was able to
identify several "life birds" before I even saw them, because I knew what
they sounded like.



Some people seem to learn songs and calls much faster than others (I seem to
be one of the lucky ones), but anyone can do it if they put enough time and
effort into it (similar to the amount of time and effort you put into
studying field guides). Good luck!



Wayne C. Weber

Delta, BC

contopus at telus.net









From: tweeters-bounces at mailman2.u.washington.edu
[mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman2.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of RH Johnston
Sent: April-04-10 11:39 AM
To: Tweeters
Subject: [Tweeters] Identification by song



What is the best way to learn to identify birds by song or call? I have Bird
Songs of the Pacific Northwest, Cornell University, but do you take it and a
player in the field? Memorizing 300 plus songs is daunting. Is there a way
to match the songs to a visual guide like Peterson's? I've seen an
identifier that has a bar code you can stick on the field guide but it only
had a few birds, most of which I already knew. Usually I can get a glimpse
of the bird, enough to narrow down the choices, but then I have to try and
remember the song, find it on the CD and so on. I would appreciate any
advice and suggestions. Thanks much, Bob Johnston, Tacoma WA