Bird Songs by Habitat

Birds live in specific places suited to them; places called habitats. The combination of available food or prey, appropriate cover for nesting, the availability of water and many other factors compel them to choose that particular place to live and breed. In some cases their habitat must be so exact that even a small change may endanger the existence of the species.

There are over 40 describable habitats. And learning about them is the key to learning bird songs and identifying the birds we encounter.

Before we take a birding trip we study the kind of terrain through which we will be traveling. We trace the route and identify the habitats we will find along the way. Then we study the birds we can find in those habitats; what they look like and how they sound.

When we stop and start our identification of the local species we become subject to the more or less secretive personalities of each species. However, those more difficult to see still call to each other or, in season, sing to find a mate or announce success in that respect. Each call, each song, is peculiar to a single species. Even when we can't get a good look at a bird we'll know it's there.

Our tool box for identifying birds has three parts: 1) learning where specific birds live, 2) learning how they look, and 3) learning the bird songs we can expect to hear.

Fortunately we can consolidate some habitat descriptions at first and still have a good chance of knowing which species to expect. For a longer listing of habitat possibilities look to "The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior" by David Allen Sibley. Knopf (2001), pp.86-106.

For now we'll study these habitats: Wetlands, Forests, Countryside and Cityscapes and learning the bird songs we hope to hear.



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