On the surface, the reasons for birdsong are fairly simple. Birds sing mainly to mark territory and attract mates. It's a way to protect their space and family so other birds don't steal their food, mates or nest sites. But even with all the research, bird song is still not fully understood. There’s a lot more subtlety that can be further explored and investigated with careful … [Read more...] about Why Do Birds Sing? (6 Insights Beyond The Basics)
Learn Bird Language
This page contains information about bird language. This is a skill that I've put a lot of energy and practice into. It's one of my passions and I'm very excited to share it with you.
Why Do Owls Hoot? Decoding Their Calls & Meanings
Hooting owls make some of nature's most amazing sounds, often piercing the night soundscape and sparking a sense of mystery. But what do those hooting sounds actually mean? Can we use their calls to gain insight into the lives of owls nearby? In many cases, hearing that old familiar hooting sound means a Great Horned Owl has chosen to set up territory nearby. Here's what they sound … [Read more...] about Why Do Owls Hoot? Decoding Their Calls & Meanings
Beginner’s Guide To Bird Language: How to know what birds say in the wild
Imagine you’re walking in the forest when suddenly you hear a bird making a loud & repeating call in the distant woods. Do you know what that bird is saying?Would you know how to interpret that bird’s language? For most modern humans, the vocal expressions of bird songs, calls & other distant sounds appear like a random jumble of noise & information. But to the trained … [Read more...] about Beginner’s Guide To Bird Language: How to know what birds say in the wild
Pheasant Territorial Behavior: Video with pheasant calls explained
If you've ever heard ring-necked pheasants calling during early spring, you might have been hearing their territorial behavior. Male pheasants are quite territorial during the breeding season. They will climb up on rocks or leaf piles to crow at regular intervals. These calls are made to defend territories, and also to attract females. This video is a perfect example of the body … [Read more...] about Pheasant Territorial Behavior: Video with pheasant calls explained
9 Real Life Examples Of Bird Alarm Calls (With Video & Audio)
When I was first getting into bird language, one of the toughest things was building my confidence about identifying bird alarms vs other types of calls that could be confused for alarms. Bird language is a truly amazing and impressive skill to witness live in the field. Unfortunately, it’s actually pretty rare to meet people who can consistently locate different types of animals by … [Read more...] about 9 Real Life Examples Of Bird Alarm Calls (With Video & Audio)
How Does Animal Communication Work? (Examples, tips, myths)
Recently I’ve been getting a lot of emails from people who want to know how animal communication really works… Maybe you’d like to develop a friendship with local birds and get closer to animals in the woods like deer and foxes without scaring them. Or maybe you just want to know what nearby animals are communicating so you can be more sensitive to your impact on nature. Over the years … [Read more...] about How Does Animal Communication Work? (Examples, tips, myths)
How To Find Owls & Turkey Vulture Flight Patterns With Genevieve Curtis
Today I am very excited to share a conversation that I just had with Genevieve Curtis down in Gainesville Florida. Genevieve sent me a message wanting to be on the podcast so we could talk about some of her questions she’s been having around Owls & Turkey Vultures. Our conversation was such a great example of the kind of thought process that goes into investigating and building a very … [Read more...] about How To Find Owls & Turkey Vulture Flight Patterns With Genevieve Curtis
Do Birds Have Language? Yes! And It’s Amazing What They Say…
Have you ever wondered whether all those tweets, chirps, tuts & whistles coming from the tiny mouths of birds have meaning? If you like to spend time watching birds, then at some point you’ve probably wondered what birds are actually saying with all those calls & sounds… in other words, do birds have language? This is a really fun question that I’ve spent quite a few years … [Read more...] about Do Birds Have Language? Yes! And It’s Amazing What They Say…
Crow vs Raven Differences: ID, Behavior, Calls, Personality
Is that a crow or a raven? Telling these smart black birds apart is easier than you think once you know the key differences in size, sound, and behavior. Many focus on subtle details, but often the most obvious clues are overlooked. Take size for example. To accurately capture this difference, the comparison below uses photos taken moments apart on the exact same perch and from the same … [Read more...] about Crow vs Raven Differences: ID, Behavior, Calls, Personality
What Can Bird Alarm Shapes Tell You? (Plus Practice Tips)
I’ve noticed a common block that shows up for pretty much everyone who studies bird language is a lack of practical knowledge about bird alarm shapes. Alarm shapes are a fascinating topic because they give you instantly useful information about animals sneaking in the bushes and hiding spots around a forest. So if you’re new to the study of bird language, you might be wondering - what is a bird … [Read more...] about What Can Bird Alarm Shapes Tell You? (Plus Practice Tips)