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Deciphering the High-pitched call notes of the Forests · Birding by Ear with the Master Birders Academy

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Right now, the forests of the Northeast are filled with several birds that are producing high-pitched notes that sound extremely similar.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: So today, let's go over a few species that will fit into this category.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: The species covered today will be the brown creeper, golden crowned kinglet, ruby crowned kinglet, cedar wax wing, and the white-throated sparrow.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: When I'm out birding right now in a forested area, these species are the ones that are making most of the call notes I'm hearing.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: So learning these species is crucial this time of year.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: And while usually I tell others to avoid learning most call notes when they first start learning to bird by ear, as they tend to sound extremely similar to one another.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: As well as since they are so short of a sound, it's hard to pick out qualities to differentiate them.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: And luckily this group only takes a bit of practice to start noticing those differences.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: I do though want to start off by saying that this group can be extremely difficult if you have issues hearing higher frequency sounds, especially when they're a distance away from you.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: What also doesn't help with these species is that they all can be called buzzy.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: So overall, sound quality isn't a feature we can use to help us tell these species apart.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: Luckily though, there are several other contextual clues we can use to help us differentiate these species.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: Other than just sound alone.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: These clues can help you decipher what bird you are hearing before you completely memorize each call note.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: So let's start with one of the most common birds you will hear in a variety of habitats, the cedar waxwing.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: Their call is best described as a high-pitched, thin, and trilling Z call, or a sighing, hissing whistle.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: This note is typically drawn out, more so than the other species we'll go over today.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: One hit that can help differentiate them from other species is you will typically only be hearing the sound from higher up, either while they are foraging as a group in a tree, often higher up, or flying overhead in a flock.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: So it would be usual to hear quite a few calls at the same time.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: Overlapping as the flock calls to keep in communication with each other as they forage and fly.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: If you're hearing many birds calling at the same time, the cedar waxwing is most likely the bird you're hearing.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: The call most similar to the cedar waxwing is the brown creeper.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_00: Unlike the cedar waxwing, brown creepers are mostly solitary, so you won't be hearing the bird in a flock.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: Brown creepers spend most of their time deeper in the forest, from anywhere from ground level to the tree canopy.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: So location and context alone can help you differentiate between the two.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: Flock overhead, cedar waxwing.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: Like the cedar waxwing, a brown creeper's call consists of a short buzzy note, though the creeper typically only gives one call note at a time, where a wax wing may give several that are joined by others.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: The brown creeper's note also tends to sound more flat or clear than the seated wax wing.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: There isn't a change in frequency up and down like you would see in calls that are typically considered buzzy.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: If you look at the spectrogram of their call, for instance, you'll see that their call note looks more like a line rather than an up and down pattern that is typical of buzzy calls.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: Since this bird is more solitary, you will hear their single buzzy call note irregularly, with large gaps between each call.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: So again, let's go over the cedar wax wing call.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: And now to compare the brown creeper.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: Another similar call note to both is the golden crown kinglet.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_00: Similar to the brown creeper, these call notes will be heard from the forest interior, not overhead like you would typically hear from the wax wings.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: This bird will form loose flocks though, so when they are calling, you may hear multiple birds from different locations around you.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: Just not as frequently as you would of a flock of cedar wax wings, but more than you would hear from a brown creeper.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: While their call note sounds extremely similar to the brown creeper, there is something that allows you to quickly tell the two apart.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: And that is how many notes they emit at a time.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: While the brown creeper will always just do a single note at a time, the golden crown kinglet will do a double or triple note call.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: The golden crown kinglet note calls are also often more emphatic, quicker and shorter.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: So again, let's listen to the brown creeper's call.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: And now the golden crown kinglet to compare.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: Again, context alone can help you with the species.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: This is another flocking species.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: Most likely you won't be just hearing one at a time.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_00: And unlike the cedar wax wing, this species will typically be seen or heard lower to the ground.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: They are looking for insects and seeds in the leaf litter on or near ground level, where the cedar wax wings will tend to be higher up in a tree or flying overhead.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_00: When the white-throated sparrows travel, they tend to stay low and through the understory and brush rather than higher up or overhead.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: Their note is best described as a sharp, explosive chink.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: It is a very short note, often given when they are alarmed.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: The white-throated sparrow also makes a flight call that sounds very similar to the cedar wax wing and brown creeper.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: Location of the call can be a nice clue.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: The white-throated sparrow will be calling as it's flying low through brush, while brown creeper will tend to be higher up in the middle of the tree line and cedar wax wings overhead.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_00: White-throated sparrows will be making this sound as they fly overhead, but since they migrate at night, it would be unusual to hear them making this call overhead during the day.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: So the species it will most likely be confused for is the brown creeper.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: So things to note are that again, since the sparrow is social, you'll typically be hearing multiple birds at the same time.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: This flight call is also more buzzy, longer, and more piercing than the softer brown creeper's call.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: So first, the white throated sparrows call.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: Their flight call brown creeper to compare.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: And last, Cedar Waxwing.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: And the last bird call notes I want to go over are from those of the ruby crowned kinglet.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: And luckily, this one is pretty distinctive from the others mentioned earlier.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of being a single or double buzzing note, the call of the ruby crowned kinglet is best described as a harsh, emphatic, two-parted scold, or double-noted call, usually described as chidit.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_00: While this bird is like the golden crowned kinglet, being found singly or in small flocks when it's migrating, you will only be hearing this bird in the forest interior or hedgerows.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: You won't be hearing them in flocks flying overhead, or typically low to the ground in groups like you would the white-throated sparrow.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: So here is the ruby crowned kinglet again.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: And now the golden crown.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: While learning all these bird calls can be overwhelming, try learning one at a time.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: Go birding and pick one of these species to focus on.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: Just note every time you hear it and feel free to open Merlin to double check your ID.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_00: But only take a peek after you have taken a guess at what species you are hearing.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: This will help you learn and correct yourself if you are mistaken.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: This will allow you to better memorize calls instead of just relying on Merlin to give you the answer.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: Fall is the perfect time to learn these species.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: So get out, go birding, and practice your birding by ear.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: And if you want to continue on your journey to become a better birder, feel free to check out my online academy at masterbirdersacademy.com.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, happy birding!