Within the next month, listen for Chickadees as they begin to switch from their namesake calls to their breeding song – a clear two or three noted whistle. For Cardinals, nesting time will be April in Michigan. This also has the effect of letting the females know that the territory is ready for her when mating time is at hand. In actuality, male birds sing to define the boundaries of their proposed territory.
And each year I grab my binoculars and confirm that this complex song is from my “buddy”, keeping my hearing birding skills challenged once more.īirds song is prompted by the length of day, the sunlight causing a hormonal response. Could it be the same bird returning year after year? I never miss it as it is not a common song to my ears at any time of the year.
Notably, this bird sings from the top branches of the neighbor’s birch tree every year about this time. As early nesters in our area, they are already pair bonded and keep in touch with their one syllable call notes.Īnother favorite I often hear this time of year is Purple Finch. Shortly after smiling over that sweet song, I heard the White-breasted Nuthatch pair calling softly to each other. “Cheer, cheer, cheer” or “Birdie, Birdie, Birdie” – the Cardinal typically repeats its’ introductory notes three times. It is a pleasure to linger outside for a few moments before I get into my car, listening for the beautiful notes to greet me in the stillness of the morning. With the longer daylight hours comes the moment that I anticipate every January – the first day that I hear the Cardinal singing! This year it was a little later by a few days – on January 25 th, instead of my early date of the 19 th.
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