Do Songbirds Respond To Music?

In October of 2003, I was camping out in a tent at Pachaug State Forest. This is a heavily wooded area, and I remember being disappointed that there didn't seem to be any birds or wildlife around.

I decided to play some c.d.'s. To my surprise, several birds immediately emerged from the woods and perched on branches surrounding my campsite. They seemed to be quite curious . I can't recall all of the details as to which birds they were but I remember Black-capped Chickadees and Downy-Woodpeckers were in the mix. The music I played that day included Bob Dylan, Bela Fleck, Led Zeppelin, Jazz, and Classical. There have been several instances since then where I suspected that birds may have been attracted by music I was playing.

I have no scientific evidence to prove that birds respond to music, but in my opinion they do react to music. One of these days (maybe on a vacation), I would like to try some informal experiments. I was thinking about choosing the same observation time for a period of days. I could play certain types of music on some days. On other days, I would play no music. I would then compare results including number of species, number of individual birds, and any behavioral observations. The other option would be to go to a clearing where there are no birds in sight. I could then try to draw birds in using different types of music.

This probably sounds like a strange idea, but it might be fun (and-relaxing too)! If you ever decide to try any version of this idea, please let me know what your findings are.

I did some googling to see if anyone has tried similar experiments. I didn't find out too much through my internet search, except for this article.
Do you know of any research that has been done on this particular subject?
Have you ever suspected that birds might be reacting to music that you were playing?

Songbird Lyrics Game

Let's finish this one up! -take note of the blatant clues next to the unanswered ones.

Name the song that the lyrics belong to and/or an artist who performed it. Let us know which ones you knew, even if it has already been answered.
Blue=Unanswered Grey=incomplete Black=already answered

1) I wonder how you're feeling-There's ringing in my ears-And no one to relate to, 'cept the sea.

2)Sweet days of summer, the jasmine's in bloom-July is dressed up and playing her tune-

3)I must take a trip to California,-And leave my poor sweetheart alone.

4) Didn't you love the things they stood for? -Didn't they try to find some good in you and me?

5)One look from you and I would fall from grace -And that would wipe this smile right from my face.

6)I know your anger, I know your dreams-I've been everything you wanna be ohhh…

7)I've got my suitcase in my hand-Now, ain't that a shame-I'm leavin' here today-Yes, I'm goin' back home to stay-

8)Before the rising sun we fly,-So many roads to choose-We start our walking and learn to run.

9)Hitchin' on a twilight train-Ain't nothing here that I care to take along-Maybe a song-To sing when I want-

10)So you put on the TV and you're watchin Johnny Carson segway in right into the Tomorrow show -but that don't got the go so you turn it off ya turn on the radio-This one is by the son of a famous old-time folk singer-The song is a long story/song that takes place in Massachusetts-a place where "you can get anything you want."

11)I'm waiting in my cold cell, when the bell begins to chime. Reflecting on my past life- and it doesn't have much time.

12)The exodus is here-The happy ones are near-Let's get together-Before we get much older.-This is a rock group that has a question for a name.

13)The highway's jammed- with broken heroes -on a last chance power drive

14)The mountain is high-The valley is low -and you're confused on which way to go-

15) Rain gray town known for its sound-In places small faces unbound-This is by a group that David Crosby was in before he joined C-S+Nash-It is a song of great heights.

16) I do believe in you-And I know you believe in me

17) And I was born in the back seat of a- Greyhound bus-Rolling down highway forty-one

18) Let me travel this la-and -from the mountains to the sea-'Cause that's the life- I believe He meant for me-This is by the most famous male country singer of all time who died at the age of 29-It's title is the same as number 17.

Next Songbird Lyrics Game will be August 22 at 7pm.

The Problem With Juvenile Sparrows

I decided to survey our local Wangunk Meadows Sunday to see what was around.

It was sunny, cool, and dry. A drastic change in weather from the previous day. I quickly came across Belted Kingfishers, flocks of Cedar Waxwings, American Redstarts, Yellow Warblers, Common Yellowthroat, Hairy Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Green Herons, Great Blue Herons, Bobolinks, and so on and so on.

Now, let me get to the point. Do you see that sparrow in the top picture? What is it? I had a pretty good idea that this was a juvenile sparrow. The juvenile sparrows don't have the same markings as the adults, making things more difficult. To me, it looks like a possible Song Sparrow (there's a bunch of variation of the Song Sparrow too), Swamp Sparrow, or maybe a Savannah seems like a possibility too. Another problem is that sparrows in the field don't always match what you see in a field guide. I don't think that I see white under the throat like a Swamp Sparrow. I don't think Lincoln's Sparrows breed in Connecticut, and the bill looks too big. I'm going to put some effort in to learning sparrows this fall. I know the obvious ones, but stuff like this can drive me crazy. If you know for certain what this is, please tell me.

This is kind of an odd picture. Too much sun was reflecting off of this bird, but it looks to be a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak scratching herself. I actually saw several of them moving though the area. My stay here was brief due to the arrival of halfa dozen atv's which aren't even supposed to be there. I saw this handsome butterfly on the way out. I know I've seen this butterfly a few times this year but I lost my butterly guide.-Is this the Spicebush Swallowtail?

One Hot Morning

Where should we go to look for birds on this hot, humid summer morning? Maybe we should take a ride down to the shore. On second thought, that would take too much time. Let's just take a short walk at Machimoudus Park in East Haddam. We'll park over here.

The birds seem awfully quiet this morning-don't you think? I don't see the Orchard Orioles that were here the last time I came. I wonder if they're gone for the season? We'll walk up the main trail to the Salmon River Cove overlook. Look over there-to the right.There's an male Indigo Bunting in that bush right in the middle of the sandpit. Isn't the color beautiful with the sun reflecting off of it like that? All right, let's head up to the top of the hill. Wait a minute. Look at that brightly colored mushroom.-That thing looks like it would be poisonous! I'm going to see if I can get a picture of it. At least I know it won't move.

I don't even have a mushroom book. Do you have any idea what kind it is? I hear an Eastern Wood-Pewee in that big Oak Tree over there. Let's see if we can get a little closer. Look, it's sitting right out there on a branch. That's odd, I think it's another bird making the pee-a-wee sound. Now I don't know if this one is the same species. That's all we need-ventriloquist Flycatchers. I'll take a picture of it.

Rats!-It came out blurry. That's o.k., I'm putting it in anyway.

Have you ever checked out any of the Internet birding forums? There's actually quite a few. Anyway, I was following an interesting exchange between birders in one particular state last week. There were a few reports from birders talking about how the shore birding on the western shoreline was really picking up. A couple of the people who sent in reports posed the question: Where are all the birders? Some of the other birders who read the forum took offense to this question. They made the point that not everyone lives near the western shoreline and has the extra money for gas to drive over that way. They also pointed out that not all birders have the free time on their hands to go birding as much as they like, and in some cases don't even own a scope needed to bird these areas. The people who originally posted the question explained that they meant no offense.They just wanted to encourage more birders to get out in the field as to increase the chances of finding rarities.That brought on another discussion about bird observation versus chasing rarities. Some people may be put off by reading these types of heated exchanges-I rather enjoyed it. In these days of political correctness it seems that people are too often expected to keep their opinions to themselves. I wish that we could have more open conversations about our differences as a society.

Reading these exchanges made me realize that the birding community is made up of people from all different social classes. I've been birding with doctors, dentists, teachers, construction workers -rich-unemployed-you name it. I probably never would have met any of these people if we hadn't shared an interest in birds.

I've got to be honest, the heats really getting to me. Let's just head back down the hill and call it a day. Is that o.k. with you? Be careful!-this part is a little steep. We don't have much farther to go now.

Hey! Check out that little butterfly-We've got to get a picture of that before we go!

I think that's one of those Pearl Crescent Butterflies-what do you think? Well it's been fun. Maybe we'll do a little birding again in the fall when the weather is nicer and there's more birds around.-Thanks-have a nice weekend!