In 2001, I had an epiphany while making my first trip to Australia.
Walking across a remote sheep station in the dusty west, my ears were suddenly filled with the rich, spirited song of three pied butcherbirds.
Together, their voices wafted through the air like a hauntingly beautiful flute. That was the first time I encountered a trio of singing birds. I was instantly captivated.
Almost three decades later, I’ve built a career as a musician, composer and zoomusicologist – someone who studies sound in animal culture.
That serendipitous experience sparked my quest to understand how songbirds shape sound and why birdsong affects us so deeply.
The origins of songbirds
There are at least 4,000 species of songbirds, also known as oscine passerine birds, which together make up nearly half of the world’s bird life. This includes familiar and much-loved species like lyrebirds, fairywrens and honeyeaters.
Birdsong research has long focused on the northern hemisphere. However, DNA evidence from a major 2002 study turned this upside down. It revealed that all songbirds originated in Australia, before spreading across the world. Tim Low’s best-selling book, Where Song Began (2017), did much to popularise this research.
Subsequent studies refined this picture, suggesting early songbirds radiated out from Gondwana – the ancient supercontinent that included Australia, Antarctica and South America. The well-known lyrebird and the rare, ground-dwelling scrub-bird are thought to be the Australian songbirds with the oldest lineage.
Today, songbird hotspots are scattered across the globe.
South and Central America – particularly Colombia, Peru and Costa Rica – are famed for their avian diversity. New Guinea is home to birds-of-paradise, whose strikingly colourful displays have fascinated scientists and artists alike.
Europe’s spring chorus – sustained by blackbirds, thrushes and nightingales – features widely in literature and film. And in North America, birders prize the flutey flourishes of the hermit thrush and the wood thrush’s bell-like notes.
Learning to sing
These melody-making birds share a rare gift: they learn their songs from parents and peers. This process is known as vocal learning.
Among birds, only parrots, hummingbirds and songbirds are vocal learners. Humans are the sole primate that falls into this category, capable of imitating, altering and learning from the sounds we hear. Elephants, whales and some bats are also vocal learners.
Birdsong is often framed as a tool males use to compete for a territory or a female’s attention. Birdsong does serve these two practical functions. However, some birds produce sounds infinitely more beautiful and complex than what’s strictly needed to retain a territory or attract a mate.
It’s worth noting songs are not the same as calls. While birds must learn to sing, they have a relatively innate ability to call. Calls are short, meaningful sounds that help birds do everything from feeding to nesting and flocking, where birds gather to collectively forage or travel.
How birdsong affects us
Many people turn to birdsong as a way to relax and reconnect with nature. But listening to birdsong isn’t just pleasurable.
Research suggests it can reduce stress, improve anxiety and even sharpen attention. One 2022 study suggests listening to birdsong for just six minutes improves mental wellbeing. Another 2021 review found that when people tuned into natural soundscapes – such as birdsong or the sound of fast-flowing water – their blood pressure and heart rate lowered.
Many people instinctively know this. Consider how often birdsong features in meditation apps, in films or even at shopping centres.
Hearing a wild bird’s song is both ordinary and majestic. Ordinary because songbirds aren’t usually surrounded by sweeping vistas – instead they may be perched on a power line or hidden high in a tree. It’s also majestic because people are often deeply moved by these encounters. A single song can lift the mood of a morning.
Where to listen
Thankfully, you don’t need to traverse the world to tune into birdsong.
Australia is rich in birdwatching opportunities, particularly in the north and east of the country. If you’re unsure where to go, you can visit Australian Geographic’s top birding locations website. You can also find songbird hotspots in Australia and abroad using Birdingplaces’ interactive global map.
You don’t even need a car. Dawn is when birds are most active, so you may encounter a songbird if you step out early. It also pays to walk near water, where vegetation is dense and insects plentiful. But many avian singers also thrive in suburbs and urban parks.
Once you start hearing and observing birds, you will inevitably want to identify them. An abundance of online tools can help. A free option is eBird, which allows birders of all stripes to identify and document species. Xeno Canto is another resource.
You don’t need to identify a bird to enjoy its contribution to the dawn chorus. Just slowing down and listening is a good start.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
