Songbirds: America’s Melodic Marvels

What is the best bird song? How to choose when there are so many beautiful singers in the world of birds! And the winner is… the wood thrush. O hermit lily of the valley. Or it’s the mockingbird, the red thrush, or the house finch. With hundreds of birdsongs to choose from, it depends on the listener who is the best. But, whatever bird strikes a chord in your heart, this list of soulful songbirds will help you find new favorites. Here are some of America’s best singers.

Thrush

Imagine yourself in a forest in spring, in the last twilight of the day, listening to the moving song of a wood thrush. Soon, you may even want to write a love letter to this singer, as Thoreau did in his 1852 journal. He praised the wood thrush for its “liquid freshness, drawn from the bottom of the springs.” I admit the simple “ee-oh-lay” followed by a moan is annoying. But the twilight setting makes it magical.

The red thrush is another thrush with a sweet song. The bird’s simple song is a throaty repetition of its name. Creatures sing it at dawn and dusk in the dark forest. It goes straight to the listener’s romantic heart.

The hermit thrush’s song is less sweet and piercing. But its fast, flowing melody resonates in our ears. It follows some of our musical scales. Researchers confirmed this last November after analyzing recordings.

Finally, a bird so common that we tend to never give it a second look: the American robin. Take a few minutes to listen to it, and you will see that it shares the musical talent of its thrush family. Wake up early to hear the cry of a robin.

The troglodytes

An unstoppable cascade of notes flows from the tireless house wren, one of our favorite backyard birds. Set up a nest with a 1-inch entrance and you’ll have a good chance of hosting an entire family (including wrens!). The house wren is virtuous, but all wrens have voices that will make your ears pop. Learn how the Carolina wren’s call sounds.

Orioles

Vibrant birds stand out because of their piercing, melodious vocalizations and bold plumage. Oranges, jelly, sugar water, and candy will attract orioles to your garden. Learn what the song of the Baltimore Oriole sounds like.

Sparrows and finches

Each of our native sparrows (over two dozen species) has a song, and many are sweet and melodious. Listen to the song of the brown sparrow, which begins to sing at the end of winter. House finches are among the first singers. They start their complex chirps shortly after the year’s end. These species prefer seeds. So, reserve white millet for sparrows. Use sunflower seeds for finches. Use knotweed for food.

Mimic Thrushes

Northern, gray, and brown mockingbirds have charming songs. They can also imitate other sounds. They sing at dawn and dusk, with intermittent performances during the day. Sometimes they even sing at night. The mockingbird, in particular, can go to extremes. It sings for hours on end from the ceiling, right above your bed. Learn more about mockingbirds.

Grosbeaks

Less common than other warblers, rose-breasted, black-headed, and blue-throated grosbeaks are all melodious. They sing at their nests and along their spring migration routes. Once rare at feeders, they have become more frequent visitors. They devour sunflower seeds and pluck sweet fruits from bushes and trees.

The most famous grosbeak is the one of. Its heavy beak suggests otherwise. This is the northern cardinal, one of our most abundant and beautiful garden singers. Find out what a cardinal’s cry sounds like.

Tanagers

A tanager sighting is usually a day to remember. These birds are less common than other songbirds. In any case, listen to their long, robin-like songs. They’re best during spring migration, when they stop in every yard. Some tanager songs have a hoarse voice, suggesting “a robin with a sore throat.”

European star

What is the scorned star doing among the sweet-mouthed songbirds? Well, he’s also an incredible singer. Best of all, the stars begin to sing in winter, when it feels like spring will never come. Discover the vireo family: the sweet singers of summer.

Cardinal of the North

Many of our best songbirds, like thrushes and orioles, eat insects and fruit. These include tanagers, mockingbirds, and many grosbeaks. The more native plants in your yard, the more likely you are to hear birds looking for insects and other food.

Many songbirds have only recently found feeders. So, stock your feeders with a variety of foods. Shoulders, mealworms, oranges, apples, peeled bananas, and grapes are a good start. Also, do not hesitate to experiment. I dropped small pieces of dried papaya into the feeder. A gray cat and a Baltimore Oriole took turns picking it up. Orioles and others have a sweet tooth. They enjoy jam, jelly, and oriole perch feeders. Finches, buntings, house sparrows, and grosbeaks prefer seeds for feeders. Another must is a bird bath. They are a great attraction for all singers.