Last updated: July 9, 2020
Article
What’s Making that Sound? Birds Edition
NPS / Neal Herbert
You can find so many different bird species in national parks! There are songbirds, birds of prey, nocturnal birds—birds of all different shapes and sizes and colors. One reason birds flock to national parks is because the parks are quiet and safe. Birds can raise their families and live in peace without being disrupted by noisy humans or busy streets. Plus, there is an abundance of natural habitat and food.
But this doesn’t mean that humans and birds can’t coexist. One great way to learn about birds and see them in nature without disrupting them is through birdwatching!
Birdwatching is a non-invasive activity that lets people observe birds without getting too close or scaring them. Birdwatchers or “birders” use many different tools to find and learn about birds. They use binoculars, bird books, and bird guides. But sometimes, just using your ears is enough. Some expert “birders” know so much about birds that they can even tell what a bird’s species is just by hearing its bird call! How impressive!
Find more information about birds and birding!
Instructions
Are you an expert “birder?" Test your skills by listening to the recordings of bird calls and trying to figure out what bird made them. And if you’d like more practice, take a look at the NPS Multimedia Gallery or the NPS sound library for some more nature sounds!
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Challenge #1
Can you guess what bird makes this sound?
Did you guess a robin? If so, you’re right! This is the sound an American Robin makes! American Robins are very common and have a reddish-orange breast and a grey back. Their beaks are yellow, and they have white circles around their eyes.
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Challenge #2
Can you guess what bird makes this sound?
WHO-WHO-WHO guessed an owl?! This is the sound a Northern Spotted Owl makes. Northern Spotted Owls are brown with white “spots” or patches on their breasts. Their wings span roughly 42 inches and they have been declared “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act.
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Challenge #3
Can you guess what bird makes this sound?
Did you guess a blue jay? That’s close! This is the sound a Steller’s Jay makes. Steller’s Jays are closely related to blue jays, but Steller’s Jays are found in the West and they have a black head and upper body. They are omnivores and can mimic or imitate the calls of other birds!
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Challenge #4
Can you guess what bird makes this sound?
To quoth the raven—squawk! This is the sound a Common Raven makes. The Common Raven is the largest perching bird—it is the size of a hawk! Common ravens are incredibly intelligent, love shiny objects, and are great at adapting to their environments and scavenging.
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Challenge #5
Can you guess what bird makes this sound?
This bird seems to be saying its own name—Poorwill! Poorwill! Poorwill! This is the sound a Common Poorwill makes. The Common Poorwill was discovered to be the first known hibernating bird in the 1940s. However, the Hopi tribe knew long before then—their name for the Common Poorwill is “the sleeping one.”
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Challenge #6
Can you guess what bird makes this sound?
I bet you’ve heard this bird before! This is the sound a Canada Goose makes. Canadian Geese have a black head and neck, white cheeks, and a brown body. They are known for their seasonal migrations and V-shaped flight formations.
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Challenge #7
Can you guess what bird makes this sound?
As you might have guessed, many birds made this sound! These are the sounds Sandhill Cranes make. Sandhill Cranes vary from two to four feet tall and are grey and brown with red foreheads, white cheeks, and long pointed bills. They gather in large flocks for migration. In early spring, a quarter of a million Sandhill Cranes gather on the Platte River in Nebraska!
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Challenge #8
Can you guess what bird makes this sound?
This call kind of sounds like a laugh! This is the sound a Black-Billed Magpie makes. Black-Billed Magpies are black and white with dark blue-green wings and a long tail. Black-Billed Magpies are opportunistic omnivores and scavenge for any food they can find!
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Challenge #9
Can you guess what bird makes this sound?
“Mine! Mine! Mine!” This is the sound of a Western Gull. Western Gulls are white with grey wings, yellow feet, and yellow beaks. They are almost exclusively marine gulls—not venturing too far from the ocean—and they nest on offshore islands and rocks all along the west coast.
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Challenge #10
Can you guess what bird makes this sound?
WHAT IS THAT???? We had to challenge you for this last challenge. This is the sound an Anhinga makes. Anhingas are long-necked, long-tailed swimming birds who live in southeastern swamps and their name comes from the Brazilian Tupi language. They are often called "snakebirds" because they swim with only their head and neck above the water.
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