Light pollution in urban and suburban areas, however, can easily trick this thrush into singing through the night, especially in the spring when songs are part of courtship rituals. Because this bird can stay in much of its range year-round, this can also lead to nighttime singing even in fall and winter, no matter how unexpected its songs may be. While these wading birds don't have a musical song, their raspy, croaking calls are commonly heard all through the night.
This can add an eerie overture to the marshes, swamps, and wetlands these birds call home throughout their range. Because these birds are found worldwide, including North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, their voices are familiar to many birders, as are the calls of other night-heron species.
One of the most prolific songbirds in Europe, Asia, and Africa, the common nightingale may at first seem plain, but its song is anything but ordinary. This bird can have more than songs in its repertoire, and it might sing them all at night.
While the common nightingale is relatively shy and often stays undercover in dense brush, its rich, flute-like voice and varied songs can be heard for great distances and for long periods of time, since this bird is never tired of singing. This large, warbler-like bird may be brightly colored with its bold yellow throat and breast , but it prefers to stay hidden in thickets. When it wants to sing, however, it will occasionally venture into a more open spot and thrill listeners with warbling chirps, whistling chatters, and some raspy notes all woven into a loud and easily heard song.
These birds typically only sing in the spring, but during that time they are often heard at night. A small songbird with a big voice, the European robin often sings year-round as it defends territory , and bright urban or suburban lighting can fool this bird into singing through the night.
Fortunately, the high, lilting song and occasional whistling tones make a beautiful song that many birders appreciate at any time. When not tricked by artificial lighting, the European robin often sings early in the morning and late in the evening. This familiar shorebird has a distinctive piercing call that can sound like a frantic, chattering song, even at night. These birds also often call while in flight, no matter what time of day it is, and may be calling through the night as they migrate in late fall and early spring.
To hear killdeers, however, birders will need to listen for these distinctive birds in the proper habitat near shallow water or open, barren fields that are ideal for nesting and foraging.
A secretive swamp bird found in scattered parts of the southeastern United States, including coastal Texas, as well as in the Caribbean and isolated parts of South America, the black rail has a distinctive song-like call. The ki-ki-kooo call may be repeated over and over during the night, and has a rich, pipe-like tone.
Because these birds are shy and reclusive, hearing their distinctive song is often much easier than spotting their dark plumage at night. It's no surprise that owls are vocal at night, and the barred owl has a mournful hooting call with longer notes at the end that can be heard throughout their range in the eastern United States, western Canada, and the Pacific Northwest. These large owls may be soloists as they sing, or often pair up in duets during the courtship and breeding season.
A pair of owls may call to one another repeatedly throughout the night, and solo birds will also sing for hours after dark. The barn owl is one of the most widespread species of owl , and is found on every continent except Antarctica. While its long, loud, rasping screech isn't a true melodious song, it can be heard at any time of night as these birds are active. While some birds chirping at night repeat the same sounds, Eastern Screech-Owls are different: They can hoot, bark, and, of course, screech.
Although the Eastern Screech-Owl is still considered a common species, numbers are in decline in some areas. These owls are often the victims of collisions with glass and vehicles, and those nesting in suburbs and orchards are vulnerable to pesticide s. As with many other species, habitat loss is a threat in many areas. Our Bird-Friendly Life web page also suggests ways to protect birds and bird habitats. If you have a wooded yard, you might even consider building a screech-owl nest box.
Upland Sandpiper. The Upland Sandpiper's ecstatic song bounces over the prairie during spring months when the birds are breeding. The melody, which combines wild trilling with an ethereal whistle, is typically used by males, which vocalize well into the night.
Like other birds that sing at night, the Upland Sandpiper is not a nocturnal species and can be spotted during daylight hours. Although Upland Sandpiper populations have remained steady as a whole over the last 50 years, regional declines have led nearly two dozen states and provinces in the U.
S and Canada to list the bird as a species of concern. Upland Sandpipers winter in South America each year and hunting remains a problem along migration routes. But the major threat they face is habitat loss, as native grasslands are transformed into cropland. In the United States, ABC is helping Upland Sandpipers and other grassland birds by promoting practices that incentivize sustainable grazing practices and grassland retention, restore formerly cropped lands, and reduce herbicide use.
In Mexico, we're working with local partners to ensure that critical grassland habitat for migrating sandpipers remains firmly protected. Northern Mockingbird. Photo by Michael Stubblefield. With the ability to learn nearly different songs, Northern Mockingbirds are veritable avian jukeboxes. These expert mimics find inspiration in the songs of other birds and sometimes rock their tunes around the clock.
This happens most often when males are searching for mates, but full moons also get these crooners going. Although Northern Mockingbirds remain common in many parts of the U. This isn't their first decline: During the 19th century, these songsters were so highly prized for their musical abilities that many were caged, and mockingbirds virtually disappeared from some parts of their range.
ABC and partners support healthy Northern Mockingbird populations by managing habitat throughout much of the bird's U. Our Cats Indoors program is also helping to reduce cat-related fatalities, which claim the lives of approximately 2. Act by December 31! Donate Now. Toggle navigation. Birds Priority Birds. Watch List.
Bird of the Week. The Search for Lost Birds. Bird City Americas. Habitat Loss. Bird Collisions. Cats Invasives. Climate Change. Lack of Resources. Migratory Birds. Read the folklore! The Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia is a western owl with an isolated population in Florida. These small owls have a rapid call that can sound like laughter.
The high-pitched, twittering notes are preceded by a screech and have a hollow quality. Listen to the sounds of the Burrowing Owl here. A widespread owl common in dense forests, the Northern Saw-Whet Owl Aegolius acadicus can be easier to hear this tiny bird than to see it.
The length of the song can vary widely. Listen to the Northern Saw-Whet Owl here. While owls are the most common nighttime vocalists, they are far from the only birds that sing and call at night. Other voices fill the nighttime hours, including:. Many insects, amphibians, and even nocturnal mammals make a variety of squeaks, croaks, whistles, and other sounds that could be mistaken for birds. There is a lot to listen to during the night, and the more you listen, the more you will appreciate the diversity of the nighttime chorus—owls and all.
Melissa Mayntz is a freelance writer and birder, naturally writing about birds. I heard a sound …It was a whistle with an ending soft like the sound of a dove.
I thought maybe you might know. I enjoyed listening to all the sounds of the owls. I never knew there were so many. I thought maybe a hawk. Moon Phase Calendar.
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