Course: Bird Songs and Calls

Explore the fascinating world of bird songs and calls in this beginner-intermediate course. Learn to identify and interpret the sounds of the birds around you!

This course will cover:

•  Identifying a range of birds by their songs and other calls
• Visual identification using field signs, behaviour, and habitat 
• Learning to distinguish between alarms, contact calls, territorial calls and other vocalisations
• Learning a variety of techniques for memorising bird calls 
• Applying bird call recognition for surveys and bird conservation
• Learning how interpreting bird calls can enable us to see more wildlife

This beginner-intermediate bird song course will enable you to engage more with the natural world by getting to know the birds around you. You will learn a variety of ways to identify birds by their song and other types of call, helping you to accurately record species. You will also cover some visual identification based on markings, behaviour and habitat, and you will also learn to interpret bird behaviour and calls as an effective way to discover what other wildlife is around.

You will use a variety of techniques to help memorise bird song, as well as developing a deeper understanding of the different kinds of bird call (e.g. alarms, contact calls and juvenile begging), how to recognise these and how to understand what they can tell us about the wider environment. You will explore how identifying and interpreting bird calls can help you read more of what is happening in your surroundings, and can help you to have closer encounters with a wide range of wildlife.

There will be some classroom sessions and plenty of time outside to listen and practice under the guidance of your expert tutor.

This course is eligible for a student discount. If you are a current student, please use discount code BioStudent20 at checkout for 20% off.