How to Understand the Birds [41 



The male grouse produces his music by standing stiffly erect with 

 his tail down and fanning the air with his wings. He may select 

 a given location, say a log, for his performance, going to the same 

 spot and facing in the same direction every time he drums. This 

 habit reminds us of some songbirds that become greatly attached 

 to favorite perches from which they sing. 



When you hear your child trilling happily at his play, you may 

 tell yourself with some satisfaction that he is "singing like a bird." 

 Strictly speaking, however, such a feat is impossible! The human 

 voice is produced in the larynx. A bird's voice comes from a dif- 

 ferent structure called the syrinx, located at the base of the wind- 

 pipe. (In Greek mythology, Syrinx was a nymph who was trans- 

 formed into a tuft of reeds from which the god Pan made his 

 pipes.) 



IDENTIFYING BIRDS BY THEIR SONG 



"What bird is that?" is a frequent question from youngsters 

 who are becoming interested in identification. 



If you are able to recognize the songs of the birds, you are well 

 on the way to the right answer. Some songs are as characteristic as 

 the bird's physical appearance: The interested observer and lis* 

 tener soon recognizes such tunes as the conk-a-ree-e of the red- 

 winged blackbird and the rollicking medley of the bobolink. The 

 best time of the year to begin your study of bird songs is very early 

 in spring, before migrants arriving in large numbers create a con- 

 fusion of voices. The best time of day to listen is the morning or 

 late afternoon. Concentrate at first on the songs of the more com- 

 mon, hence more familiar, birds of your region. This will make it 

 easier for you to distinguish individual calls and melodies in the 

 chorus that arises later on when the season is at its height. 



Certain birds make recognition quite simple for you by calling 

 their own names for it was their calls that gave them their names 

 to begin with! Among the better known of these are the bobolink, 

 chickadee, phoebe, bobwhite, and whippoorwill. 

 How TO RECORD BIRD SONGS 



While you may not be able to write out bird songs in musi- 

 cal notation, you should find it easy to jot down many songs in 



