1. Learn local bird songs with the Ottawa Bird Count
Chirps, Tweets, and Trills
Learn local bird songs with the Ottawa Bird Count
A Volunteer Based, Scientifically Rigorous Survey of Birds in an Expanding City

2. Today More tricks for learning Review of first 30 songs Field Guides
Four letter codes
13 new “songs”
Woodpeckers
Thrushes
Wrens
Miscellany

3. Today Characteristics of a bird’s sound Tone (Voice)
Whistle Black-capped Chickadee, Mourning Dove, White-throated Sparrow
Nasal Nuthatches, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Throaty Pied-billed Grebe, American Bittern
Buzzy Alder Flycatcher, Common Nighthawk
Chip Least Flycatcher, Chickadee, Chimney Swift
Trill Chipping Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco
Harsh Red-tailed Hawk, Blue Jay
Flute-like Hermit Thrush
Liquid Brown-headed Cowbird
Pops, squeaks, creaks, “cheeky” European Starling, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow

4. Today Characteristics of a bird’s sound Tone (Voice) Tempo Pitch
Fast vs slow (Winter Wren vs White-throated Sparrow)
Trend in tempo (Field Sparrow, House Finch)
Pitch
High or low (Cedar Waxwing vs Mourning Dove)
Trend in pitch (Downy Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee)
Repetition (Brown Thrasher, Indigo Bunting)
Sections (Song Sparrow, Nashville Warbler)

5. Field Guides (Paper…) Test drive your neighbour’s guide
No photos – drawings are better
Range maps are a must
Consider size (some are big)
My favorites (not necessarily yours):
Sibley
National Geographic
Test drive your neighbour’s guide
Ask at Wild Birds Unlimited

10. Four Letter Codes Quick way of recording observations
First two letters of first and last names
AMRO = AMerican RObin
WISN = WIlson’s SNipe
BCCH = Black-Capped CHickadee
GHOW = Great-Horned Owl
Usually…
TRSW = TRee Swallow? or TRumpeter Swan?
EASO = Eastern Screech-Owl
NHOW = Northern Hawk Owl
If in doubt…