Song:
Robin or Cardinal?
How
to Tell For Sure
In
some places, both species are seen in late winter. As
the spring chorus of birdsong begins, some observers think they hear
an early
robin when they are actually hearing the Northern Cardinal. Try this:
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|
 |
Listen
to the Cardinal's song! Photo Stephan Pelikan |
Try to imitate each song. Which song is easiest to imitate? You
will find that humans easily imitate the cardinal song but not
the robin's! This can help you know if you're hearing a
robin or a cardinal when you report your first singing robin
to Journey North. |
|
What
is a song?
Songs
are the bird's most conspicuous vocalizations. They are different from
a bird's other sounds, which are called notes, calls, and chips, depending
on their structure and the volume at which they are delivered. Males
sing their songs as
- warnings — to mark turf and warn other males to keep out of this territory.
- invitations to attract a mate — to invite a female bird to come into this territory.
What
are Notes, Calls, and Chips?
Unlike songs, other notes
seem to serve purposes such as maintaining contact
with
flock
mates, or warning of danger. Humans have calls, too; you might call, "Watch out!" or "I'm hungry! or "I'm
over here."
Try This!
- Learn the robin's song and other calls and notes by visiting our Robin Dictionary!
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