![]() “That’s a ‘jip jip jip’ or a ‘kip kip kip’ or a…‘whit whit whit’ kind of thing that they do” while flying. “These birds are defined by their flight calls,” says Matthew Young, founder and president of the Finch Research Network. Also unique are the birds’ ten or eleven distinct types. This small finch (pictured above) has a unique overlapping beak designed for eating conifer seeds. Here are six birds whose calls you can hear in AMC’s region this winter: North American red crossbill But it can also just be a really nice sort of palate cleanser,” she said. “At this point in time, this connection with nature is super important and tangible, and can help you understand the larger world. Wagner encourages people to listen for birds’ subtler sounds this winter. North American birds’ nonbreeding months, typically late summer through late winter (though they vary by species), offer a reason to get outside and a chance to hone your recording skills. Popular Science notes that budding urban birdwatchers can find different species anywhere, but for a more focused look, they should head to a local wildlife refuge or join groups, whether Audubon chapters or hyperlocal clubs that meet at city parks. “There are birds out there that will find, even in a city situation,” LeBaron says. You can also attract birds to your home with a feeder and a (preferably heated) bird bath. Wagner suggests going to the same place every day to wait for birds, or walking “until you hit a flock.” Watch them sing, and capture “high-quality recording just with your iPhone or your Android phone,” she says. “A road through the woods or woods coming to a field…a house yard, or to marsh,” are good options, LeBaron says. He particularly recommends edge habitats for winter listening. “When you do find a bird or a couple of birds, oftentimes you’ll find a whole lot of birds,” LeBaron explains. In winter, birds gather in more diverse groups, and a chickadee, for example, might alert you to a motley flock. “Mid-morning can actually be one of the better times to go out.” “The coldest time of day is after sunrise, and that’s when the birds are going to be least active,” says Geoff LeBaron, National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count director. Not only do birds’ sounds differ in winter their timing does, too. Nonetheless, “Those aren’t distinct categories as much as we’d like them to be. They are more complex than calls, which at their simplest, comprise one note. Generally, bird songs have a discernable pattern, explains Sarah Wagner, public information specialist at Cornell Lab of Ornithology. While not as mellifluous as their songs, the birds’ winter language is yours for the hearing-and recording. Yet plenty remain flying, foraging, flocking, and communicating with distinct calls. Birds’ spring and summer songs are on hiatus and many have migrated beyond Appalachian Mountain Club’s region. Winter is here, and with it, a certain stillness.
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