I love hearing songbirds sing their little hearts out. If you listen closely, sometimes you can hear a response call from their mate as they communicate via their songs over a distance.
I’ve even come to appreciate the common, maligned, even vilified Mockingbird. Yes, they can be aggressive and territorial—my dog and I have been dive-bombed a few times while out for a walk in our neighborhood—but if you listen carefully, you will hear they have an amazing repertoire of songs and tunes they sing… And they want everyone to hear them!
You likely see them in public all the time, perhaps on the roof of your local grocery or hardware store. They don’t seem to be picky about their audience… you can seemingly always find your local Mockingbird singing at the top of their lungs for all to hear, like they are on stage at Open Mic night at your local karaoke bar!
Trust me, you will think of this article the next time you hear one crooning for you. Stop, look, and listen! And hopefully you will appreciate their free show just a little more.
The gifted melodious Mockingbirds have inspired me to learn more about bird songs and calls.
There are some highly gifted bird song masters amongst us who have cultivated an amazing ability to identify bird species via their songs and calls. Some can even piece together real time interactions occurring between mates, siblings, and other species, via their “call and response”. They are even able to pick up on warnings and alerts.
Imagine being able to walk through the forest and not only hear the birds sing, but also be able to visualize them, even as the inhabitants go unseen in the foliage above! I aspire to this mastery level and hope to join their ranks someday.
I hear them now. In sharing my journey with you, it is my hope that you come to hear them and appreciate them as I do.