If you pay attention to your local birds for any length of time (or with any amount of interest), you’ll soon find that some species have distinctive calls. All it takes is for you to clearly see one singing its characteristic call, and then you should be able to instantly say “Oh, there’s a blue-crowned dinglebird in the area” the next time you hear it.

Seems that some of the more easily identifiable birds are among the more common in near-urban and suburban environments. The “caw” of the crow, the screech of the blue jay, the however-it-goes of the cardinal, the sort-of-mewling of the catbird…. With a bit more experience, one can readily pick out robins, chickadees, and (in the right environment) red-winged blackbirds. Some, like house sparrows and mourning doves, are generally nothing special – but so common that they become a default soundscape.

I bring this up now because this summer, it seems my neighborhood has been invaded by song sparrows. Their call has become ubiquitous, even though I can’t ever seem to spot one. They are quite loud for such a small bird, too. Unless they have an ability to pick out a stage where the acoustics serve to amplify their song. I have no idea how they do it. The volume suggests they’re right outside my window, but other aural characteristics tend to put them many dozens of yards away.

One of these days I’ll catch one at it. Maybe I’ll ask them about it.

This, but LOUDER:

Yeah, it’s been a slow summer and I’m just padding things here. What are you complaining about? You’re getting this for free…..