Bird calling is the practice of mimicking avian vocalizations using the human voice, hands, or simple materials. This mimicry serves as a method for identifying hidden birds and an engaging personal challenge. Learning these techniques offers a direct way to connect with the natural world. The methods range from sharp, focused sounds produced solely by the mouth to deep, resonant hoots amplified by the hands.
Fundamental Vocal Techniques
The most accessible bird sounds are created solely by manipulating the mouth, tongue, and throat. One effective method for attracting small songbirds is a sharp, repeated sound known as “pishing.” To execute a pish, quickly force air through pursed lips and teeth, making a sputtering “psshh-psshh-psshh” sound. This mimics the alarm or scolding calls of species like chickadees, triggering a “mobbing” response where curious birds approach to investigate the source.
Basic lip whistling is another foundational technique, where pitch is highly sensitive to tongue position. Pushing the tongue forward constricts the air passage, resulting in higher, sharper notes, while drawing it back creates a lower pitch. Varying the speed of this movement can produce the smooth, rising and falling whistles characteristic of songbirds like the Northern Cardinal. For a more complex texture, a rapid, rolling motion of the tongue against the roof of the mouth combined with a whistle can mimic the cooing quality of a dove or pigeon.
Using Natural Materials for Sound
Found organic materials can be transformed into simple reed instruments to amplify and alter the sound produced by human breath. The most common technique involves stretching a thin blade of grass or a pliable leaf between the thumbs. Place the hands palms inward with the thumbs pressed together to create a narrow gap.
The grass must be pulled taut across this gap, acting as a vibrating reed when air is blown forcefully over its edge. This setup creates a loud, reedy, squawking sound often used to imitate the calls of waterfowl, such as a duck. Pitch adjustments are achieved by selecting a grass blade of a different width, as wider blades tend to produce a lower tone, or by altering the material’s tension.
Applying Techniques to Specific Bird Families
Mimicking the deep, resonant calls of large raptors and owls requires combining vocal strength with mechanical amplification. The hoot of a Barred Owl, famously translated as “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?”, is one of the easiest to learn using the natural voice. Use deep, diaphragmatic breathing, engaging the stomach muscles to push air out for the necessary volume and sustained tone.
To achieve the deep, mellow tone of an owl call, cup both hands tightly together, forming an airtight chamber with a small opening between the thumbs. Directing the airflow across this opening allows the hands to function as a resonant chamber, deepening the vocalized hoot. The lips should be slightly pursed over the knuckles, and the sound must originate from the throat to create a low, rumbling foundation.
Responsible Calling and Improvement
The practice of bird calling carries an ethical responsibility to minimize disturbance to the birds being mimicked. Since calls, especially alarm or territorial sounds, can increase a bird’s stress hormones and distract them from foraging or tending to nests, use should be limited to brief attempts. Avoid calling during the nesting season to prevent leaving nests vulnerable to predators or causing a parent bird to abandon its young.
Improvement in mimicry depends on dedicated auditory practice and refinement of rhythm. Begin by focusing on a single local species, using recordings or field observation to internalize the precise cadence and sequence of the call. Recording personal attempts and comparing them directly against the natural sound helps identify discrepancies in tone or timing. Practicing pitch slides by smoothly moving from a low to a high whistle trains the subtle muscle control needed to capture the melodic complexity of avian communication.