Head to your local canal for International Dawn Chorus Day - our featured charity, Canal & River Trust explains why
The third article from our featured charity, The Canal & River Trust details how your local canal can be one of the best places to listen to the dawn chorus on International Dawn Chorus Day this Sunday (5 May)
Listen closely and you’ll hear the song thrush singing out its repetitive calls. The robin has a nice sweet song which sounds quite different. Soon after birds such as wrens, dunnocks and even woodpigeons start their various calls. By now the sun is rising fast and more and more birds will be singing. Across 2,000 miles of our canals and rivers, ducks will start quacking on water, warblers such as chiffchaffs or blackcaps will start their warbled song and swifts will start screaming in the sky. The more diverse the habitat is, the greater diversity of bird song you can enjoy.
But what is the dawn chorus all about? Well, two reasons usually. The first is to tell other birds to stay away. The second reason is to attract or communicate with a mate. Not all birds find partners straight away and some birds nest later in the spring than others.
Find out more about what you’ll hear by the water
(Canal & River Trust)
Listen closely and you’ll hear the song thrush singing out its repetitive calls. The robin has a nice sweet song which sounds quite different. Soon after birds such as wrens, dunnocks and even woodpigeons start their various calls. By now the sun is rising fast and more and more birds will be singing. Across 2,000 miles of our canals and rivers, ducks will start quacking on water, warblers such as chiffchaffs or blackcaps will start their warbled song and swifts will start screaming in the sky. The more diverse the habitat is, the greater diversity of bird song you can enjoy.
But what is the dawn chorus all about? Well, two reasons usually. The first is to tell other birds to stay away. The second reason is to attract or communicate with a mate. Not all birds find partners straight away and some birds nest later in the spring than others.
Find out more about what you’ll hear by the water