MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • May 12, 2024
One of the surest signs of spring and the breeding season for birds is the return of the morning cacophony. Birds make all sorts of sounds for different purposes. We define a song as a noise used to proclaim territory or attract a mate. These are the longer and more complex vocalizations we think of as a “song,” but these can also be short and abrupt in some species. Almost all of the other noises birds make are considered “calls.” Increasing noise pollution, especially from combustion engines large (airplanes) and small (leaf blowers), has caused birds to need to sing louder to maintain their same levels of productivity. ~ Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox