Birds in the News
Here's the text of a nice little article that appeared in the NY Times today about why birds sing:
What's That Singing All About?
Monday, July 24, 2006; Page C14
The best time to hear birds singing is early on a spring or summer morning. Here are some reasons why wild birds sing:
It's Mine:
A male songbird sings to tell other males that he "owns" a particular area, so they should stay away.
Who's That?: Songbirds all sound different, even if they're the same kind of bird. Birds recognize their friendly neighbor's songs and chase away strangers.
Be My Mate: To a female songbird, a complicated song by a male sounds attractive and shows that he is strong and healthy.
Start Those Eggs: When a female bird hears her mate singing, her body begins making eggs. Often she will start building a nest, too. And when the male sees that, he sings all the more.
Although bird songs will become less and less common as the summer goes on, it's never too early to think about next spring...
