BIRD STATION

Behind you, across the trail, there’s a bench. Try sitting quietly, with the pond and the trail in front of you, and woods behind you. Take a deep breath and smell the air. Close your eyes and listen to your surroundings for a minute or two.

What do you hear?

Wind in the trees? Birds? Frogs? Footsteps? People’s voices? Nuts falling? Squirrels rustling? Splashing water? Ice cracking? Snow plopping off branches? Are any sounds coming closer, or moving away?

What birds might you hear year-round?

The Black-capped Chickadee is Massachusetts’ state bird. You might hear this little black-and-white bird alone. Chickadees search branches for insects and insect eggs, caterpillars, and cocoons. They also like seeds and berries.

Chickadees communicate with one another with the “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” calls that give them their name. Count the “dees” in their calls if you can. Chickadees use a lot of “dees” if they spot danger. Do you think they see you as danger? Humans are too big and slow to be much danger, so we get only a few “dees”. What really alarms these birds are small predators that can move quickly in the woods, such as cats, screech owls, sharp-shinned hawks, or weasels.

Chickadees also sing a very different song in the breeding season, from late winter into summer. They whistle a song of 2 or 3 notes, known as the “fee-bee” or “hey-sweetie” song because of the way it sounds to people.

What other year-round birds might you hear?

Blue jays, often in flocks, are common in the woods, making a racket with their “jay jay jay” calls. These medium-sized blue-and-white birds make an even bigger racket when they notice a predator, such as a large hawk or owl. In the fall, Blue Jays pluck acorns off oak trees and store some of them in holes in the ground. Jays make many other sounds, including some musical sounds. Some Blue Jays even imitate a hawk’s cry.

If there’s a Tufted Titmouse nearby, you might hear this little gray bird with a crest repeating a quick song that sounds like “Peter-Peter-Peter”. This whistled song has several variations. You might even hear two Tufted Titmice singing back and forth from different parts of the woods. Neighboring male titmice do this near the edges of their territories.

What other bird sounds might you notice?

The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker with black and white stripes on its back, red on its head, and a pinkish belly. Moving through the forest, it drums with its beak on tree trunks and large branches, especially hollow ones. It also taps slowly as it searches for insects. Listen also for its loud “kwirr” call. If you hear it, follow the sound of the call as the bird travels. You might also hear its “chi” or “cha” call. Red-bellied Woodpeckers arrived in Massachusetts only about 50 years ago, in the 1970s, from the southeastern United States.

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ADDITIONAL INFO

Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
State bird speaks
The season for baby birds

Blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
Blue Jays harvest acorns

Red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
Red-bellied woodpeckers are thriving

Tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
How birds stay warm on a cold winter’s day