Symphony of song worth getting up for

THE dawn chorus is starting to get into full swing, with an international day dedicated to celebrating this avian seasonal singalong on Sunday (see above).

Yesterday morning I was awake early enough to catch the sound of early birds singing their hearts out. And in the stillness at dawn the overlapping songs created a kind of surround-sound symphony which was certainly impressive. However, getting up and about at 5am does not come naturally to me, so this was heard through the window.

Of course birds keep on singing, off and on, throughout the day and there is even a bit of a dusk chorus. So, if you like your sleep there is no need to rise at daybreak.

However, the dawn chorus has a special magic all of its own, and it is definitely worth getting up for at least once a year. It doesn’t have to be this Sunday – a day generally associated with lie-ins. Any early morning over the weeks to come will be good, especially if it is calm weather.

It is almost universally the males which sing at this time of year. Not just to attract a mate, though during spring love is in the air, but also to proclaim their rights to a territory. For those with females on the nest, it must also act as a reassurance – letting her know he is close at hand guarding their patch and willing to raise the alarm should a predator be spotted. Young songbirds can also pick up the finer points of song mastery from their vocal parent, so putting plenty of gusto into your renditions near the nest helps pass on inspiring ditties through the generations.

And some species are finer singers than others. Top of the pile must be the virtuoso nightingale (which we sadly don’t get in the Westcountry); the song thrush (which repeats its phrases for maximum impact) and the blackbird (which has a kind of tremulous and mournful quality to some of its renditions).

The robin is a dawn chorus champion, being one of the first to start singing. Its sweet and melodic snatches of song are broken up with pauses, presumably during which this highly territorial little bird can listen out for neighbouring rivals.

The wren emits burst of song, disproportionately loud for a species of its size, which always contains a short trill, a bit like a mini-drill.

The easiest way to get to grips with birdsong is to listen to CDs or online, or actually match singer and song outside – though at dawn the light can be poor and the singers may be hidden in cover or within woods.

Some birds don’t bother getting up at dawn, instead becoming active when the sun is up. But if you want to catch our best singers giving it their all, then set your alarm for dawn.