Yes! Finally, tomorrow, Sunday the 7th of May of 2023, it is my favorite day as a bird lover and vocalist: it is Dawn Chorus day !

What is Dawn Chorus Day?

Dawn Chorus Day is an annual event that celebrates the beauty and importance of birdsong. It takes place on the first Sunday of May each year, and encourages people to rise early and listen to the birds singing at dawn.

Of course, this beautiful dawn bird chorus can be listened to every day in the early hours of the morning. But it is most prominent during the breeding season when birds are more vocal, so set your alarm clock at 5 like I do and get out of your lazy bed!

Dawn Chorus Day was first established in the United Kingdom in the 1980s by the Wildlife Trusts, and has since become an international event. It is celebrated around the world, with events including early morning walks, birdwatching tours, and concerts featuring recordings of birdsong.

Me with my rescue parrot Lorita. He was found very lonely and in bad condition. I had him for more than 20 years and he was the sweetest bird! 

My Special Love For Birds

I have been a bird lover for my whole life. When I was very young, I went hiking with my parents in the forests, looking out for beautiful song birds at day and tawny owls at night. I had a rescue parrot, and spotted many beautiful birds all over the world, but my favourite bird is still the Blackbird. I just love the proud, musical and melancholic songs that this beautiful bird makes every night in the top of our trees. Of course, my garden is not paved, but has many bushes to hide, trees to sing in, and grass to eat worms out, especially after the summer rain! Listen to the lovely song “Blackbird” by the Beatles here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xpn_lGaTOEo

Last year, we had my very own Tawny owl nest here! And I am a big fan of Robert E Fuller, who rescues, creates habitats for, films and paints beautiful barn owls, tawny owls, Kestrels and garden birds like Blackbirds, tits, and other wildlife. Check out his channel on Youtube, there are a lot of live cams as well: 

One of our tawny owls roosting at day time. He would not fly away when we would approach!

 The Healing Sound of Birds

Research has shown that listening to birdsong can have a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing, with studies suggesting that it can reduce stress, improve mood, and increase feelings of happiness and relaxation.

Dawn Chorus Day is a celebration of the beauty and importance of birdsong, and I encourage you to appreciate and protect the natural world around you. Birds and other animals play a vital role in our ecosystem, let us therefor enjoy, protect and preserve them for our own children. Teach them about birds and the beautiful and intricate expression of vocalization that can be heard throughout the world. There is something magical about hearing the sweet melodies of birds chirping early in the morning, especially during the summer months.

The Link Between Bird and Human Songs

Firstly, why do birds sing?

Birds sing for various reasons, including mating, warning others of danger, or to establish and defend territories. It is believed to have evolved as a way of attracting mates and warding off competitors. But some studies also show that birds sing out of contentment and happiness, not necessarily for others. Many species of birds have distinct and complex songs, which have evolved over time to help them communicate effectively with each other. Some birds can even mimic other sounds, including those of other bird species and even human voices.

Birdsongs are quite similar to human singing in many ways. Just like in human singing, birds use a range of techniques such as pitch, tone, and rhythm to create their songs. Additionally, just as a human’s voice box or larynx is responsible for producing sounds, birds have a similar organ known as the syrinx.

The syrinx is located where the bird’s throat meets its chest. When a bird wants to sing, it pushes air from its lungs into the syrinx. Inside the syrinx, there are different muscles and membranes that vibrate when the air passes through them. These vibrations create sound waves, just like when we speak or sing.

But what makes bird songs so beautiful and varied is that birds have different structures in their syrinxes, which allow them to make different sounds. They can control the pitch, volume, and even the quality of the sound they produce. The resonating cavity is especially well structured, because it mainly comsists of the beak of the bird, which is a hard tissue. This makes the sound resonate even more than our own resonance box, which is much softer. This way, you can hear a blackbird sing from far away!

I recently bought a Dutch book on bird song, and it is really nice and informative. You can buy it in your local bookshop or online, a great gift for someone who is as interested as I am in birds and their songs!  

Feathered Pavarottis

The famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti is said to have exercised his voice every day of his life. He hardly missed a day, because, then “he would lose his power”. The same goes for every vocalist and bird!

If songbirds want to avoid singing out of tune, they need to practice their scales every day. And it is not entirely unimportant to keep the tone, because flawless vocal performances also ensure that they can impress a possible partner.According to a study published in this scientific journal. When birds stop their singing exercises, the muscle fibers in their vocal cords change, causing the singing quality to decrease.

So, be an early bird tomorrow and get out into nature to listen to the beautiful songs of those feathered Pavarottis and

have a lovely Dawn Chorus Day!