Identify the Twittering in Your Area With This Birdsong Quiz
Do you see more birds outside the window than before? No matter where you live, there is probably some fun stuff hanging out all over the place. If you want to test your knowledge or just open your ears to the world around you, try this simple quiz .
The web page will ask you where you are (or where you want to take the survey) and then play you three sound clips of birds that are common where you are, according to birdwatching data site eBird . (I had to put on noise canceling headphones to play because I also heard real chirps from outside the window.)
You have to guess until you get the correct score for each bird, so the top score is 3 correct and 0 incorrect. I’ve done this a few times, but I’ve also failed a few projectiles.
I have always enjoyed watching birds, but it was only when I started paying attention to their calls that I realized how many birds I can hear, but not see. For example, the song sparrow was almost invisible to me. They are small and brown and can easily be mistaken for a female house sparrow or house finch. But when I looked up their songs a year or two ago – yes, there are song sparrows on this quiz too – I realized I heard them all the time, damn it . They sing a beautiful melody that cannot be missed, except that I did.
So try this game. And if that piques your curiosity, you can find birdcries on Cornell’s All About Birds website, or learn their style using flashcards using an app like Chirp (iOS).