Early birds will catch the dawn chorus...

Apr 29 2008 by Wendy Johnson, Western Mail

IF you sleep with the bedroom windows open, you’ll already be well aware that the dawn chorus is in full swing. By the time the sun rises each morning – currently just before 6am – little feathered alarm clocks in gardens and parks all around the UK have already begun singing.

In the dim light just before sunrise it is too dark to search effectively for food, so many birds use their energy to sing instead. The air is often calm and still at this time, which means bird song carries further and doesn’t have to compete with the hustle and bustle of traffic.

Some birds – song thrushes and nightingales – have hundreds of songs in their repertoire. Others – like redwings – have just one. But, no matter how elaborate or varied the song, the two main reasons for singing are always the same.

Firstly, it is one of the key ways that male songbirds attract a mate. The louder and longer they sing, the more likely they are to find a partner. Secondly, males sing to establish their territory and warn other males, who are potentially looking for a partner, to stay away from their patch.

Some of the first birds to start singing in the mornings are robins, blackbirds, skylarks and song thrushes. Wrens and warblers often join in a little later on. If you are new to identifying birds by their song and want to give it a go, then it is a good idea to start extra early – about half an hour before sunrise. Starting early means hearing each individual bird as they begin singing, before the chorus builds into a confusing crescendo.

May is the very best month to hear the dawn chorus in full glorious swing. Indeed, Sunday, May 4 is International Dawn Chorus Day and there are guided walks and events all across the country to celebrate it.

In South Wales, the Countryside Council for Wales is leading a guided walk around the Newport Wetlands nature reserve from 5.15am. Visitors can stop into the RSPB’s coffee shop afterwards.

Meanwhile in North Wales, RSPB Conwy is holding a dawn chorus walk around the reserve from 6am on Bank Holiday Monday (May 5). Visit www.rspb.org.uk/events for more details of how to book.

Wendy Johnson works for RSPB Cymru