Dawn Chorus

It always amazes me that so many local people will get out of bed before the break of day to join our dawn chorus walk each Spring at Sandwell Valley nature reserve.

This popular RSPB event starts at 4.30 am, well before first light and is over in the blink of a bleary eye. Wake up any later and you will miss it.

The dawn chorus is a life-affirming event for birds and humans. It is on my list of things you should experience at least once before you die.

A robin

It is a matter of life and death for the birds who take part; some may have perished in the cold of the night but those that survive are awake, singing and very much alive.

Atmospheric conditions are best for transmitting sound in the early morning when there is little other background hum to interfere with bird song. Even the nearby M5 motorway is relatively quiet at dawn.

The pecking order

There is a strict pecking order in the chorus of birds. Big-eyed blackbirds and robins and are first to kick off - joined soon after by thrushes; tentative song at first, growing stronger and more vibrant by the minute.

Others gradually join the throng in turn. Great tits sing their persistent two-note motif like a massed rank of squeaky wheel barrows, shivering wrens trill louder than their size should allow, flamboyant chaffinches strike up and wood pigeons play their five-note song with owl-like hoots.

Warblers are more laid back, they lie in for a while and when they can no longer sleep through the swelling tidal wave of sound, they join in too.

One of the finest songsters.

This is no easy time to learn individual bird songs, better to stand back and let the sounds wash over you. Enjoy the ensemble piece rather than the soloists.

You may wonder why birds do this synchronised singing every morning for several weeks. We don't fully understand the reasons but it is probably not just for fun.

There are several theories: one idea is that the birds are re-stating claim to their territory and shouting "listen! I'm alive, I'm still here". Another is that male birds are staking claim to their female partners at a time when they are most fertile immediately after laying their eggs.

Set your alarm

Usually most of us only hear the dawn chorus by accident when our slumber is disturbed by the combination of unwelcome noise and sunlight or perhaps when returning from a late-night party that has drifted into the early hours.

Instead, you could set the alarm and deliberately witness this amazing sonic delight. It's a free gig and you won't be disappointed with the performers.

Grab a coffee, wrap up warm and step outside for a while. You can always enjoy an extra early breakfast fry-up then go back to bed for a few hours afterwards!

Lee Copplestone, Site Manager, RSPB Sandwell Valley.

Hear the Dawn Chorus

Lee's RSPB colleague Nick Martin recorded the dawn chorus in the West Midlands in mid-April. You can hear the outcome below.

Dawn Chorus events

If you do want to find out more about what birds you're listening to, why not join a dawn chorus walk? Lisa Cowley, also from the RSPB, has compiled a list of her Top 10 places to hear the Dawn Chorus and gives details of some Dawn Chorus events taking place.