Monday, June 08, 2015

PMFA Reader Question: What Type Of Birds Can Be Heard Singing Around The Neighborhood At Night

oo
I was contacted by a reader this morning, inquiring if anyone else has been hearing birds singing in the middle of the night.
She writes: "I am wondering if any of your readers are hearing birds chirping after midnight most nights and lasting for about 4 - 5 hrs in the wee hours of the morning?
I have noticed this phenomenon for the past two months or so. This is new to the neighborhood.
What type of birds (as they sing together and with call and response type action) do this? and if anyone else hears them?
"

The reader heard the chirping on the block framed by Court/Union/Smith/Sackett Streets.
Do we have any ornithologists out there who can answer the question?



7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm not an ornithologist, but these are mockingbirds, usually the boy birds looking for a mate. It can be annoying, but it's only temporary, so try to enjoy the nocturnal concerts while they last!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for clearing that up. This has been driving my wife and I crazy, in many respects, for weeks!!

Anonymous said...

You're welcome. Later in the season, you'll see plenty of baby mocks learning to fly. I've seen them here on President St in the past few years. They're really sweet. In the meantime, earplugs might help a bit!

Anonymous said...

This is no new phenomenon. We are approaching the solstice. The time it reads on your clock just happens to be earlier. So that when dawn arrives is it prior to 5:20 AM before sunrise. Once we hit the solstice on June 21, it will start becoming darker later with each day, until it becomes 2 hours later in December. The birds are active at dawn regardless of what time it reads on the clock.

Anonymous said...

No, we're talking about the mockingbirds' singing beginning around midnight and for several hours thereafter, not at dawn. This is a different phenomenon altogether and has nothing to do with the solstice/ daylight saving time.

Anonymous said...

Just moved to SI from Northern California. Couldn't believe hearing the birds at night. Normally, you would expect the ground to shake if you heard birds at night. Neighbors go nuts hearing them and one guy came out and shook the tree in front of his house at 3am. Glad to hear it will dissipate with the Solstice, although I hate it getting darker earlier.

Anonymous said...

I hear them. Also pre dawn like now. 445am. I love it.