Song Song Memory Phrases* (below, 200 species):
(* = Mnemonic Devices To Aid Recall of Birds’ Identities, with the word
mnemonic relating to “assisting long-term memory recall )
by Daniel Edelstein
Birding Guide, Avian Biologist, & Certified Wildlife Biologist Asc.
Novato, CA 94949 (SF Bay Area)
415-382-1827
Bird Species:
Acadian Flycatcher
peet-seet or peet-suh or peet (i.e., pizza!)
Alder Flycatcher
fee-bee-oh
American Avocet
wheek or kleet (repeated in flight)
American Bittern
gulp-a-pump;
woonk-a-chunk
American Black Duck
quack quack quack (lower than a Mallard)
American Black Oystercatcher
wheep-wheep-wheep (rapid; clipped)
American Coot
ka-ha; ka-ha kuh-uk!; kuh-uk! (loud; clear)
American Crow
caw-caw-caw-caw-koodle-yah; koodle-yah (trilly voice)
American Golden Plover
looo-eee! poo-too-eee!; poo-too-eee!
American Goldfinch
pa-chip-chip-chip per-chick-a-ree
po-ta-to-chip (and dip {in flight})
American Kestrel
klee; klee; klee; or….killy-killy-killy
American Pipit
chwee; chwee; chwee (thin) pipit-pipit
American Redstart
tzee-tzee-tzee-tzeeeo
American Robin
cheer-up; cheer-a-lee; cheer-ee-o; whinny
American Wigeon
squeaky; nasal whistle
American Woodcock
peeent, peeent, peeent (nasal; on ground); whistling
vibration (structural body sound) during ascension while
performing spring “sky dance”; chirping sound while descending
during “sky dance”
Anna’s Hummingbird
chee-ik-ee-ik-ee-ik (grating; squeaky learned song)
Ash-throated Flycatcher
ka-brick ka-wheer prrrrrt (buzzy)
Bachman’s Sparrow
highly variable – clear; liquid; whistled phrases
Bachman’s Sparrow
seeeee; slip-slip-slip-slip-slip
Baltimore Oriole
flute-like; disjointed series of brief notes
here; here; come right here; dear
Barn Owl
screeeeeee (hissing – long)
Barn Swallow
twittering (rapid)
tit-tit-tit-tit (rapid staccato)
Barred Owl
who-cooks-for-you; who-cooks-for-you-all
Bay-breasted Warbler
tee-zee-tee-zee-tee-zee-tee (very rapid; hp)
Belted Kingfisher
stuttering; non-musical; dry rattle in-flight
Bewick’s Wren
like Song Sparrow; but thinner; more rapid
Black & White Warbler
wee-zee; wee-zee; wee-zee (like a squeaky, revolving wheel)
Black Rail
kicky-chew; kiki-krrr; pee-pee-toe
Black Skimmer
kaup; kaup; kaup (clear-noted)
Black-bellied Plover
pee-a-wee!; whee-er-wee!
Black-billed Cuckoo
ku-ku-ku
Black-billed Magpie
maaagh?!
wenk-wenk or wenk-wenk-wenk
Blackburnian Warbler
see-say; teetsa-teetsa-teetsa- zee-zee-zee
Black-capped Chickadee
hey-sweetie (song); chick-a-dee-dee-dee (call: rapid;
higher-pitched than Carolina)
Black-chinned Hummingbird
tchew (soft; flat)
Black-crowned Night Heron
quawlk
Black-headed Grosbeak
ik (sharply) robin-like; but more musical;
call: spik
Black-legged Kittiwake
kitty-waaak
Black-necked Stilt
kyip; kyip; kyip
Blackpoll Warbler
chipping trill
Black-throated Blue Warbler
beer-beer-beer-beeee! (raspy)
zur-zur-zur-zree!
please; please; please squeeeeze
I am so laz-eeeeee
Black-throated Gray Warbler
zeedle-zeedle-zee-zeet-cha
Black-throated Green Warbler
trees-trees-murmuring-trees
zee-zee-zee-zee-zoo-zee (typical daytime song);
zee-zee-zee-zoo (atypical, aggressive dawn/dusk song)
Black-whiskered Vireo
Tim Kelly or Whip Tim Kelly
Blue Grosbeak
chink; house finch-like; but lower
Blue Jay
fee-der-de-lurp
jay-jay-jay
queedle-queedle-queedle-
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
zpeee (very high pitched; a bit raspy)
Blue-winged Warbler
beee-buzzz; blue winged! (second syllable buzzy)
Bobolink
plink, plink, plunk, plink (like an broken banjo strings playing)
Bobwhite
toot-sweet! (two notes: first lower than the next);
bob-white!
Bonaparte’s Gull
chrrr-chrrr-chrrr (rapid; buzzy)
Boreal Chickadee
chick-che-day-day
Boreal Owl
hooo-too-too-too-too…
Brewer’s Blackbird
ksh-eee (creaky)
Brewer’s Sparrow
seeeep (thin)
Bristle-thighed Curlew
cheew-iew-iew-it
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
chittering; thin, mixed with wing-hum
Broad-winged Hawk
peet-seeeeep (no pitch variation; a straight whistle)
Brown Creeper
trill (hp; rapid) always as individuals
Brown Thrasher
varied mockingbird-like phrases (repeated once or twice before
bird moves to next series of repeat phrases); sounds like
drop-it; drop-it; cover-it-up;
cover-it-up; pull-it-up; pull-it-up
Brown-headed Cowbird
bubble-bubble-zeeee!; also has a fast trill
Brown-headed Nuthatch
kit-kit-kit-..or ki-dit; ki-dit (rapid)
Bufflehead (Fe)
quack quack quack
Bullock’s Oriole
varied; rich whistles and mixed gutturals
chuck chuck chuck-it-too-ee zhew zhew
Bushtit
lisp (multiple; very hp)
tsit (multiple; very hp)
California Quail
kurr
chi-ca-go; chi-ca-go
qua-quer-go; qua-quer-go
Canada Goose
honk; honk; honk
Canada Warbler
chip-chupitty-swee-ditchety
Canyon Wren
tewee; tewee; tewee (slowing)
tsheee (raspy; metallic)
Cape May Warbler
seet-seet-seet-seet (thin; hp)
Carolina Chickadee
car-o-li-na (four notes compose song) or
fee-bee-fee-bay (song)
chk-a-dee-dee-dee (call)
see-dee-dee-dee (alternative call)
Carolina Wren
brrrrrrr (a brief; downslurred; rapid trill like thumbing comb tines)
chooble-dee (varied triplet phrases)
tea-kettle; tea-kettle; tea-kettle
Caspian Tern
raaaah (raspy; hoarse)
Cassin’s Finch
chitty-up or chill-ee-up
Cedar Waxwing
has no true song, but displays two
different calls: trill (hp; rapid) always in flocks;
or zeee-zeee-zeee (hp trilled)
Cerulean Warbler
chyoo-chyoo-chyoo-tseee (last syllable burry)
trill (ending with buzzy-) beeee
Chestnut-sided Warbler
pleased-pleased-pleased-pleased-ta-meetcha;
see-see-see-Miss-Beech’er
Chimney Swift
chit-chit-chit-chit (rapid staccato)
twittering (rapid)
Chipping Sparrow
chipping trill (mechanical; faster than Swamp Sparrow and
Dark-Eyed Junco)
Chuck Will’s Widow
chuck-will’s-widow
Clapper Rail
tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-.
Clark’s Grebe
kreeet (burry)
kriiik (burry)
Clark’s Nutcracker
kraa-a-a-a (long; drawn-out);
or kra-kra-kra-kra
Common Eider
ow-oo-urr
whoo-ooh; whoo-ooh
Common Goldeneye
pee-ik (raspy); when flies wings make structural
whistling sound
Common Loon
cooo-leee; cooo-leee (slow; plaintive)
whinny
Common Merganser
ah; ah; ah; ah (low; even croaking in flight)
Common Moorhen
kip-kip-kip-
Common Nighthawk
beeer
pee-eet (nasal)
Common Poorwill
poor-will; poor-will; poor-will
Common Raven
cruck (harsh; raspy and more guttural than Common Crow’s call);
tawk (metallic)
Common Ringed Plover
poo-eep (in-flight)
Common Screech Owl
woooooooo (warbled)
Common Snipe
skaip
wicka-wicka-wicka-
Common Tern
kee-arr (trilly)
Common Yellowthroat
witchety-witchety-witchety (slow) (Western race);
call sounds like tchep (flat and raspy and scolding)
Connecticut Warbler
chee-pa-chuh; chee-pa-chuh;
chee-pa-chuh; chee chik-a-too-ee; chik-a-too-ee
Cordilleran Flycatcher
pseet; tri-i-i-ip; seet (thin; squeaky)
Dark-eyed Junco
dit (repeated occasionally)
smack (repeated occasionally)
chipping trill (musical; tinkling)
Dickcissel
dick-dick-cissel
Downy Woodpecker
pik (sharply; softer than Hairy’s); whinny
Eastern Bluebird
pew or mew (sharply)
chatter (harsh; brief)
Eastern Kingbird
t-t-tseeep (electrical sputtering)
Eastern Meadowlark
but-I-DO-love-you;
spring-of-the-year
Eastern Phoebe
fee-beee (last syllable raspy)
Eastern Towhee
too-wheee! drink-your-teeeee!
hot dog; pickle-ickle-ickle
Eastern Wood Pewee
pee-a-weee (morning) and pee-yer or pee-oh
(alternative song often heard mid-day)
Evening Grosbeak
chirp or chiirrrp (burry)
Field Sparrow
twee-twee-twee, tea-tea-tea-tea-tea (like a dropped
pong ball)
Fish Crow
eh-eh; eh-eh (two-noted phrases)
Forster’s Tern
keeeeeeeeer
zaaaah (raspy; nasal)
Gadwall (Ma)
bek (buzzy)
(Fe quacks like mallard)
Golden-crowned Kinglet
see-see-see
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Oh; dear me!; three blind mice
Golden-winged Warbler
beeee(buzzy trill)-bz-bz-bz
Grasshopper Sparrow
pee-trip-treee (last syllable a raspy trill)
Gray Catbird
meeeee-ew or maaaaaanh (nasal)
varied mocker-like phrases (seldom repeated)
Gray-cheeked Thrush
whee-wheeo-titi-whee (thin; nasal)
Great-crested Flycatcher
wheep…..or…..whit (4X)
Great Blue Heron
squawking or croaking (very raucous)
Great Gray Owl
whoo-whoo-whoooo
Great Horned Owl
hoot-a-hoot; hoo-hoo;
(i.e., who’s awake? me too)
Great Kiskadee
Qu’est-ce qu’il dit? Qu’est-ce qu’il dit?
(“What’s he saying?”)
Great-crested Flycatcher
prrreeeet (burry); wheeep
Greater Yellowlegs
dear; dear; dear (sharply)
klee-klee-klee
tu-tu-tu (whistled, 3 or more notes vs.
2 notes of Lesser Yellowlegs)
Green Heron
skelp skelp skelp
Green-tailed Towhee
weet-churrr-chee-churrr (mixed sweet and burry notes)
Gull-billed Tern
kay-week and za-za-za
Hairy Woodpecker
peek (flat & harsher than Downy’s); whinny
Hammond’s Flycatcher
chip-chewy or chip-chewy-chew (hp and a bit burry)
Heerman’s Gull
kowok
Henslow’s Sparrow
tsip-a-tik (non-musical; repeated occasionally)
Hermit Thrush
veer-veer-veer-veer;
Why don’tcha come to me?;
Here I am right near you
Hooded Warbler
a-weeta-weeta-weet-tee-o
Horned Lark
pit-sit; tee-seep
House Finch
zreee! (included in varied,
warbling, “messy,” haphazard song)
House Sparrow
chiddik; chiddik (dry; rackety, complaining; non-musical)
House Wren
stuttering; gurgling; musical; repetitive
Inca Dove
no hope
Indigo Bunting
varied, raspy, strident phrases (in couplets)
fire; fire; where? where? here; here; see it? see it?
Kentucky Warbler
p’chee; p’chee; p’chee
Kildeer
kill-deeeeer or kee-dee; kee-dee; kee-dee
King Rail
hip-hip-hurrah (dry; rattly)
Lark Sparrow
tsip (sharp)
Laughing Gull
haa-haa-haa-haa (loud; laugh-like)
laughter (raucous; clear-noted)
Lazuli Bunting
zzzzzzd (buzzy)
Least Bittern
wuff; wuff; wuff; wuff; wuff
ku-ku-ku (lower and throatier than B-B Cuckoo)
Least Flycatcher
che-bek
Least Sandpiper
kreeet (thin; somewhat burry)
Least Tern
zreeeeek
Lesser Goldfinch
tee-yee! or tee-yer
Lesser Yellowlegs
quu-quu (whistled – in pairs)
tyooo-tyoo
yoo-yoo; yoo-yoo-yoo
Limpkin
kraaaaaah (loud; piercing; usually repeated)
Long-billed Curlew
ker-lee
Long-billed Dowitcher
keeeeek (in flight – may be repeated)
Louisiana Waterthrush
tree; tree; tree terwitter-witter wit (more twittering and varied
at end than sound-alike Northern Waterthrush’s ending);
call: chink
MacGillivray’s Warbler
chiddle-chiddle-chiddle-turtle
chip-chewy or chip-chewy-chew (hp; clearer than Hammond’s Flyc.)
tsik (low; sharp)
Magnolia Warbler
weeta-weeta-weetsee
weeta-weeta-wit-chew
(I’m-I’m-I’m-so-sweet
one; two; three; four; six)
Mallard
quack quack quack
Marbled Godwit
god-wit or ker-whit
raddika; raddika; raddika
Marsh Wren
varied; complicated; fast; bubbly and busy
Mountain Chickadee
tsik-a-zee-zee-zee (raspier than Carolina)
Mourning Dove
hooo-ah hoo-hoo-hoo;
chirry-chirry-chirry-choreeo
Mourning Warbler
turdle; turdle; turdle; two-to-you
Nashville Warbler
trill in two parts – 2nd trill is faster and lower in pitch
see-bit-see-bit-see-bit;
see-see-see-see (2-pt.)
Northern Cardinal
cheer-cheer-cheer-purty-purty-purty (siren-like sound)
Northern Flicker
kleeeyer; and
wik-wik-wik-wik (courting)
squeechu-squeechu-squeechu
Northern Mockingbird
varied phrases (three or more repeated before he
moves to next three or more repeated phrases and so on)
Northern Parula Warbler
zzzzipp…..or: trill! (fast rising; ending with)-tsyoo; or–
zeeeeeeeeeeeeeee(buzzy)-chyoo
Northern Pintail (Ma)
prrrip; prrrip (low; stuttery)
Northern Pygmy Owl
too-too-too (clear notes)
Northern Saw-whet Owl
too-too-too (clear notes)
Northern Shoveler (Ma)
chik-chik; chik-chik (Fe quacks like mallard)
Northern Waterthrush
twit-twit-twit; sweet-sweet-sweet;
chew-chew-chew
Oak Titmouse
tsik-a-dee (often has raspy quality)
Oldsquaw
ow-ow-ow-a-la
Olive-sided Flycatcher
pip-pip or pip-pip-pip
(quick; sounds like “three-beers”)
Orange-crowned Warbler
trill (ascending/accelerating; then tumbles at end)
Orchard Oriole
warbling – varied phrases; incl. guttural notes
Osprey
kyew; kyew; kyew; kyew; kyew
Ovenbird
p’cheer – p’cheer – p’cheer
t-cheer; t-cheer; t-cheer
(sounds like “teacher, teacher, teacher”)
Pacific Loon
kwa-wee!
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
see-a-weeeet!
seeet (sharp, slightly ascending in pitch)
Palm Warbler
trill (weak and buzzy)
Pectoral Sandpiper
krick (low-voiced)
Pied-Billed Grebe
gulp; gulp; gulp
kuk-kuk-kow-kow-kow-kowp-kowp
Pileated Woodpecker
kik-kik-kik-kik-kik (rate & pitch rise then fall;
has laughing quality at times and more hysterical
in personality than the sound-alike Northern Flicker)
Pine Siskin
zreeeeeee! (buzzy)
Pine Warbler
chipping trill (often shorter in length than Dark-Eyed Junco,
Chipping Sparrow, and Swamp Sparrow)
Piping Plover
pip-pip-pip
Prairie Warbler
zee-zee-zee-zee (steady rise in pitch)
Prothonotary Warbler
zweet; zweet; zweet (single pitch with no variance)
Purple Finch
warbling – varied phrases; fast; lively; brief; tighter and
more articulate than House Finch’s looser song
Pygmy Nuthatch
pippit; pippit; pippit (soft and high pitched)
Raven
squawking (raucous); low, guttural
Red-bellied Woodpecker
churrr; churrr (throaty; deeply trilled)
Red-breasted Nuthatch
ank-ank-ank (nasal monotone)
Red-eyed Vireo
now you see me, now you don’t, here I am,
there I go, here I am (often incessant and continuous)
Red-headed Woodpecker
squeer; squeer (raspy)
Red-shouldered Hawk
kee-yer; kee-yer; kee-yer.
Red-tailed Hawk
keeeeeeeeer, keeeeeeeer
Red-throated Loon
kwuk
Red-winged Blackbird
Konk-ca-ree….. or…..Come to meee;
chortle-deeeeee (high-pitched and drawn-out last syllable);
tseer, tseer
Ring-necked Pheasant
kok-kok (squawky; raucous; followed by wing-whir)
Rock Wren
ch-reee; ch-reee; ch-reee (a bit trilly-buzzy)
chee-urr; chee-urr; chee-urr (a bit raspy)
tik-eer
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
cheer-up; cheer-a-lee; cheer-ee-o (song);
chink (call)
Royal Tern
keeer (trilled)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
ji-dit; ji-dit; ji-dit (rattly);
too-fritchyoo-fritchyoo-fritchyoo-
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
t-t-t-t-t-t-t (soft; rapid; excited)
Ruffed Grouse
drumming-thumping; accelerates into a whir
(structural body sound, like old Chevy truck
motor turning over , but will not start)
Rufous Hummingbird
zee-chuppity-chuppity (buzzy)
Rusty Blackbird
check
ksh-a-leeee (rusty-squeaky)
Sanderling
plik-plik-plik
Sandhill Crane
garoo-a-a-a (stuttery)
Savannah Sparrow
zit-zit-zit-zeeee-zaaay (burry-raspy)
Say’s Phoebe
pi-weer or pee-eee!
Scaled Quail
Paark! Pe-cos; Pe-cos; Pe-cos
Scarlet Tanager
cheer-up; cheer-a-lee; cheer-ee-o (song is burry; raspy)
chick-burrr (call; syllable rapidly trilled)
Scrub Jay
shaaaaack (drawn-out; grating);
zreeeeek
Seaside Sparrow
chup-chup-tzeeee
Sedge Wren
chip; chip or chip; chip; chrrrrr-rrr
Semipalmated Plover
chureee!
churrrk (burry)
Sharp-tailed Sparrow
tee-shaay (raspy)
Short-billed Dowitcher
tu-tu-tu (in flight – may be repeated)
Solitary Sandpiper
peet-weet-weet or peet
Solitary Vireo
chu-whee; cheer-ee-oh
Come here Jimmy quickly
Song Sparrow
Maids-maids-maids-put-on-your-tea-kettle-ettle-ettle;
Hip; hip; hip hurrah boys; spring is here!
Madge; Madge; Madge pick beetles off; the water’s hot
Sora
ker-wee ker-wee(descending whinny)
Spotted Sandpiper
peet-peet-peet-peet
weet-weet-weet-weet
Spotted Towhee
drink-your-tea-ee-ee-ee-ee
(or simply “drink”)
Sprague’s Pipit
ching-a-ring-a-ring-a-ring-a-ring-a-ring-a (descending)
Starling
wolf-whistle (breathy)
Steller’s Jay
shaaaaack (drawn-out; grating)
shook-shook-shook-shook-shook
Summer Tanager
cheer-up; cheer-a-lee (bouncy – musical)
Summer Tanager
piky-tucky-tuck or pik-a-tuck
Swainson’s Hawk
kreeeeeeeeeerr (drawn-out; shrill; plaintive)
Swainson’s Thrush
rurrip; rurrip whit; whit
Swainson’s Warbler
whee; whee; whee whip-poor-will
Swamp Sparrow
chipping trill (slower; staccato; individual notes can almost
be counted in comparison to faster trill of Chipping Sparrow)
Tennessee Warbler
tika-tika-tika; swee-swee-swee; chay-chay-chay
Tufted Titmouse
cheeva; cheeva; cheeva fer-da; fer-da; fer-da
here; here; here peter-peter-peter-
Tundra Swan
woo-ho and woo-woo
Upland Sandpiper
ch-wut wolf-whistle (long; drawn-out)
Varied Thrush
chyup
Veery
veer-veer-veer-veer- (ethereal; downward spiral; like
pinball machine that goes “tilt”)
Vesper Sparrow
like Song Sparrow; but lower; more guttural
Listen to my evening sing-ing-ing-ing
here-here; where-where; all-together-down-the-hill
Virginia Rail
ki-dik; ki-dik; ki-dik
tic-tic-mcgreer
Warbling Vireo
warbled phrases (complicated)
If I sees you; I will seize you; and I’ll squeeze you till you squirt (to a caterpillar)
brigadier; brigadier; briga-tee
Western Bluebird
few (sofly)
Western Grebe
krik-krik
Western Kingbird
kit
Western Kingbird
whit; whit; whit
Western Meadowlark
hip! hip! hurrah! boys; three cheers!
(flute-like; 7-10 gurgling notes)
Western Screech-Owl
accelerating hollow whistles; constant pitch
Western Tanager
pri-di-dik
Western Towhee
chup-chup-zeeee!
Western Wood Pewee
peeer (burry)
Whimbrel
ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti (clear; 5-7; rapid pace)
whistled notes – clear; 5-7; rapid pace
Whippoorwill
whip-poor-will (repeated) or “purple rib”
White-breasted Nuthatch
anh-anh-anh-anh- (nasally);
tooy-tooy-tooy-tooy;
wee-wee-wee-wee-who-who-who-who-
White-crowned Sparrow
more; more; more cheezies; please pink (loudly)
tseeeep (thin)
White-eyed Vireo
chick; per-wee-tee-o; chick or chick-per-wee-o;
(Quick give me a rain check……or
Spit and see if I care; spit!
White-throated Sparrow
O Sweet Canada; Canada; Canada…..or Old Sam Pea-
body, Peabody, Peabody (O-san-pibbity-pibbity-pibbity)
White-throated Swift
je-je-je-je-je-je-je- (shrill; excited)
Whooping Crane
ker-laa; ker-laa (second note higher-pitched)
Wild Turkey
gobble-gobble-gobble-
Willet
pill-will-willet
Willow Flycatcher
fitz-bew (burry)
Wilson’s Warbler
chee-chee-chee; chet-chet-chet-chet (trill-like)
Winter Wren
varied frequency/pitch shifts; complicated;
bubbly and busy and long
Wood Duck
jeeeeeeee!;
sliding (high-pitched) whistle
whoo-eek (breathy; whistley)
Wood Thrush
Songs: chk-chk-chk (dry-subtle);
ra-vi-o-li (flute-like);
ee-oh-lay (flute-like – last note trilly);
ra-vi-o-li (flute-like);
oo-duh-lay-oh or oodle-drrrr (last note trilly);
fweet-fweet-fweet (call: rapid-fire, liquid notes)
Worm-eating Warbler
trill (very rapid; even; mechanical and insect-like)
Yellow Rail
click click (typewriter-like)
tik-tik; tik-tik-tik; (2-3 rhythm; repeated)
Yellow Warbler
sweet, sweet, so sweet
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
chu-wee; chu-wee
killik
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
meeew (whiny; nasal)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
hoo-luh; hoo-luh; hoo-luh (1/sec; broken);
ka-ka-ka- kowp-kowp-kowp
Yellow-breasted Chat
whoit (whistled)
wit; wit; wit or chak; chak; chak (like N. Mockingbird or
Brown Thrasher)
Yellow-headed Blackbird
hoarse; raspy notes and phrases
Yellow-rumped Warbler
trill in two parts, 2nd higher or lower in pitch
trill (weak; unvaried)
Yellow-throated Vireo
three-Ay; three-Ay (short, more throaty, deeper than
Red-Eyed Vireo and not as incessant, continuous)
Yellow-throated Warbler
tsyoo-tsyoo-tsyoo-tsyoo-tswee
Warbler Watch 