The Peterson guide to birdsong is a series of audio field guides created by naturalist Roger Tory Peterson and the Peterson Field Guide series. First released in 1980, the original Peterson guide to birdsong focused on the songs and calls of birds in Eastern and Central North America. Since then, the series has expanded to include additional regional bird song guides for Western North America, Britain and Europe, and Mexico.
The Peterson audio guides allow users to learn and identify bird songs and vocalizations by providing high-quality recordings paired with descriptive information in an easy-to-use format. For beginners and experts alike, these guides make it easier to match the songs you hear in the field with visual bird identification.
What’s included in the Peterson guide to birdsong?
Each regional Peterson guide to birdsong includes the following components:
– Recordings of bird vocalizations – The core of the Peterson guide is a collection of high-fidelity, clear recordings of songs, calls, chip notes, and other sounds made by hundreds of bird species. Multiple recordings are included for many species to capture variations.
– Descriptive information – Detailed notes are provided to describe the sounds, help with identification, and provide additional facts about the birds. Information like the dialect, behavior context, time of day, and time of year for each vocalization is included.
– Indexes – The tracks are indexed in multiple ways to aid identification. Master song indexes list the tracks in taxonomic order by family and species. Additional indexes break down similar sounds and group birds by habitat.
– Reference guide – Introductory sections provide tips on using the recordings for identification and summarize the diversity of birdsong. Range maps, taxonomy, and descriptions of common native species are also included.
– Portable format – The Peterson guides are available as sets of CDs, cassettes, and more recently as downloadable mp3 files. This allows users to bring the recordings along in the field.
How are the Peterson bird song guides used?
There are a few key ways birdwatchers utilize the Peterson audio guides:
Learn songs and calls before going out
It’s helpful for beginners to listen through the recordings at home to become familiar with local bird vocalizations before trying to identify them in the field. The guides provide an easy way to study and memorize the unique sounds of each species.
Identify bird sounds while surveying
When a birdcall is heard but the bird itself remains hidden during a survey, the audio guide can be used to pinpoint a match. The detailed notes aid the identification process. Birders may listen to multiple tracks to compare against the mystery song.
Confirm sight identifications
After spotting a bird visually, the audio tracks can confirm the species based on its vocalizations. Subtle differences in tone or pattern discernable in the recordings help distinguish between similar looking birds.
Understand bird behavior
Learning about the context of each sound from the guide provides insights into avian behavior patterns. Knowing whether a call indicates distress, mating, territorial defense, or something else reveals information about the bird’s habits and ecology.
What bird families and species are included?
The contents of the Peterson guide to birdsong depend on the region covered:
Eastern and Central North America
The original guide covers 427 species across 45 bird families, including:
– Songbirds: Warblers, vireos, thrushes, waxwings, etc.
– Shorebirds: Sandpipers, plovers, gulls, terns
– Raptors: Hawks, eagles, falcons, owls
– Others: Hummingbirds, woodpeckers, herons, etc.
Some highlighted species are the wood thrush, veery, bobolink, and black-capped chickadee.
Western North America
The western guide includes 379 species across 42 families such as:
– Western songbirds: Blackbirds, buntings, magpies, meadowlarks, etc.
– Western shorebirds: Phalaropes, oystercatchers, stilts, avocets
– Western raptors: Kites, harriers, krestels, etc.
– Specialties: Condors, poorwills, grouse, jays, nutcrackers
Notable species are the canyon wren, Le Conte’s thrasher, mountain bluebird, and Clark’s nutcracker.
Britain and Europe
The Europe edition covers 387 species in 46 families including regional specialties like:
– Old World Warblers: Nightingales, blackcaps, reed warblers, willow warblers
– Larks: Skylarks, crested larks, horned larks, woodlarks
– Old World Flycatchers: Spotted flycatchers, pied flycatchers, collared flycatchers
– Buntings: Yellowhammers, cirl buntings, corn buntings
Some highlighted birds are the common cuckoo, Eurasian wryneck, and corncrake.
What are some tips for using the Peterson audio guides effectively?
Here are some best practices when using the Peterson guide to birdsong for identification:
Listen to all potential matches
Don’t just listen to the first similar sounding recording. Play the tracks for all species in the index with near or exact vocalizations to fully compare.
Note habitat and location
Consider where and when you hear the sound. The habitat and range can help narrow down possibilities.
Pay attention to patterns and pitch
Focus on tone, rhythm, number of notes, changes in pitch, and inflection rather than just the overall quality. Subtleties may differentiate species.
Use range maps
Factor in whether the guide indicates a species is expected in your area during a given season. This can rule out unlikely matches.
Consider behavior
If you can observe the bird, note behaviors that provide context clues about the type of call, like singing, aggressive actions, or flight.
| Tip | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Listen to all potential matches | Don’t stop at the first similar recording. Thoroughly compare all possible species. |
| Note habitat and location | Factor in the habitat you’re in and range maps to narrow options. |
| Pay attention to patterns | Focus on tone, rhythm, pitch changes, etc., not just overall quality. |
| Use range maps | Ruling out species not expected in your location or season simplifies identification. |
| Consider behavior | Context clues like singing or aggression can hint at the type of call. |
How do the Peterson guides compare to other bird song identification tools?
The main alternatives to the Peterson series are audio apps like Merlin Bird ID, websites like xeno-canto, and CD sets like Stokes Field Guides:
Merlin Bird ID app
– Free smartphone app created by Cornell Lab of Ornithology
– Smaller library of common bird sounds only
– Limited species and geographic coverage
– Simple quizzes and auto-ID feature
xeno-canto website
– User-uploaded compilation of worldwide bird recordings
– Uncurated and unvetted – variable quality
– No detailed species info or photos
– More comprehensive species coverage
Stokes Field Guides
– Commercial CD sets like Peterson guide
– Fewer species covered than Petersons
– Typically regional guides like Petersons
– Usually less info on context of sounds
The Peterson guide’s combination of extensive species coverage, high-quality recordings, and descriptive context notes make it the most thorough and useful option for detailed study of bird vocalizations. However, free tools like Merlin are handy for quick mobile identification.
Conclusion
The Peterson guide to birdsong remains one of the most authoritative and useful resources for learning bird vocalizations 60+ years after its debut. The clear recordings paired with explanatory details provide a detailed reference to study at home and compare sounds against in the field. While mobile apps serve particular niches, the Peterson guide covers more species in greater detail, making it an essential tool for serious birders ready to elevate their bird song identification skills. Consult the guide early and often to train your ear to decipher the many avian sounds that fill the air.
