About the Dawn Chorus

For many people the dawn chorus is the epitome of bird song. To anyone who's never experienced it, the sheer volume and complexity of sound that surrounds the listener in a richly-populated habitat is phenomenal.

This gradual crescendo of massed voices is like a surging wave of sound continuously circling the globe just ahead of the rising sun.

Many musicians and composers have been hit by the charms of birdsong. And not just the romantic sweeps of Vaughan Williams. Mozart cherished his pet starling and listened carefully to how the bird varied motifs he taught it. He held an elaborate funeral when the bird died. Olivier Messiaen had his own way of transcribing the bird themes he heard on his listening walks; you may wonder how this influenced his pupil Stockhausen in his seminal work 'The Rites of Spring'. From the jazz world, Mike and Kate Westbrook and Evan Parker have payed their dues to the music of birds. And what was the nickname of that other Parker sax-player? The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Deep Forest, Sueno Latina ... have all used birdsong in their work. Bird song transcends all genres.

In Finland they celebrate the birdsong serenade at midnight in early June.

For more info on birdsong ...

International Dawn Chorus Day
Sunday 4th May 2008

For details of events, click here.

All around the country groups will be meeting in the early morning to celebrate the voice of spring. On the 4th May you should try to get to your site about 4am BST, if you want to catch the first voices. Times will vary depending on cloud cover and how far north you are: on a dull morning in the south of England the start may be as late as 4:30am. But remember the birds begin singing while it's still dark and even during the night where there are street lights.

Sunrise will be about 5:30am on May 4th.

Geoff's recommendation -
Spend the week-end in the Forest of Dean and get to the New Fancy viewpoint as early as you can to hear the chorus growing. This is a small knoll in the forest overlooking at least a mile of woodland in every direction - a sea of birdsong. Alternatively try Anses Wood in the New Forest, or any high point overlooking a wooded valley. If you have moorland nearby, try somewhere that has curlews, snipe and other waders for something more exotic.

Despite serious declines in many of our songbird species, we're still a long way off Rachel Carson's silent spring. Often the rationale for conservation has a negative tone: very few pairs left, endangered species, polluted rivers, scientific interest only ... By tuning in to the music of birds for one morning, we celebrate a positive vision for what we still have.

For information from the BTO on declining numbers of Britain's songbirds, click here.

"I doubt that one can find in any human music, however inspired, melodies and rhythms that have the sovereign freedom of bird song."Olivier Messiaen

"I doubt that one can find in any human music, however inspired,
melodies and rhythms that have the sovereign freedom of bird song."
Olivier Messiaen