It’s usually the males who sing, both to mark and to defend their territory, explains João E. Rabaça, professor at the University of Évora and coordinator of LabOr-Laboratório de Ornitologia. ‘When a blackbird sings, it is sending a signal to its neighbours of the same species, the meaning of which is similar to saying “this is my space.” And its fellow blackbirds not only understand the message, they can respond to it,’ he explains.

Singing also serves to attract a mate or to show vitality to a predator, adds Magnus Robb, a British ornithologist who specialises in recording bird sounds. This is the case for skylarks, for example, which often do this to escape from merlin falcons when these birds of prey chase them.

On the other hand, it’s not all about singing, as many vocalisations are actually calls, as in the case of young in the nest begging for food or of cries of alarm when a predator approaches. João E. Rabaça describes calls as very simple sounds without a melodic structure, emitted equally by males and females.

When is the best time to listen out for birds?

For singing, the dawn chorus is the best time of day to listen to what João E. Rabaça calls ‘one of nature’s most expressive soundscapes.’ To witness this spectacle, especially in spring and summer, it’s important to get up very early, as the first singers are usually heard more than an hour before sunrise, around 5.00am. If you can, look for a quiet spot with good vegetation, such as a garden.

‘The birds that make up the dawn chorus are species with diurnal habits and, as such, it’s important that as soon as the first notes of daylight appear, the males signal their territories, because if they don’t, others could occupy them,’ explains João E. Rabaça.

The first birds to be active are usually from the Turdidae group, such as the blackbird and the European robin. This is followed by blackcaps and the wren, among other insectivorous birds. A few moments later, we can also hear some granivores, such as goldfinches and chaffinches.

Even so, it is possible to hear the songs of many birds throughout the day, albeit with less intensity.

Gonçalo Elias, manager of the Aves de Portugal portal, explains that other species such as the common nightingale or the great reed warbler sing throughout the night and are not part of the dawn choir.

Five birds to get you started

With your ears cocked, when you visit a garden near your home or go for a walk in the countryside, try listening carefully to the melodies and trills that surround you. Start with these five species (to which you can add another five).

The Eurasian blackcap

(Sylvia atricapilla)

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The Guide to Birds of Portugal and Europe, by Lars Svensson, describes the song of this warbler as ‘one of the most beautiful.’ It begins with ‘a hesitant chirp – which can be shortened or omitted – which ultimately ends in clear, somewhat melancholy notes.’ This small insectivore can be recognised by the black cap of the males, which is reddish-brown in females and juveniles. It is common in urban parks and gardens.

[Song of the male the Eurasian blackcap recorded by Uku Paal/Xeno-canto]

Eurasian blue tit

(Cyanistes caeruleus)

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This small tit jumps restlessly from branch to branch amid the foliage, meaning it is not always easy to spot. Even when hidden, however, we can learn to recognise it by its melody. Lars Svensson, in his guide, gives us some clues: ‘The song consists of two prolonged high notes followed by a short metallic trill in the lower part (‘siiih siiih si-siurrrr’), sometimes in two short ‘verses’ repeated rapidly (‘si-si-siurrr, si-si-siurrr’).’

[Song of the blue tit collected by Antonio Xeira/Xeno-canto]

Great tit

(Parus major)

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The largest of the tits, the great tit can be seen (and heard) in woodlands, including in city gardens and parks, where it nests in large nest boxes or hollows in trees. Its favourite foods are insects and seeds. The song resembles ‘a high and low chant with mechanical intonation (‘ti-ta ti-ta ti-ta’) or a trisyllabic call at different speeds (‘ti-ti-ta ti-ti-ta ti-ti-ta’),’ explains the Guide to Birds of Portugal and Europe. It can be mistaken for the coal tit’s melody, but the latter is faster.

[Song of the great tit recorded by Stein O. Nilsen/Xeno-canto]

Black redstart

Phoenicurus ochruros

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This small, dark bird with a reddish tail is common in inhabited areas north of the Tagus, but can also be seen in some areas south of the same river – especially in winter, when many black redstarts arrive in Portugal from other European countries. The black redstart is also known as the Tithys redstart, the blackstart and the black redtail. João Eduardo Rabaça, in his book As Aves do Jardim Gulbenkian [The Birds of the Gulbenkian Garden], tells us that their ‘cadenced song,’ usually emitted from high places, ‘is quite sonorous and includes some rather unique crackling notes.’

[Song of the black redstart recorded by Jorge Leitão/Xeno-canto]

Short-toed treecreeper

Certhia brachydactyla

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This little forest bird with a long curved beak spends its days climbing tree trunks in search of insects and spiders and is quite common in urban parks and gardens. Its song is a short verse with a cheerful rhythm and a constant tone: ‘tiuut e-to e-tititt.’

[Song of the short-toed treecreeper recorded by Jorge Leitão/Xeno-canto]