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The Beatles wrote a song about this species, such is the male's varied and melodious low-pitched fluted warble.
Found in the Indian subcontinent, China, and Southeast Asia, this member of the cuckoo family is very vocal, with a range of different calls. The birds are traditionally held in high regard for their song, and references to them are common in folklore, myth, and poetry. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0)
Native to Australia, the lyrebird is notable for its superb ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from its environment. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY 2.0)
Also known as the Oriental white-eye, this bird's usual contact call is a soft, nasal cheer. However, its dawn chorus is best described as a bright but faint intermittent "zwee."
Owls are not usually regarded for their vocalization, but the powerful and otherworldly call of the barred owl, native to North America, has been described as an array of calls that are considered spectacular, loud, and emphatic.
A widespread species, the common linnet's pleasant song is embroidered with rapid thrills and twitters.
This North American resident has a song that many believe is one of the finest sounds in nature, ethereal and flute-like.
The brown thrasher is noted for having over 1,000 song types—the largest song repertoire of any bird.
On average, the highly imitative song uttered by males, and very occasionally by females, incorporates imitations of 75 other species, making the marsh warbler another one of nature's most prolific "samplers."
The male sings a rich, husky, musical warble for two to three seconds at a time. When disturbed, however, it gives loud, metallic chink calls.
A member of the American sparrow family, this handsome species has two distinctive songs, one of which is a high-pitched whistle sang at a regularly rhythm, the timbre best described as pinched.
The whinchat mostly sings in summer, a whistling, crackly, but soft song used during the breeding season, consisting of a mixture of soft whistles and grating sounds.
Its diminutive and inconspicuous form belies the wren's loud and often complex songs—a variety of harsh sounds: churrs, chatters, rattles, and scolds.
The male's typical song is a rich, musical warbling, a fluting melody often ending in a loud, high-pitched crescendo. Some call this bird the "northern nightingale," such is the purity of its voice.
Did you know that yellowhammer males learn their songs from their fathers, and, over time, regional dialects have developed? As a rule, the bird is distinguished by its vocabulary of short notes gradually increasing in volume and followed by one or two more protracted notes.
This North American member of the nightjar family is named phonetically for its unusual call, frequently used as an auditory symbol of rural America: the bird has been mentioned in several poems and songs, and has been written into movie scripts.
Male rose-breasted grosbeaks often announce their singing with a sharp pink or pick before finding their voice with a subdued mellow warbling.
The only mockingbird commonly found in North America, this intelligent bird is an accomplished "sampler," imitating the vocalizations of several species. Both male and female mockingbirds sing, and they possess a large song repertoire that ranges from 43 to 203 song types.
Any bird described as a warbler is bound to have a fine voice, and this dainty passerine is no exception. Its song is a slow, chattering jit-jit-jit, with whistles and mimicry added for good measure.
Known for the strong voice of the male, the chaffinch song sometimes follows the fink or vink call sounds that may have given the bird its English name.
The lark's song is delivered by males while hovering in flight to heights of up to 100 m (328 ft), the long, unbroken warble carried on the wind across fields and meadows.
The state bird of Maryland, the male of the species has a distinctive liquid whistle, with a buzzy, bold quality.
A harbinger of warm, dry weather, the summer tanager announces its arrival with a song that consists of melodic units, repeated in a constant but rather monotonous stream.
Widespread across Europe and beyond, the goldfinch's song is a pleasant silvery twittering.
Perhaps no other song heralds the arrival of summer more than the male cuckoo's plaintive two-tone goo-ko. The female, on the other hand, makes a gurgling sound, a bit like bath water going down the plughole.
Wow, does a canary sing! The birds learn to imitate a variety of songs and sounds that they hear again and again in their environment, effectively building up an orchestra of different vocalization.
Robins are natural singers and produce a fluting, warbling song that both male and females perform. Interestingly, they're prone to keeping the neighbors up after dark by singing at night!
Named for its characteristic song (a loud, clear run of musical phrases, repeated two to four times, and interspersed with grating notes and mimicry), the song thrush has frequently been referred to in poetry.
This small passerine is world famous for its beautiful song, one of the most inspired sounds in nature. Indeed, its sweet but powerful voice has inspired songs, fairy tales, opera, books, and a great deal of poetry.
While not known for their warbles (the blue jay is noisy and 'chatty' in nature), if you're very lucky you may hear their subliminal calls, which they use among themselves in proximity. It's a sound that resembles an old, squeaky hand-pump. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)
See also: Flights of fancy: the most colorful and exotic birds on the planet.
Since the COVID-19 lockdown, there's been a huge reduction in ambient noise levels, the result of which birdsong is more audible than ever, especially in built-up areas where road traffic and aircraft flyovers have decreased. It's just one of the environmental benefits of the quarantine curfew, and citizens around the world are taking more notice of our feathered friends' melodic chitchat. But what species sing the most beautiful songs?
Clock through the following gallery and find out which birds are the finest warblers in the world.
What bird species sing the most beautiful songs?
Reduced ambient noise has meant more birdsong
LIFESTYLE Animals
Since the COVID-19 lockdown, there's been a huge reduction in ambient noise levels, the result of which birdsong is more audible than ever, especially in built-up areas where road traffic and aircraft flyovers have decreased. It's just one of the environmental benefits of the quarantine curfew, and citizens around the world are taking more notice of our feathered friends' melodic chitchat. But what species sing the most beautiful songs?
Clock through the following gallery and find out which birds are the finest warblers in the world.