Birding by ear can be difficult, which is why some enthusiasts come up with tricks for remembering those tweets.
Bird call mnemonics (pronounced nuh-ma-niks) are phrases or words assigned to a bird's song to help one remember its rhythm or tempo. One classic example is the barred owl, who sounds to be asking, "Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?"
But mnemonics are up for interpretation - which is part of makes them a fun tool. Here, Chattanooga experts share how they hear common bird calls.
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Indigo Bunting
"Sweet, sweet, sweeter, sweeter, here, here." - Rick Huffines, Tennessee River Gorge Trust executive director
"Tweet-tweet-tweedle-tweedle-tweet-tweet." - David Aborn, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga associate professor of biology, geology and environmental science
"Fire! Fire! Where? Where? Here! Here!" - Nature Conservancy Canada
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Carolina Wren
"Chee-burger! Chee-burger! Chee-burger!" - David Aborn
"Teakettle. Teakettle. Teakettle." - Rick Huffines
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Eastern Meadowlark
"I am so beautiful!" - David Aborn
"Spring of the year!" - Rick Huffines
"But I DO love you!" - Stanford University's South Bay Birders Unlimited
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Eastern Towhee
"Drink your tea." - Tish Gailmard, Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center director of wildlife
"Drink-teeeee!" - David Aborn
"Scree! Scree!" - Sunny Montgomery, Get Out Chattanooga assistant editor
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White-eyed Vireo
"Pick up the beeeer check!" - David Aborn and Rick Huffines
"Spit and see if I care; spit!" - Stanford University's South Bay Birders Unlimited
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Gray Catbird
"Me-ooow." - Tish Gailmard
"Raaah!" - David Aborn
But Rick Huffines has a different take on the catbird. The catbird, he says, is known for its call - not its song. He agrees with Gailmard that its call sounds like a cat. But its song, he says, is long and varied with rapid syllables.
To him, it sounds to be saying, "Look heeere, birdie, birdie, birdie. I ain't got time for your nonsense, take that stuff somewhere else and tell it to somebody who cares."
"But I guess you could make up something nicer," he adds. For example, "'Look heeere, cutie, cutie, cutie. I think you are the prettiest bird that I ever did see in the whole wide world. Can I come over and talk to ya?'
"Truth is, a person can make up anything they want with that one, as long as it emphasizes the cadence of the syllables. It's actually a really good one for each person to play with and make their own mark," says Huffines.