Quiz yourself
The 28 bird species below were chosen because they are some of the most widespread and
common birds in North America and are found in a wide variety of habitats. They are presented in random
order with the voice listed first and the identification listed second. For example, click on 'Bird 3 voice' to
hear that bird. Try to identify the sound you hear and then click on the next line down to hear the name of
bird 3.
The sounds given below are some of the more common sounds made by the various birds. All bird voice
files were obtained from MIST Software Assoc. They are
shortened and condensed from the original recordings made by MIST Software in order to make them more
manageable over the internet. Remember, some birdsongs go on for a long time. The Mockingbird often
sings for extended periods, and the Red-eyed Vireo seems to sing constantly while feeding in the treetops.
The Whip-poor-will's loud song can also go on and on. And these nocturnal birds seem to choose singing
spots near the windows of sleeping humans. At first, the bird enthusiast feels fortunate to be able to hear
the Whip-poor-will without even getting out of bed. But before long, he or she begins to wonder if the bird
has an 'off' switch.
So take the quiz below. If you get more than two or three of the 28 correct, you are ahead of most people.
Good luck.
Quiz
Index