While we learn the songs’ rhythm, quality, pitch and tempo, it is often easier for many people to memorize catchy phrases that describe these components. These words or phrases are called mnemonics—gimmicks that help us memorize something.
Below you will find a list of some of the mnemonics
and phonetics that are widely used by birders. Many of these can be found
in field guides and tapes or CDs. Use them, change them, or create
your own. In many cases, you will need a good imagination to appreciate
some of these.
Bee-buzz--Blue-winged Warbler
Bee-buzz-buzz or Bee-buzz-buzz-buzz-- Golden-winged
Warbler
Beeer--Common
Nighthawk
I am lazeee or beer beer beer
beeee-- Black-throated Blue Warbler
Che-bek--Least Flycatcher
Chink--Blue Grosbeak
Chup-chup TZEeeee---Seaside Sparrow
Cu-cu-cu--Black-billed Cuckoo
Fee-bee-o--Alder Flycatcher
Fitz-bew--Willow Flycatcher
Hip-hip-hurrah--King Rail
Jeeee---Wood Duck
Ka ka
ka...kowp kowp kowp--Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Keeeeer--Common Tern and Forster's Tern
Kerwee...kerwee--Sora
Kid-ik, kid-ik, kid-ik--Virginia Rail
Tic-tic, tic-tic-tic--Yellow Rail
Tika, tika, tika-swee, swee, swee-chay, chay,
chay- Tennessee Warbler
Vee-a--Gray-cheeked Thrush
Weeta-weeta-weeteo--Hooded Warbler
Weet-weet-weet-weet--Spotted Sandpiper
Whit, whit--Swainson's Thrush
Zweet-zweet-zweet--Prothonotary
Warbler
Yank, yank,
yank--White-breasted Nuthatch
A-weet, a-weet, a-weet-teo--Hooded Warbler
Bob white, bob white--Northern
Bobwhite
Bubble, bubble,
zee--Brown-headed Cowbird
Caw, caw,
caw--American Crow
What-cheer,
what-cheer, what-cheer, or cheer, cheer, cheer--Northern
Cardinal
Cheerily, cheer-up,
cheerily--American Robin
Chick-a-dee-dee-dee--Carolina Chickadee
Chip-burr--Scarlet Tanager
Chick-per-a-weeo-chick --White-eyed Vireo
Chink--Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Chiva, chiva, chiva or peter, peter,
peter--Tufted Titmouse
Chuck-will's-widow--Chuck-will's-widow
Churr, churr, churr--Red-bellied
Woodpecker
Chur-ry, chur-ry,
chur-ry--Kentucky Warbler
Cheer,
cheerful charmer--Eastern Bluebird
Conquereee--Red-winged Blackbird
Drink-your-teeeee--Eastern Towhee
Dtzee, dtzee, dtzeet--Eastern Kingbird
Ee-o-lay--Wood Thrush
Fee-bee, or Fee-blee--Eastern Phoebe
Fee-bee fee-bay--Carolina Chickadee
Here, here, here--Tufted Titmouse
Here I am, over here, see me, where are you-- Red-eyed
Vireo
Jay, jay, jay--Blue
Jay
Keeeeeer--Red-tailed
Hawk
Kee-yer, kee-yer,
kee-yer--Red-shouldered Hawk
Kik,
kik, kik--Pileated Woodpecker
Kill-dee, kill-dee, kill-dee--Killdeer
Kleeyer--Northern Flicker
Who cooks for you, who cooks for you'all-- Barred
Owl
Maids, maids, maids, put on your
tea, kettle, kettle, kettle--Song Sparrow
Meeoow--Gray Catbird
Poor Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody- White-throated
Sparrow
Pee-a-wee or pee-ee--Eastern
Wood-Pewee
Peeeeeeeeee--Broad-winged
Hawk
Peent, peent, peent--American
Woodcock
Peet-suh--Acadian
Flycatcher
Perchickaree or
Babeee--American Goldfinch
Chicki-tuki-tuck--Summer Tanager
Plink, plink--Bobolink
Wheep, wheep--Great Crested Flycatcher
Purty, purty, purty--Northern
Cardinal
Queedle, queedle,
queedle---Blue Jay
Queer,
queer--Red-headed Woodpecker
Skeeow--Green Heron
Spring
of the year--Eastern Meadowlark
Sweet, sweet, sweet, I'm so sweet--Yellow
Warbler
Teacher, teacher,
teacher--Ovenbird
Tea-kettle,
tea-kettle, tea-kettle--Carolina Wren
Three-o, three-a--Yellow-throated Vireo
Tow-weeee--Eastern Towhee
Tseer, tseer--Red-winged Blackbird
Tzee, tzee, tzee, tzeeo--American Redstart
Veer--Veery
Weesa,
weesa, weesa--Black-and-white Warbler
Wheer--Orchard Oriole
Whip-poor-will--Whip-poor-will
Are you awake? me too--Great Horned Owl
Wicka, wicka, wicka--Northern
Flicker
Witchety, witchety,
witchety--Common Yellowthroat
Zay,
zay, zay, zoo, zee--Black-throated Green Warbler
Zeee, zeee--Cedar Waxwing
Zree--House Finch
Zeeeee-up--Northern Parula