Name that tune

Spring is here: the days are definitely getting longer. I can tell because when I get home from work, I can find the keyhole in my front door without having to get a torch out.

Birds have noticed, too. Open a window just about anywhere, anytime, at the moment and your ears will be assailed with the glorious racket of birdsong. Birds appreciate the gradually lengthening hours of daylight and they're cranking up the volume accordingly.

People often talk about the 'dawn chorus' as the best time to hear birdsong, which is probably true. The peak time is early May, when all the spring migrants have arrived and are making themselves heard. It's a thrilling experience to be out at first light (which means 4 am, unfortunately), to hear the birds waking up and starting to sing, building to a crescendo as they all try to sing over each other. It's nature's organised chaos.

However, if you're interested in learning to tell one bird noise from another, now is as good a time as any to get a grasp of the basics. You don't even have to get up early. There are fewer species present at the moment, and - very importantly - there aren't any pesky leaves to get in the way when you're trying to see the source of the noise.

Working out which bird is making which sound is quite daunting. To start with, everything sounds pretty much the same, and it's hard to pick out one sound from the general background noise.

Listen carefully, concentrate on one bird at a time, and you'll start to recognise the different pitches, tones, speeds and 'styles' of song. Some birds - cuckoos and chiffchaffs - sing their names, but not all are as obliging. It just adds to the fun, and a sense of achievement when you finally get tuned into their frequency.

The best way to get a foothold in the world of birdsong is to borrow the ears of someone who knows what they're listening to - get them to take you out for a walk. RSPB local groups and events are great ways to learn. CDs and DVDs can be really useful, too, though there's no substitute for getting out there and listening to the real thing.

Our A-Z of birds pages contain many useful sound clips.

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