Listen! Birds are Practicing Social Distancing- JillLee

Today we welcome Guest Blogger  Jill Lee.  Jill teaches classes at FBCM on God's Creatures, and is a self proclaimed "Bird Nerd."  We are so grateful for her timely and spiritually moving offering.
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Listen! Birds are Practicing Social Distancing

As much as we struggle with it, social distancing is helping to keep our society safer. If you have time on your hands (many of us now do), take a few minutes each day to go outside and hear God’s chorus of social distancing.  Birds!

God has taught songbirds to practice social distancing in order to survive. Let me explain.

During the spring, male song birds sing to establish a territory. To us, it may sound like they are singing for fun, but for each bird, this is very serious business. They are basically telling other male birds to keep their distance. They must do this to survive. 

Their territory is where they will build a nest with their mate, The female will lay eggs and then feed the young chicks. This whole process requires enormous amounts of food.

Their territory has just enough food to sustain them; it is basically their grocery store. The Cardinal and Tufted Titmouse need seeds. The Carolina Wren needs insects and fruit. The Hummingbird needs nectar from flowers.

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Back to the singing. When a male bird sings, he is actually telling other male birds to stay out of his territory. He repeats his song over and over to get the point across. 

You can learn the songs. Once you do, you can identify the birds. Listen to each song below at least several times. Then, go outside and discover the conversation. 
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Outside, listen to the pause between each song. You may be able to hear another male bird of the same species calling back faintly in the distance. He’s announcing his territory as well.

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God’s creatures make social distancing sound beautiful. We can take courage in that. It’s working for them. God will provide for us as well.

Take care and have a wonderful week. 

 Jill Lee







Northern Cardinal (they have many songs; this one is very common) https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/sounds

Carolina Wren – scroll down under the main photo to the second triangle play button recorded in Maryland to hear his characteristic “Cheeseburger” song  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Carolina_Wren/sounds

Tufted Titmouse – very territorial little bird! Scroll down under the photo to the first triangle play button recorded in West Virginia to hear his distinctive “Peter Peter Peter” song  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tufted_Titmouse/sounds

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