Singing wood warbler ©Andy Rouse/2020VISION
International Dawn Chorus Day
Sunday 5th of May, 2024
A celebration of nature's symphony
Taking place on the first Sunday of May, International Dawn Chorus Day is the worldwide celebration of nature's greatest symphony. All across the world people rise early to revel in the sweet sound of birdsong, from rattling wrens in Rotherham to crooning cowbirds in the Caribbean.
And remember you don't have to head out to a nature reserve, you can always just open your window - and listen...
Watch it live!
Tune in at 5am Sunday morning to catch the dawn chorus live here.
Robin ©Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography
Urban beginnings
Dawn Chorus Day has grown from a small event in Birmingham in the 1980s to a global annual celebration, enjoyed in over eighty countries. You don't need to be surrounded by countryside to enjoy nature's symphony - cities have songbirds of their own. Beyond the cooing of pigeons you could hear the serenade of robins and blackbirds, the chatter of house sparrows and the laughing calls of herring gulls, to name just a few!
Get inspired
To inspire you to set that early morning alarm, we've written a blog describing the wonders of a spring dawn chorus. Discover the delights of duelling song thrushes, the confident cry of the chiffchaff and the fluting flourish of the beautiful blackcap...
Who can I hear?
Here are some of the star performers you could hear in the dawn chorus this spring.
Song thrush ©Amy Lewis
Song thrush
Often the most confident voice in the dawn chorus, and one of the earliest to start singing. Listen for loud, clear verses repeated 2-4 times.
Take a listen...
Singing blackbird ©Amy Lewis
Blackbird
Another early riser, with a clear and confident voice. The beautiful song is low-pitched and given in short, fluty verses. Unlike the song thrush, blackbirds don't repeat their verses.
Take a listen...
Robin ©Neil Aldridge
Robin
Like the larger thrushes, robins start singing early in the morning. The song is clear and beautiful, comprised of rippling notes and whistles. Robins are one of the few birds to sing all through winter.
Take a listen...
Singing blackcap ©David Tipling/2020VISION
Blackcap
This migrant warbler has one of the finest voices in the dawn chorus. Its song begins as a chattering warble, before breaking into louder, clearer flute-like notes.
Take a listen...
Chiffchaff ©Richard Steel/2020VISION
Chiffchaff
One of the most easily recognised voices in the dawn chorus. The chiffchaff's song is a repetitive "chiff chaff, chiff chaff, chiff chaff", occasionally with an extra note mixed in.
Take a listen...
David Tipling/2020VISION