|
|
Post by rowanberry on Jun 16, 2018 17:49:14 GMT
This seems to be a quirk I've struggled with, and I wondered if anyone else has experienced it?
I cannot identify birdsong... no matter how hard I try.
I don't think this is due to lack of application- I have certainly tried. Listened to CDs for identifying birds, gone on walks with experienced birders and watched countless videos.
I am starting to wonder if this is a musically-linked talent? (and research has proved that this is one of the first skills to manifest itself in childhood- think Mozart!)
I did have hearing difficulties as a child. Could not carry a tune to save my life, (still have trouble with this, actually.) When it comes to identifying music I always struggle... even if it's a piece I've heard over and over again. Playing by ear is beyond a hope- you might as well ask me to speak Klingon! It can be very frustrating- with classical pieces I really enjoy, I think 'I must remember that!" but I can't.
With 'squawky' bird calls I have no trouble- jays, magpies, and crows... no problem. It's the other, more subtle ones I can't tell the differences between.
Perhaps it's just one of those things I'll never be good at- but when it comes to visual or scent things I'm ok.
I was just curious to know if anyone else here has noticed this sort of thing about themselves?
|
|
|
|
Post by accipiter on Jun 16, 2018 19:37:50 GMT
Amusia is the technical term Rowanberry, and about one in twenty seem to suffer, the main problem being unable to distinguish between pitch. But it can be overcome sometimes by recognising two different pitches to start with and then slowly increasing the number, but unfortunately even this approach does not always work either. In fact I have tried many times over the years to teach people to play, but the stumbling block being unable to recognise pitch. Whereas I do not always need a tuner most of the time, has I have almost (perfect pitch) (A) being the note which one tunes an instrument, but this is fairly rare as most musicians need a reference point to tune their instrument. In fact I only know of one other person who has this ability being my son but even he like myself need the reference point of A sometimes too.
But bird song though can be particularly difficult as many birds have quite a number of different songs, the little owl being the bird I am studying at the moment for instance has around twenty different calls / sonagrams the juveniles having around ten or so but altogether male and female up to forty all meaning a change in behaviour being my special interest, in fact I can normally tell now what is happening by their calls even though some are quite subtle and short in duration.
Alan
|
|
|
|
Post by Tringa on Jun 20, 2018 19:45:00 GMT
I know what you mean, sort of, Rb.
I have no problem with remembering pieces of music. I can hear a piece I have not heard for several years and instantly know what it is. However, if I try to hum or sing any piece I know, I think it sounds good but others tell me I am way off tune.
Apart from about a dozen bird songs (including raven, buzzard and corncrake which are not in the average repertoire) I do not seem to be able to remember and identify any.
One feels a numpty.
Dave
|
|
|
|
Post by rowanberry on Jun 20, 2018 19:55:37 GMT
Dave- I'm glad it's not just me!
I watch people on programmes like Springwatch, and they manage to do it so effortlessly- "oh, that's a willow warbler, and there goes a long-tailed tit answering its mate, and that's definitely a Lesser Spotted Tasmanian Wikiwiki bird, obviously blown in off its migratory route, haven't heard one of those in years!" etc. etc.
Makes me feel downright thick.
That's interesting about Amusia, Accipiter. I'm not actually tone-deaf, funnily enough, (although when I was a child people thought I was because I sang so badly off-key!) It wasn't until I was made to take piano lessons that the tutor said I wasn't tone-deaf because I knew when I hit a wrong note... I just didn't know what the right note was. Just pure lack of musical talent, I guess.  |
|
|
|
Post by ianr on Jun 21, 2018 7:00:08 GMT
I guess I'm quite good and lucky I can recognise good numbers of bird songs and even able to have a good stab at ones I've not heard before  simply by the fact that I didn't recognise it sets me off thinking about birds I've not seen or heard before, if that makes sense  then check the net I'm talking mainly woodland and farmland birds here, coastal and waders I'm at a loss apart from the obvious ones. I do these days find myself having to refresh my memory some times each spring as the warblers arrive. Mobile phone useful there. Many years ago travelling out into Nottinghamshire to a job I stopped off at a spot near the river Trent looking for possible fishing opportunities, when I heard a sound in the long and very wet grass. sounded like someone running a coin down a comb. Wasn't sure if it was fur or feather and after following it around for 15 mins and wet through up to mid thigh I gave up without any sight. Years later watching a Bill Oddie programme wherever he was, ''up here he says we get corncrakes'' 'play corncrake call' and a light came on AHH so that's what the little b***** was  ian PS. I can still hear goldcrest calling they say high pitch is the first to go as you get older |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2018 15:29:16 GMT
I record any new songs I hear on my iPhone - and can then compare the recording with my birdsong CD when I get home.
|
|
|
|
Post by ianr on Jul 29, 2018 8:16:28 GMT
I'll often take a photo if there far off and I'm unsure of ID, once zoomed in on camera or PC you can often see enough detail to help ID them
ian
|
|
simply by the fact that I didn't recognise it sets me off thinking about birds I've not seen or heard before, if that makes sense 
then check the net
