One of the most satisfying and rewarding aspects of the hobby of bird watching is that it enables you to hear and appreciate the variety of birds in your area. This often requires a degree of patience and persistence, but when you do get that first good sighting, you'll be rewarded with the sound of wings flapping, leaves rustling and birds calling.
Birds make a lot of noise, but it's often hard to pick out the signal from the clutter. To help you identify a songbird from the crowd, try listening to their vocals, as well as their non-vocal cues, such as a bird buzzing around, a leaf falling to the ground or a flurry of flight feathers.
The best way to learn what a particular sound is is to listen to recordings of the species you're trying to ID. It's especially helpful to try and find a recording of the same species performing the sound that you haven't heard before--that will usually provide a better clue as to what your mystery bird is trying to tell you.
This is a highly varied and complex sounding song, with many different notes and combinations of notes. The best way to describe it is that it's a roller coaster of sorts, with an even series of high, thin and low notes, and a "wee-see" (pronounced wee-sue) that sounds a bit like a squeaky wheel.
There are plenty of other birds that make similar or more impressive noises, though, so it's a good idea to be sure that you're hearing the best version. To help you decide, consider which sound is the most impressive based on the context and location. Then use your newfound knowledge to identify the real deal.
