Since it’s often hard to see a bird, veteran birders characterize the sounds of birds in order to identify them. So what words do they use? Well, they use “whistle,” for example, to describe the sound of this Olive-sided Flycatcher. And "rattle" for that of the Belted Kingfisher. There's the trill of a Dark-eyed Junco. And the House Wren's “cascade!" The song of a Downy Woodpecker is a sort of “whinny." Listen again and see if you can recognize the types of sounds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. 

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