Shy singers keep talent under wraps

HEARING a magnificent dawn chorus this morning brought back an embarrassing memory.

While giving a talk some years ago, I was asked a question. Was it true, a man wanted to know, that the bullfinch is an accomplished vocalist? The answer seemed obvious; bullfinches hardly sing at all, so I ‘held forth’ confidently on the bird’s lack of musical sophistication.

Bird song, I declared, is about getting a message out. Some species rely on colourful plumage to impress rivals and potential partners. Others sing. On balance, small birds tend to use song because even the brightest plumage is hard to see in the woods and scrub of their traditional haunts. The wren, in its dull brown garb, would go unnoticed without its song, which is extraordinarily loud for such a tiny creature. The nightingale, also in sober attire, produces one of the most beautiful sounds of the natural world. The male bullfinch, however, puffs out its magnificent orange-red breast to declare its presence. It doesn’t need song to make an impression. Both male and female produce only low-pitched squeaks which you couldn’t call music.