The nightingale’s song is one of the most celebrated sounds in the British countryside; rich, powerful and delivered under cover of darkness, when almost everything else has fallen silent.
Unlike many garden birds, nightingales sing at night as well as during the day, their loud, complex songs carrying astonishing distances through woodland edges, scrub and hedgerows. Whistles, trills, gurgles and crescendos tumble out in rapid succession, often stopping passers-by in their tracks.
“Nightingales are our most famous songbird – and for good reason,” says Jenny. “They might appear shy and unremarkably brown, but when they open their beaks, magic is made.
“Nightingales can utter over 1000 different sounds, hitting notes in both high and low in a combination of complex phrases. Their song is a thrilling musical rollercoaster of unexpected twists and turns. But it’s the power and richness of their voice that pierces you and sets them apart from other songbirds.
“Nightingales are one of our fastest declining birds, and their song is disappearing from our countryside due to habitat loss among other factors. The south-east of England is an important stronghold for nightingales, and so Kent Wildlife Trust and Essex Wildlife Trust, among others, are busy protecting and restoring habitat for these birds.”
Comments are closed.