Word
birdsong
Phoneticsbird·song, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbɝdˌsɔŋ/
UK/bˈɜːdsɒŋ/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the singing sounds that birds make, often early in the morning. You hear it most in spring when birds call to find a mate.
n. melodious vocal sounds produced by birds, typically for territorial defence or courtship. Most prominent at dawn during the breeding season.
Examples
“I wake up to soft birdsong every morning.”
“We drink coffee on the balcony and listen to the birdsong from the garden trees.”
“At dawn the valley fills with layered birdsong, each species answering the next until the whole hillside seems awake.”
Examples
simple
“I wake up to soft birdsong every morning.”
contextual
“We drink coffee on the balcony and listen to the birdsong from the garden trees.”
complex
“At dawn the valley fills with layered birdsong, each species answering the next until the whole hillside seems awake.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “birdsong” in context.
Verb
01. birdsong fades
“By late summer, the loud birdsong fades as nesting season ends.”
noun + verb
02. birdsong fills
“In April, birdsong fills the park from sunrise until late evening.”
noun + verb
03. enjoy birdsong
“We had coffee on the balcony and enjoyed the morning birdsong.”
verb + noun
04. hear birdsong
“In spring you can hear birdsong in the park from early morning.”
verb + noun
05. listen to birdsong
“She closed her eyes and listened to birdsong in the quiet garden.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
06. dawn birdsong
“The dawn birdsong woke us long before our alarm went off.”
adj + noun
07. distant birdsong
“Only distant birdsong broke the silence of the winter forest.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. burst of birdsong
“A sudden burst of birdsong came from the bushes by the lake.”
noun + prep + noun
09. chorus of birdsong
“A loud chorus of birdsong greeted us on our spring walk.”
noun + prep + noun
10. a chorus of birdsong
“We were welcomed by a chorus of birdsong at the farm.”
11. enjoy the morning birdsong
“We got up early to enjoy the morning birdsong with our coffee.”
12. filled with birdsong
“On the first warm morning, the woods were filled with birdsong.”
Real-World Examples
“L istening to birdsong is one of life’s great joys, but when researchers heard a particular tune emerging from a tree in a Buenos Aires park, they were especially jubilant.” “Experimental data suggests that just listening to birdsong can improve mental health.” “Birdsong—the courting and territorial vocalization of songbirds—has been studied for decades, but less is understood about bird chatter, or the other chirps made by all flock members throughout the day.” “The ancient Greeks wrote poems and plays about birdsong and, in medieval England, the sounds of local birds gave many places their names .” Etymology
From bird + song.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/birdsong