The dawn chorus – all you need to know about nature’s big show

International Dawn Chorus Day is Sunday 3 May. Wherever you are and whatever you're doing - the dawn chorus is already happening around you, whether you're in a city or the countryside, asleep or wide awake. 

Across the world, people are setting their alarms a little earlier to wake up to the dawn chorus through a cracked bedroom window, catching it on the dog walk before the school run, or stepping outside after a late night to find the birds already in full voice. Want to join the club?  

This year, we're challenging the nation to get up a little earlier on Sunday 3 May and share what they hear. Here's how to get involved:
 

• Set your alarm to 30 minutes before dawn, then step outside or open your window to let the birdsong soar over you.

• Film it, record it, or simply take a moment to soak it in. 

• Share what you hear on social media or with your friends and family and encourage someone else to do the same.  

• Use the hashtag #DawnChorusClub 
   

And  
 

• If you want to hear it echoing through the trees at first light, join one of our guided dawn chorus walks at a local RSPB reserve. Our friendly guides can help you put names to the voices filling the air around you, helping you recognise a Chiffchaff’s call from a Willow Warbler’s song.  
   

Take time to just hear it, feel it, share it! 

The dawn chorus is the symphony of song performed by birds looking for love, and to defend their patch. In spring, as the days lengthen, wildlife starts to think about the need to breed. For many male birds, this means belting out the well-worn but wonderful classics to try and attract females.   

Some species sing throughout the day, but it’s at dawn, as the morning light begins to break, that many different birds join together to perform.

Song Thrushes, Blackbirds and Robins are among the first to rise, starting things off when the air is still, and the lights are low. Popular songsters like Wrens and warblers, such as Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers then gradually join in. As do Wood Pigeons. Anyone living near them will know they like to join in, for hours on end, often forming a repetitive double act with Collared Doves.  

What species you hear will of course depend on where you are. if you’re near water, wading birds will add their rich and varied songs and calls to the chorus. If you’re near heathland, you might hear the joyful fluid song of Linnets or the famous call of the Cuckoo.

Well, the dim light isn’t a good time to go looking for food like seeds and insects. And singing gives away your location, so it’s best to do it when the light is lower. But one of the main reasons is it’s quieter then and the air is usually still. Birdsong has been shown to carry 20 times further at dawn, making all that effort to attract a mate much more worthwhile.  

For the males, it’s also a reminder to their rivals that they survived the night and they’re in fine fettle, with the strength, skills and stamina to sing. Many summer visitors arrive at night, increasing the competition. So the birds already here sing their hearts out first thing to let the new arrivals know who’s boss.  

​​​​​​​Whether it's your first time or you're a seasoned early riser, here's how to make the most of the dawn chorus any morning from March through to June:

1. The dawn chorus can be heard in some form or another almost everywhere - from gardens, parks, hedges and woods to marshes and even mountain tops. If you want, just open your bedroom window, lie back and enjoy the songsters near you. But for the full effect, a wooded area or park with mature trees are great bets.   

2. Set your alarm clock. In the UK the dawn chorus is at its peak just before and just after sunrise, so ideally you would be sitting still with a cup of something warm around 5am. By around 6:30am it’s already peaked, but don’t worry, there are still plenty of birds singing then if you fancy a few more minutes in bed.  

3. Check the weather. Still, dry mornings are the best to hear the chorus in all its glory.  

4. Wrap up warm, even in May it can still be chilly before the sun rises.  

5. If it’s your first dawn chorus experience, just sit back and let the symphony of sound wash over you. It really is one of the UK’s great nature experiences. 

6. A walk with a guide is also a great idea to get the most from the experience – check out some of the events at RSPB reserves.

7. If you’re not an early riser, many species also sing on an evening, as dusk falls. It’s not quite as spectacular as the morning chorus, but still well worth a listen.