Reflections on birdsong, by Fintan O Brien.
Some people have made a study of bird language, to try and bring some under-
standing to what the birds are ‘saying,’ but so far there has been found no language
we can unravel. But what is birdsong ? Why do we find it we find so attractive ?
Birds proclaiming their territory is one reason for why birds sing. Because of the
need to get enough to eat and places to nest, by singing the birds establish territories
and so come into an equilibrium with their environment. Part of the understanding and appreciation of birdsong has to do with silence, because it is this that reflects the mood of the natural sounds, these in turn highlight the silence. Any noise spoils the effect of both the quiet and the natural sounds. The silences between birdsongs seem to say as much as the songs do. Birdsong has these gaps of complementary silences, these sweet pauses. Nature sounds are a companion to silence and have the quality of highlighting the quietness. Silence needs some slight sounds, like distant birds or insects to make it sound silent, if the environment was absent of all sound, then on a certain level it wouldn’t appear silent. A good example is of the owl, who to us, seems to say ‘How deep; Quiet and mysterious the forest is.’ Lots of different complex sounds are needed to reflect the many facets of the environment. Silence is the majestic canvas on which are painted the colours complementary to it. We don’t consider birds to be intelligent in the usual sense of the word, yet they make the most beautiful music. Their songs and calls are the very essence of wilderness, these places seem incomplete unless reflected in sound, even if only a slight sound. We need birds and other creatures voices to reflect, or complement the surroundings they live in, for instance, Curlew describe the austere and empty bogs, their lonesome whaling, is so fitting for the lonesomeness of the open hills, or the bitter-sweet, forlorn-beauty of the bog at sunset, of dun colours of heather and moss. The harsh calls of the raven reflect the austere aspects of the mountainside. Birds like Robins are very introspective in sound, their voices are most wistful when heard in a dank, dim woods in autumn. A Skylark or Meadow pipits song flight, lift the spirits. A wood pidgins soft voice reflects the peace and softness of the countryside. House sparrows and starlings are cheerful and homely sounding. Gold Crest and Coal Tits, high pitched calls and songs have an other-worldly quality, clear whistles that best describe our experience of a crisp new day, these sounds are the perfect complement to the cool, scented pine forest. Songbirds like Blackcaps can dazzle us on an intellectual level, with their output of pure music, a brief whistle or warbled few notes that sparkle with joy. A Yellow Hammers song can be somewhat lonesome, perfect for a hot afternoon in early summer, when we might gaze at a majestic landscape, yet feel slightly sad, as it is equally a reminder that summer must pass, the season must move on. As the seasons change, so do the songs and therefore the mood they create. Altogether then, the natural orchestra has the full range of expression. Both emotionally and in sound frequency. Even colours reflect the mood of an area and like the sound, they also help to create the mood they are reflecting. Even within the area of colours, there is harmony. When the light dims, the mix of colours changes, yet is still mixed in a complementary way that perfectly matches the surroundings. Like in a magnificent room where the colours have been chosen to match harmoniously. Or like a rainbow; The colours come from white light, if these are recombined you get white light again. This example reminds me of the question; How do you separate colour from intensity, or a word from its meaning ? The smells of the countryside also reflect perfectly the atmosphere, they are as much a part of the whole experience. Call to mind the smells of wildflowers and vegetation, the bitter-sweet scent of autumn leaves, that sullen mustiness of a wood in autumn. I smelt a flower of the same species as on an island I had visited years ago, the scent instantly brought back the experience and essence of that place. Shapes, smells and sounds, even the coolness suits the northern forests, or the heat the tropical jungle. Musicians choose musical instruments to reflect a mood, a low whistle or a violin for introspection, trumpets for strength or joy, acoustic guitar for warmth, drums for a bit of marching force, bass for depth and so on. Instruments in combination can produce probably any mood. The voices in Gregorian chant have the same longing quality as some birds of the wild mountains, the same emotional colour as each other. Dazzling beauty mixed with longing. Each creation is separate, yet designed to be a part of something bigger; Separate, yet it is as if nothing is complete in itself, each part needs the other to be whole. The two halves are not complete unless they reflect each other. If the atmosphere of a habitat is hard to describe, then so are the sounds. The two go so well together it is hard to say which is reflecting which. An expensive perfume is a blend of many essences, all the components together make the fragrance. All the sights, sounds, colours, shapes and smells, are one with and reflect each other, each is a expression of a beautiful whole. In short, where there is the right mix of species present, that mix will give the area the correct sound it needs to reflect it. In conversation we could relate to someone, how beautiful a walk we had in the country, how lovely an atmosphere there was in the forest and on the hills. Even the words of great poets do it little justice at all. Bird songs and calls are not speaking about ‘things’ as we do. When birds talk of the mood of a place, the sounds they make are the mood and the perfect reflection of the locality where they live, unlike our inadequate words. It is safe to say that the birds don’t consciously realise they are creating such an atmosphere. Birdsong is a language where the sounds are the meaning and don’t simply represent objects, like our language. Birds perfectly translate the mood of the natural environment into sound. Our words could never do that. Birdsong is Spiritual Medicine, a Natural Treasure and a Companion to Silence.