International Dawn Chorus Day Sunday May 4

The dawn chorus is the collective singing of wild birds,  as a new day dawns. The chorus is at its most vibrant and energetic around 30 minutes either side of sunrise between 5am and 6am in early May. It's a vibrant soundscape where birds use their songs to attract mates, establish and claim territories, and announce their presence to other birds. 

The dawn chorus is most prominent during the spring breeding season but it can be heard throughout much of the spring, summer and early autumn.  By mid-March lots of our resident birds are in full song and by mid-April, the song of migrant birds is added to the symphony which reaches its peak in early May. Daybreak is the best time to hear the chorus. Birdsong has been shown to carry 20 times further at dawn, when the air is still, making all that effort to attract a mate much more effective.

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 and the tits and wood pigeons  gradually join in until we have the full orchestral spectacle.

Our contribution to that national database of dawn chorus soundscapes.
​This recording of the dawn chorus was made at Pooh Sticks bridge in Brockham on 30/04/25. Using the Merlin App, I4 different birds were identified as contributing to the symphony. Our intention is to create a sound map by recording bird song in different parts of the 4Bs.