Wake up to the Dawn Chorus: RSPB calls on the nation to throw open their windows on Saturday night for Sunday morning

And finally, one for the early risers or maybe a reason to set your alarm clock for early on Sunday morning

Wake up to the Dawn Chorus: RSPB calls on the nation to throw open their windows on Saturday night for Sunday morning - RSPB

This Sunday, 1 May 2022, the RSPB is asking people to wake up to the Dawn Chorus as nature’s best singers start the day by serenading each other, advertising that love is in the air and spring has sprung.

Every year as the days start to get longer and warmer weather arrives, people begin to contact the RSPB about the birdsong they hear every morning as the dawn chorus starts to build.

wren, small brown bird, perched on branch, beak open in full song — Singing wren (image: RSPB)

This year, on International Dawn Chorus Day, the RSPB is not just asking people to wake up to the dawn chorus but also to wake up to the fact this national treasure is under threat with many of the UK’s favourite birds in decline.

The dawn chorus is the time when our birds sing to each other, taking advantage of the quiet. As the sun rises, birdsong will build over the course of an hour to announce they are looking for love. It happens at this time of year because the weather is warmer, food more abundant and new growth offers new places to nest – and the birds that live in the UK all year long are joined by those who fly here every summer from Africa to raise a family and give the next generation the best possible start.

f you want to enjoy International Dawn Chorus Day without leaving your bed, join the RSPB on Facebook to hear the dawn chorus streamed live from different locations.

Beccy Speight added: “Listening to birdsong is the perfect way to wake up, and the dawn chorus is a natural wonder we can all enjoy wherever we are. But for our birds this amazing song is a serious business as they are looking for love, declaring where they live and that they are looking to build a home to raise a family. Even if you are not going to be getting up at first light we are asking everyone to wake up to the dawn chorus, a natural spectacle that is under threat. Whether it is the familiar birds of our parks and gardens or the songs of the birds found in our woodlands, farmlands and coasts, we need to protect the dawn chorus for future generations, which includes our politicians turning their promises to halt wildlife decline into the action required.”

If you want to find out more about International Dawn Chorus Day, top tips for hearing birdsong and the range of festival events being organised by the RSPB here.