A local friend just shared a free online article titled “The Voices of Birds and the Language of Belonging” by David G. Haskell (linked) that is partly technical and partly inspirational.
It reminded me of the Tropical Screech Owl that often sings to me during the night hours from my Higueron Tree, singing me to sleep (never got a photo of it). The article also reminded me of how I prepared for works presented by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra (15 years ago) by going an hour early for a 30 minute discussion of what we were about to hear. It’s amazing how much more you hear and experience when you prepare to listen! 🙂 That was back when Giancarlo Guerrero (from Costa Rica) was the Music Director. But, back to the article whose author said in the last line . . .
Let’s answer the birds’ invitation, stepping outside to give them the simple gift of our attention. Listen. Wonder. Belong. ~David G. Haskell
Here’s one of several YouTube videos of the Tropical Screech Owl singing . . .
Or if really into it, you can listen to archived audio recordings and calls of the Tropical Screech Owl (Megascops choliba) through the Xeno-canto Tropical Screech Owl Database, which features hundreds of field recordings.
Or read about them and see their distribution map on eBird. And thanks to Judith LaBelle for the article on listening to birds! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Listen. Wonder. Belong.
And the featured photo of a Tropical Screech Owl in Costa Rica was copied off the internet and not my photo. I am yet to photograph one. The one I hear singing at night is in the dark and I don’t have the equipment to photograph at night and when I got up and looked for him once, I never even saw him. BUT, I do have photos of 6 other owls here in Costa Rica that I photographed in daylight . . .
And my favorite is probably that last one, the Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, though I like them all! 🙂