News from the Noteworthy by Sustainable Otsego

Beautiful, Loquacious Natives and Visitors

This column usually speaks of innovative agricultural practices better linking us to the land. Yet, there are other satisfying aspects of “The Life of the Land.” Let’s look at one. On our farmland, in our forests, along our lakes, rivers and streams, and ever present in our towns and villages exists a feature of great beauty, often taken for granted. Wake up early, before sunrise, and what first greets your senses? In moonlight, your eyes may see little. But you can always hear an orchestra of song.

Humans have always sung and danced—as mating rituals, to define community, to honor tradition, and just for the joy of it. How did this happen? Did evolution create something in us that turned out to be both beautiful and useful, or did we sit down and decide to create music, song, and dance? Or was it a mix? Have other species possibly done the same?

Can we imagine other evolving species stumbling on to something equally beautiful, which they enjoy for its own sake, and which also has useful ends? That their actions can be considered as well as instinctive? Watching a curious crow watching us, can we not imagine that birds relish life in some of the same ways we do?

Two hundred forty species of birds breed and live year-round in New York, and another 450 species visit annually. While not all sing melodiously, all vocalize—to identify themselves, call for mates, defend territories, and likely for the sheer joy of it. Has evolution granted some similar gifts to both our species?

Performers at The Glimmerglass Festival can find something beyond a glorious costume to admire in the northern cardinal. It can span more pitches than a piano in one grand sweeping note, through a two-sided voice box called the syrinx. It starts the note with one side, then switches to the other without stopping for breath, also enabling songs of simultaneously rising and falling pitches. The cardinal is the envy of opera singers everywhere.

The eastern bluebird is our state bird. Popular lore says bluebirds herald the return of spring, and their song and colors undoubtedly brighten many a grey, snowy day. Interestingly, they are also known as partial migrants, with some traveling south, and others staying near their nesting grounds, based on available food and possible weather conditions. Sounds a wee bit familiar, doesn’t it?

Then there is the hummingbird. It weighs but .2 ounces yet migrates across the Gulf of Mexico and all the way here. Its wings beat 80 times per second and rotate like trapeze artists. It’s the only bird that hovers, flies sideways, backwards, and forward in any direction. Similar aerial capabilities belong only to certain flying insects and, of course, helicopters. Perhaps man again imitates bird?

Finally, if you hear a local bird singing loudly and at length, it’s likely male. (If you wish, compare to stage-hogging male rock stars.) Most female songbirds in our zone use shorter, simpler calls, while males create what we call song. But before thinking of sexual discrimination, know it’s the opposite in more tropical climes, where females lead the singing, and mating pairs sometimes sing duets. Opera, indeed.

The silence of a world without bird song is unimaginable. Hundreds of bird species make the life of our land richer and more beautiful. Take the time to listen and watch.

Authored by Sustainable Otsego. Since 2007 we have promoted ecologically sound practices—locally, regionally, and nationally. We advocate sustainable living, economic independence, and home rule. Visit facebook.com/SustainableOtsego.