One of the utilities recommended by Donald Kroodsma in his book The Singing Life of Birds is a free software program offered up by Cornell for generating sonograms. I took some time last night to download the program, Raven Lite 1.0.
The full Raven Lite program is being offered free (there is also a demo version but Cornell is offering free registration) on their site. It is available for both Mac and for that other platform. It was a cinch to download and easy to use. I’ve only played with a couple of hours (that I really didn’t have to spare) but I like what I see. Using Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs (Eastern) I’ve been exploring different birdsong and following along, learning to listen with my eyes as well as my ears.
The controls are simple to use, and it is easy to expand the sonograms on both planes, to make it easier to follow them. You can set the playback speed to whatever speed you would like. A Song Sparrow sounds positively alien at 1/10 speed, but it soooo easy to follow along with what the bird is actually singing.
The drawback? Well, I really really didn’t need another interest and I feel one growing. All the time I was playing with Raven Lite I couldn’t help but think "I’ve GOT to figure out a way to record a Ringed Seal and check out its sonogram." Ringed seal are the most otherworldly sounding animals I’ve ever heard. I’d love to see what it looks like on paper. Well, I do have the hydrophone, perhaps I really should have a recorder. But if I get a recorder I really should get a parabolic microphone, otherwise it would only have a limited use with just the hydrophone.
See. See what you’ve done.
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9 responses
For a real treasure trove of bird song goodness, check out the Macaulay Library. (See the homepage link on my comment.) There’s a few hours of fun.
Thanks John, now I don’t get to sleep tonight.
Free . . . uh-oh . . .
I am resisting looking into this gadget right now precisely because I have to much work to get done.
I’m heading over there right now. Thanks, I really needed one more way to avoid doing any “real” work.
“That other platform” you mean they’ve got a version for Ubuntu Linux?? 😉
You’re trying to suck me into it too, I can just tell! No! No more hobbies!
Clare, i must admit that I am not likely to download this device and i can see you being diverted for hours. However I must admit with your interest in birds, I am now looking more closely at the ones i am exposed to and that one in the yard the other day was like likely a red poll. Yesday walking in Rankin I saw probably fulmars flying overhead or they could have been ” seagulls ” and some small sandpipers like birds about 8-10 scratching among the grass on a melting spot.
Really it’s not my fault everyone. Blame Donald Kroodsma. And of course I was talking about Linux Dunc, what else (not really they just support Mac and Wind.. Windo.. Wiiinn.. you know Bill Gate’s one. The Linux people are all probably talented enough to whip up a similar program themselves).