Bird song classifiers

Decision table for identifying birdsong
Bird Description Audio
stereotype melodic

Ortolan bunting ■■		 stereotype melodic fast medium (3-5 KHz) . First about 4 hlhlhlhl then a single higher or lower note
Song: Song simple, but varies from region to region. Sometimes structurally similar to yellowhammer, but slower, more melancholic, and with more clearly audible harmonics f.ex. "tze-ti tze-ti tze-ti tweeeee". Beginning with repeated alternating notes (tze-ti) and ending on a lower note fading out with a rising pitch. Sometimes without the ending note (like yellowhammer). [Link]		 ♫
one note

Western bonelli's warbler ■■		 one note fast high (3-7 KHz) . Single note repeated 6 or 8 times quickly in half a second
Song: Reihe(5-10) von gleichhohen Schlägen, ähnlich dem Schwirren der obigen Art [Waldlaubsänger], aber langsamer, einzelne Töne deutlich getrennt, etwas scheppernd. Kann mit Klappergrasmücke verwechselt werden) [Link]		 ♫
improvised melodic
rasp, rattle

Northern wheatear ■■		 rasp, rattle improvised melodic fast medium (2-6 KHz) . The Wheatear song consists of short phrases with marked pauses. Each phrase is often introduced by the "weet" sound, then followed by hastened, creaking, rattling and warbling sounds of 1-2 seconds duration. The "check" sound is also often included in the song. [Link]
Song: Kurze, wechselvolle Strophe mit vielen unreinen Tönen. Meist von erhöhter Warte aus oder in kurzem Singflug vorgetragen. [Link]
The Wheatear song consists of short phrases with marked pauses. The "check" sound is also often included in the song. [Link]		 ♫
sings 5-19 seconds

Citril finch ■■		 sings 5-19 seconds fast low-high (2-10 KHz) . Wild warbling of about 7 seconds
Song: Wikipedia sagt ähnelt dem Gesang des Stieglitzes, in Aufbau und Tonfolge auch dem Girlitz.
Scheint nicht viel zu singen - XenoCanto hat nur 6 Seiten von Aufnahmen!		 ♫
non-musical
mimicry, cawing

Spotted nutcracker ■■		 mimicry, cawing non-musical slow low-high (1-10 KHz) . Grehh, grehh, grehh!!
Song: Song a quiet improvisation of whistling and clappering sounds, interspersed with mimicry of other birds. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic

Wallcreeper ■■		 stereotype melodic fast medium (1-5 KHz) . 5-notes LlmHh with pirol-like slowness and tone.
Song: Song variable in length, but main characteristic a sequence of 4-6 long, ascending whistles with timbre recalling whistling kettle. More complex and varied phrases are mixed with the long whistles. Both male and female sings. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic
trill

Common redpoll ■■		 trill simple rhythmic fast medium (2-6 KHz) . A few chirps and a trill, then repeat.
Song: Song an improvised chattering on various contact calls with no apparent phrasing. [Link]		 ♫
sings 5-19 seconds

European serin ■■		 sings 5-19 seconds veryFast high (4-10 KHz) . Song: Weird hectic song, and you'll probably hear them but not see them, which is a shame, because they're a colorful yellow bird. The song seems to defy description - described variously as the jingling of a bunch of keys, like crushing glass or the pouring of broken glass (the German Wikipedia refers to a nickname 'Glasscutter'), the sound of a cork twising in a bottle (Thomas Seilnacht on digitalefolien.ch), and one source I can no longer find talked about a ruined cassette tape. A Portuguese web site aptly calls it 'a high-pitched and fast rambled sum of indistinctive elements', and U. Cornell's ebird.org calls it frantically fast, oiseaux-birds.com 'a prolonged, wheezy, chirping', beautyofbirds.com 'a buzzing trill'.
Das Gesangsrepertoire umfasst über 50 komplexe Silben, die in einem sehr schnellen Tempo und einer sehr stereotypen Reihenfolge eigene Lieder bilden. Starke Variationen finden sich im Übergang von einer Tour (zusammenhängenden Abfolge von Silben, also (Teil-)Strophe) in eine andere (Modulation). Das Gesangsrepertoire ist unter den Stieglitzartigen (Carduelinae) einzigartig.[1] Zudem umfasst es eine variable Menge an Silben, die auch im Gesang anderer Vögel verwendet werden. Es konnte bewiesen werden, dass die Komposition des Repertoires geographisch variiert. [Wikipedia setzt sich ernsthaft mit dem Gesang auseinander]
Song: Song a hectic, jingling, continuous trill, like the pouring of broken glass. The highest notes are constantly modulated to form vague motifs. Timbre comparable to Corn Bunting. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic
whoop, trill

Tree pipit ■■		 whoop, trill simple rhythmic slow medium (1-5 KHz) . Reminds me of a greenfinch - series of trills, whoops and other sounds with a long pause
Song: Mehrere unterschiedliche Tonreihen aneinandergefügt. Zuletzt „zia zia zia ziah“. Zuerst auf Baum sitzend, dann im Singflug, Zia-Rufe während Gleitflug (Fallschirmvogel) [Link]
Song characteristic. Starts with a series of Chaffinch-like "che-che-che" which gives way to long, descending, "ricocheting" whistling notes (especially at the end of song-flight). [Link]		 ♫
one note

Meadow pipit ■■		 one note fast medium (1-5 KHz) . Single note, possibly rising at the end. (Or: long 4 second phrases, gradually louder then softer; swoopy or whoopy.) Sings in flight. BirdID: Song very similar to Rock Pipit, but tone less full and more brittle. Lacks Rock Pipit's closing trill, and beginning is less "hammering". - but what does a rock pipit sound like?
Song: Ähnlich Baumpieper, aber ohne Zia-Rufe. Vollständiger Gesang nur in flatterndem Singflug. Lange Strophen. Mittelstück meist zart und hoch [Link]
Song very similar to Rock Pipit, but tone less full and more brittle. Lacks Rock Pipit's closing trill, and beginning is less "hammering". [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic

Tawny pipit ❑❑		 stereotype melodic slow medium (2-6 KHz) . Song simple. Consists of three notes merged in a short, continuous and ringing "tsee-ro-ee", given every 1-2 seconds.
Song: Song simple. Consists of three notes merged in a short, continuous and ringing "tsee-ro-ee", given every 1-2 seconds. Timbre is wagtail-like and intonation variable, but consistent in each song. Flight call similar in timbre, like a cross between Yellow Wagtail and House Sparrow (song). Thinner and more wagtail-like than Richard's Pipit. [Link]		 ♫
churr

Black redstart ■■		 churr stereotype melodic slow high (3-9 KHz) . The song is two parts and unvarying. If it were a pop song, you'd call it ABABAB... The second part starts with a sputtering trill. The RSPB in the UK says 'warble with crackling trills.' Vogelwarte.ch says 'Der gepresst knirschende Gesang setzt meist lange vor Sonnenaufgang ein und ist der Auftakt für das Vogelkonzert.' BirdLife-Zuerich.ch says 'Einziger Sänger morgens um drei in den Häuserschluchten'. Obwohl NABU.de meint, sie singen nicht mehr nach Juli, war ich angenehm überrascht sie in Oktober im Tessin zu hören.
Song: Other: Einige Arten wie der Hausrotschwanz singen zudem im Herbst, bevor sie in ihr Winterquartier ziehen. Die Männchen legen dann ihre Reviere bereits «provisorisch» fest. [Link]
Am Morgen der erste Sänger: Kurzes dreiteiliges Liedchen, meist von Warte aus gesungen. Mittelstück aus rauen gequetschten Tönen. (als ob kurz die Stimme verloren) [Link]
Song consists of three parts and is distinct if heard well. It opens with some clear notes that may form a trill, which are then followed by a pause. The "gravel-part" does not carry as far as the rest of the song. [Link]		 ♫
mimicry

Common redstart ■■		 mimicry stereotype melodic slow high (3-9 KHz) . I though I had these guys figured out after hearing them in Locarno several times, but they're hard to get a handle on! At BirdID they are described the first two parts of a three-part song like this: 'an ascending single note, immediately followed by a trill', whereas in Locarno I heard an initial high-low-high-low, sometimes without the final low, perhaps also a quick middle note, and no trill. Then a relatively short blackbird or warbler-like tune of maybe 5-8 notes. Listening to more recordings at XenoCanto has completely confused me now! BirdID also says the song is similar to the black redstart, which I sometimes hear at XenoCanto, but never did in Locarno! They also note a similarity to the Lesser Whitethroat (Klappergrasmücke), which I hope to hear in Maienfeld.
Song: Fängt immer mit denselben 3 Tönen an, einem „dih dede“, wobei das dih etwa ein bis zwei Töne höher liegt. Dann folgt eine kurze Strophe mehr oder weniger reine Töne. Das Ganze ist ziemlich individuell. [Link]
Song distinct, with three parts: First an ascending single note, immediately followed by a trill, then concluding with a squeaky, rattling improvisation that usually contains some mimicry. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic
trill

Lesser whitethroat ■■		 trill simple rhythmic slow medium (3-5 KHz) . Song typically consists of two parts. An indistinct chattering and warbling, subsong-like part similar to [common] Whitethroat, which is usually followed by a dry, fast and rattling trill. The trill carries much further than the chattering part. May be difficult to identify if trill is omitted. [Link]
Song: Klappernd. (Müllerchen) An Berglaubsänger erinnernd. Klappertöne (5-8) Aber oft mit leisem schwatzendem Vorgesang, der fehlen kann. Kann auch an Sumpfmeise erinnern, doch sind bei dieser die Klappertöne mehr von oben her angeschlagen. [Link]
Song typically consists of two parts. An indistinct chattering and warbling, subsong-like part similar to Whitethroat, which is usually followed by a dry, fast and rattling trill. The trill carries much further than the chattering part. May be difficult to identify if trill is omitted. [Link]		 ♫
improvised melodic
mimicry

Black cap warbler ■■		 mimicry improvised melodic fast medium (2-5 KHz) . They sometimes sing like a blackbird on speed - also non-stereotypic, seemingly improvised, in short bursts. Our local guy ends most of his songs with the same seven notes, which I find a good way to confirm the identification. In Ticino we often heard the 'Leiern' sound - the warblers would sing just the first 3 notes of a longer song, then stop. The order varied; high-medium-low I call 'Figaro' as in the opera, low-high-medium 'whiskey bar', as it sounded to me like the Kurt Weill lyrics, 'O-oh-show me-the-way to-the-next whis-ke-bar' - but the warbler usually stopped after 'way' or 'next' The British authors of The Sound Approach claim to hear 'a warblel and a whistle'.
Song: Mit schwätzendem Vorgesang, (kann auch kurz sein oder ganz fehlen) der dann in klare, kräftige, zum Ende hin in wehmütige Flötentöne übergeht (Überschlag) [Link]
Song pleasing, varied and loud. Sometimes very similar to Garden Warbler. A typical phrase starts with soft, staccato chattering and mimicry, which after a few seconds changes to a much louder, pure and resonant stream of notes for about 3-5 seconds. No fixed motif, but may end phrases with recurring notes. Often deviates from the characteristic type of song, and identification from song alone may be impossible. May sing first part of song for extended periods without ever reaching the characteristic ending. [Link]		 ♫

Stonechat ■■		 improvised melodic fast low-high (2-7 KHz) . General: Series of short, often squawky little bits, sometimes like a house sparrow, often repeated with only small variation. E.g. MmLMH?
Song: Kurzer Gesang, eher steigend 8-19 slurred notes. Or 21 43 2143 [Link]
Song: The English name derives from its call, sounding like two stones knocked together. [Link]
Gesang ähnlich obiger Art [Braunkehlchen]. Reine und kratzende Laute abwechselnd, wellenförmig [Link]
The song is a sweet stream of scratchy notes. Much more even, and less chattering than the Whinchat. Almost like a short and scratchy Dunnock phrase. [Link]		 ♫
mimicry

Whinchat ■■		 mimicry improvised melodic fast high (3-9 KHz) . General: Short buzzy trilly sounds, 5-8 notes, high.
Song: Gesang hat zwei Teile wie erster und dritter vom Hausrotschwanz. Steigend, fallend. [Link]
Song:
Kurzes (3-7 Töne) Liedchen mit 1-2 Kreischlauten, (ähnlich der Mittellaute b. Hausrotschwanz) variabel. Ahmt auch andere Vögel nach. [Link]
Song variable with lots of mimicry. The short phrases starts with dry, rattling or sneering trills, followed by clear whistling notes and expert mimicry. More varied, both in tone and tempo, than both Stonechat and Wheatear. [Link]		 ♫
sings 30 seconds or longer
mimicry

Woodchat shrike ❑❑		 mimicry sings 30 seconds or longer fast medium (2-6 KHz) . Territorial song loud and varied. Often repeats phrases and includes mimicry. Alternative [non-territorial] song a more continuous chattering with impressive mimicry similar to Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrike, and difficult to separate from those. [Link]
Song: Territorial song loud and varied. Often repeats phrases and includes mimicry. Alternativ song a more continuous chattering with impressive mimicry similar to Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrike, and difficult to separate from those. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic
trill, rasp

European greenfinch ■■		 trill, rasp stereotype melodic fast low-high (2-7 KHz) . General: Sequence of 4-6 rhythmic elements at different pitches. A sort of trill is often start or end of the sequence, there are slides.
Song: Song composed of various sequences of linked sounds, repeated in a vibrating manner; "trrrrrrrrr", "chechechecheche". Sometimes resembles Brambling when making the wheezy "rrrrrrrrr" sound, but differs in being harsher and by "pulling" the pitch downwards (or sometimes upwards) at the end. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic
rasp

Brambling ■■		 rasp simple rhythmic slow medium (1-5 KHz) . General: Bergfink - call cheep plus two ascending Grünfink squawks. Song? Grünfink squawk but not descending, every 3-4 seconds.
Song: Song very distinct; a soft, wheezing, drawn-out single note. Repeated at the same pitch in a monotonous manner. [Link]
Song: Song very distinct; a soft, wheezing, drawn-out single note. Repeated at the same pitch in a monotonous manner. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic
mimicry, trill

Rock bunting ■■		 mimicry, trill stereotype melodic fast low-high (2-9 KHz) . AppearanceAndIdentification: orange-brauner bauch, weisse brust+kopf mit 3 schwarzen streifen am kopf (unter/am/ueber Augen), braun+dunkelbraun auf Fluegeln; aber Weibchen eher braun
Song: Notes from 2022: Short song, relatively long pause, repeated with slight variation? Has a very short triller of just 3 notes.
May have heard and seen one walking parallel to the Aa on the way to Pfaeffikersee today, though the visual ID is very uncertain; the Xeno-Canto song here sounds different than my 2022 description - musical like a chaffinch but rising, not falling.
Song: Song variable, but usually distinct. [Link]		 ♫
mimicry

Common linnet ■■		 mimicry stereotype melodic fast low-high (2-7 KHz) . General: Aehnlich wie ein Rohrsaenger aber nur kurze Segmente mit klaren Pausen.
Song: Nabu: Sein Gesang umfasst trillernde, kurze und musikalische pfeifende Laute, unter anderem „piUU“, „trrüh“ und „tu-ki-jüüh“. [Link]
Song: Gesang ist fast Rohrsänger-artig, relativ hoch und zirpend. Manchmal mit kleinen Pausen. bird-song Aufnahme where kurz, llll mhllll [Link]
Song: Gesang fuer mich aehnlich wie Gruenfink.
Song a varied, sweet stream of contact calls, mimicry and trills with a staccato feel. [Link]		 ♫
improvised melodic
swoop

Song thrush ■■		 swoop improvised melodic slow low-high (2-9 KHz) . Paced like a blackbird, humorous mix of elements like a nightingale. Huge range, elements from 2-5 KHz, others 6.5-9 KHz. Can sing for up to 50 minutes, and a male may know 100 melodies in its repertoire.
Song: Klangfarbe ähnlich obiger Art [Amsel], aber jedes Element 2-4mal wiederholt, Pausen zwischen den Phrasen.(klingt oft wie „Philipp“, oder „Judith“) Einzige Drossel unseres Gebietes die diese Wiederholungen macht. Singt oft nicht von Baumspitze aus, sondern aus dem Geäst. [Link]		 ♫
non-musical
rattle

Mistle thrush ■■		 rattle non-musical fast low-high (2-9 KHz) . Song: Gesang ähnlich Amsel, aber eintöniger mit geringerem Tonumfang [auch kürzer, kein schnirpsliges Ende -- Bill] [Link]
Song: Gesang ähnlich dem der Amsel, aber weniger abwechslungsreich und melancholisch, fast weinerlich klingend. Meist von Tannenspitze aus. [Link]
Song loud, far reaching and melodic. Most similar to Blackbird, but pitch is higher, phrases shorter (3-6 notes) and most notably, pauses between phrases are much shorter. All which gives the song a much more hurried feel than that of the Blackbird. Timbre is thinner and slightly shivering, and tonal range more limited. May have recurring favourite motifs, but does not repeat phrases like Song Thrush. Sometimes adds higher pitched parts and imitations. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic

Redwing down 6+chattering ■■		 stereotype melodic slow medium (3-5 KHz) . Song delivered in two parts. First a simple, melodic phrase of 3 - 6 notes, usually followed by a more silent, indistinct, fast and less melodic, chattering sequence. First part highly variable from place to place, but constant in individuals. [Link]
Song: Song delivered in two parts. [Link]		 ♫
non-musical
rasp

Fieldfare ■■		 rasp non-musical slow medium (1-6 KHz) . BirdID says song a mix of dry contact calls, BirdLife that it's almost only heard in flight. The XC recording is a bit of a chuckle to me.
Song: Gesang nicht melodisch,aus gepressten, quietschenden Tönen bestehend, fast nur im Flug vorgetragen. [Link]
Song a mix of dry contact calls; "trrrt trrrrt", and high pitched, drawn out, chattering improvisations. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic
mimicry

Common whitethroat ■■		 mimicry simple rhythmic fast high (3-7 KHz) . Song: Often ends with more indistinct mimicry, or subsong. May omit characteristic phrase and sing more cryptic for periods of time, and may be more difficult to identify. [Link]
Relativ kurzer gesang, an Anfang fallend, dann entweder weiter oder steigend. 7-14 notes. [Link]
Song: Gesang kurz und rau (Kürzester Name).Oft im Singflug aber auch ab Warte. Wenn im Singflug dann Strophe etwas länger. [Link]
Often ends with more indistinct mimicry, or subsong. May omit characteristic phrase and sing more cryptic for periods of time, and may be more difficult to identify. [Link]		 ♫
one note

Water pipit ■■		 one note fast high (3-7 KHz) . Er singt überwiegend fliegend ein ein- bis zweisilbiges „zip“ oder „tsi tsi“. [Link]
Song: Monoton, GAR NICHT BERGIG. Tsilp tsilp, gleich note, wiederholt sich über 10+ Sekunden, leicht schneller aber nicht zu viel. [Link]
Meist drei nicht scharf abgesetzte lange Tonreihen. Singflug. Mittelteilstück rauer und geräuschhafter als bei obiger Art [Wiesenpieper]. [Link]
Song slightly more melodious, often with Tree Pipit like glissandi at end of phrase. [Link]		 ♫
sings 30 seconds or longer

Alpine accentor ■■		 sings 30 seconds or longer fast low-high (1-8 KHz) . Fast, long, chirpy
Song: Song is a varied stream of melodious and chattering notes, more resembling skylark than the much higher pitched Dunnock. [Link]		 ♫
two notes

Wood lark ■■		 two notes fast medium (3-5 KHz) . General: Slow for a lark? Fast to me.
Song: Fallend dadui dadui. Or figaro figaro - picture Heidi in an opera. Wenig Variation. [Link]
Der flötende Gesang der Heidelerche gehört zu den schönsten der Vogelwelt und ist tagsüber wie auch nachts zu hören. [Link]
Song: Song: Distinct and quite slow for a lark. Consists mainly of varied, disyllabic elements, or single syllables repeated in descending, accelerated phrases. Starting soft and hesitantly, then gaining in strength and speed. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic

Goldcrest ■■		 stereotype melodic slow high (6-8 KHz) . Vogelwarte.ch says high-pitched song that gently rises and falls. This song starts out with a repeated note. [Link]
Song: Kurze Reihe von sehr hohen, leisen Tönen in auf-absteigender Tonhöhe, an das „W“-im Namen erinnernd. [Link]
Song: a very high-pitched, undulating series of arpeggiated notes moving down and up again, repeated 4-5 times ending with a marked "conclusion" (like "trying to start a tiny motor and failing"). Timbre of song similar to contact call. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic

Common firecrest ■■		 simple rhythmic fast high (6-8 KHz) . Very high rhythmic repetition of about 3 seconds
Song: Wie [beim Wintergoldhähnchen] aber auf gleicher Tonhöhe bleibend. [Link]
Song: Similar in timbre to Goldcrest, but much more monotonous. [Link]		 ♫

Marsh tit ■■		 simple rhythmic fast low-high (2-10 KHz) . Higher-pitched than great tit, sometimes repetitive 1- and 2-note tunes like them, sometimes simple melodies, usually pure, sometimes chirpy or raspy. BirdID at Nord U says 'Song: A simple one or two note call repeated in series. Usually rising slightly in pitch, and with a "liquid" quality.'. At bird-song.ch it's hl-rest-hl, or 7-8 2-noter swoops. bird-song.ch names lh-break-hl as a pistjä call and also has a series of 7 or 8 falling 'swoops'.
Song: Klapperlied - 6-8 Noten 'angeschlagen'
Klapperlied. Reihe (6-8) weich angeschlagene Töne mittlerer Höhe. Ähnlich der Klappergrasmücke aber weicher. (Sumpf ist weich) Oft auch Rufe wie „psja“ zu hören. Ziemlich scharf u. gepresst. [Link]		 ♫

Yellowhammer ■■		 simple rhythmic fast high (4-8 KHz) . High-pitched, two notes that sound like one, repeated 10-12 times, with a higher tweet and then a whistle that sounds higher to me but usually shows up on the sonogram as the same range. The mnemonic for the staccato song in German is: «Wie, wie, wie, wie hab ich dich lieb». See the image for dialects noted by yellowhammers.net - the most common Swiss dialect is said to be XlB, though I don't always hear the second note myself (and interestingly enough, it doesn't play on my Bose headphones). Pavel Pipek of the yellowhammers project kindly explained to me: 'Regarding the XlB and other dialects, these codes were defined by a Danish scientist Poul Hansen in his paper from 1985. In this case Xl stands for a syllable with high frequency (and long) and B for a syllable with low frequency.'
Song: Kurzes Liedchen. „ Wie wie wie hab ich dich liiieb“ Das „Lieb“ ist meist etwas tiefer, kann aber auch höher sein oder doppelt, dabei das eine höher und das andere tiefer. Sehr variabel! [Link]
Song a series of 6-8 (or more) slightly ascending "tze" 's, rising in volume and ending on a sustained note, which may be lower or higher than the others. Often rendered as "little-bit-of-cheese-and-no-bread". Last note is often omitted, which may lead to confusion with Cirl Bunting. Timbre with prominent harmonics as in other bunting songs. [Link]		 ♫

Cirl bunting ■■		 simple rhythmic fast medium (3-6 KHz) . biologie-wissen.info: sings beg Feb to mid July; me: long trill similar to yellowhammer
Song: BirdID says song like yellowhammer with no ending. I see what they mean - it's more like 16 or so trilled repetitions of the same note, and no leap up to 'lieb' as in the German Goldammer mnemonic.
Wie Goldammer, aber ohne das „lieb“.und etwas tiefer. Ähnlich Klappergrasmücke. [Link]
Song variable, but can generally be described as a Yellowhammer phrase with no ending, or an Arctic Warbler with bunting timbre. Tempo also variable, but rhythm always even. [Link]		 ♫
sings 30 seconds or longer
mimicry

Eurasian skylark ■■		 mimicry sings 30 seconds or longer slow medium (2-6 KHz) . Fast chirpy improvization without a break, not very high, reminds me of a nightingale or a Eurasian reed warbler/Teichrohrsänger with the exact rhythm, but most likely sung in a cornfield. Or a Singdrossel that repeats its elements longer that that guy. Repeats elements 1-8 times. Sometimes buzzy/trilly. Can go on for minutes at a time. Ich habe es auch mit einem Amsel verwechselt, da er lang und melodisch, fast wie Amsel aber hört nicht auf.
Song: Song a pleasing energetic stream of chirping, merry trills, interspersed with mimicry. Trills quite resonant with fairly full tone. Song usually given in flight high in the air. Less characteristic, shorter, weaker and more varied song when given from ground. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic
fluting, rattle

European goldfinch ■■		 fluting, rattle stereotype melodic fast low-high (2-7 KHz) . General: Hectic sing-song, quite chaotic in feeding groups. But kept as songbird, so I guess more melodic when singing solo. A bit like a black cap warbler (Mönchsgrasmücke).
Gesang hat eine Struktur (und ist langsamer als der Girlitz): Zuerst eine kleine Melodie hoch und runter; dann vielleicht ein Gruenfink-Triller, dann 4 wiederholte Noten oder ein neues Melodiechen. (Oder kommen diese Elemente eher zufaellig?)
Song: Name stammt angeblich vom Gesang: ein steigernder sti-ge-litt.
My first (multilingual) notes: Stieglitz like Grünfink, fast, high, occasional trills. Occasionally ends a bit with falling note like buchfink
Mir wurde erst in St. Moritz in Juli 2021 bewusst wie aehnlich der Steiglitz wie ein Gruenfink klingt - beide koennen lange Gesang mit Trillern und rauhen sinkenden Toenen singen, und ich habe Stieglitz v.a. durch dieses Stoehnen fuer Gruenfink gehalten.
Contact-call distinct, and also constitutes a major part of the song. A sharp and explosive "witt", or "tzee-witt". Sometimes given as a single syllable, di- or trisyllabic, or as continuous series. The song is comprised of rapid series of the contact call, interrupted by drawn-out melodic notes and trills. [Link]		 ♫

Red crossbill ■■		 stereotype melodic slow low-high (2-10 KHz) . Repeated hi-low pattern...well, doesn't always sound like that. The very short beginning of my Stazersee recording before the static sets in does, as well as a song found online. One recording reminds me of cicada sounds.
Song: The song consist of improvised, resonant twittering, and series of contact calls with no apparent phrases. It is generally faster, with less marked pauses than in Parrot Crossbill, and the phrasing seems more random. [Link]		 ♫

Eurasian golden oriole ■■		 stereotype melodic slow low (0-1 KHz) . A soft, lowish whistling. In my opinion, the golden oriole has a beautiful voice, but no imagination as to melody - it's always the same few notes.
Song: Varied repertoire, but song and common contact call very distinct. Song a series of 1-2 seconds long phrases of 3-5 yodeling, clear, fluting notes, interspersed with 2-3 second pauses. Tone very full-bodied, melodic and pleasing. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic

Willow tit ■■		 simple rhythmic slow high (3-7 KHz) . Songs I've heard alternate two notes and look like a sine wave on the sonogram. Vogelwarte.ch: Apart from minor differences in diet and size, Alpine Tit and Willow Tit can only be identified by their song. The Willow Tit utters a series of long, descending notes («tyoo tyoo tyoo tyoo»), whereas the Alpine Tit’s territorial song consists of short notes on an even pitch («dee dee dee dee dee»). See more here.
Song: 1.Gesangstyp: „ziü ziü ziü „ etwas wehmütig, die einzelnen Töne leicht absinkend, nicht klappernd. Bei Unterart Alpenmeise auf gleicher Höhe bleibend. 2.Gesangstyp: variable, schwätzende, helle Folge m. trillerndem Schluss. [Link]
Song: One or two soft, clear, melancholic notes repeated in a slow, even rhythm. At first rising slightly in pitch, then gradually falling. In some areas song is evenly pitched. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic

Willow warbler Buchfink diva ■■		 stereotype melodic fast high (3-9 KHz) . Song similar to common chaffinch but higher, faster, tendency to descend but with more ups and downs.
Song: Reihe v. Pfeiflauten (ca 12) etwas abfallend. Klingt ähnlich Buchfink, aber etwas traurig, melancholisch, wie in moll-Tonart. [Link]
By far most easily identified by it's call or song. Song: A 3-5 second, falling phrase of soft, rippling "svi-svi" sounds, starting high with some attack, and then falling in a mellow manner. The phrase lacks any conclusion, and diminishes both in strength and tempo. [Link]		 ♫
improvised melodic

Garden warbler ■■		 improvised melodic fast medium (1-5 KHz) . Hard to distinguish from mönchsgrasmücke/black cap.
Song: Sprudelnd, orgelnd, die längsten Strophen aller hiesigen Grasmücken. Mit vielen reinen, volltönenden Tönen. Ohne Überschlag der Mönchsgrasmücke. [Link]
Song: a full bodied, flowing, melodious stream of notes, distinguished by its almost constant, warbled quality and lack of clear whistling notes (see Blackcap). Tempo is fairly even. Beware confusion possibility with occasional subsong of Blackcap that never reaches the whistling part! Call a nasal "che". [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic

Savi's warbler ■■		 simple rhythmic fast medium (3-5 KHz) . Endless buzzing like an insect or machinery. Lower tone than Feldschwirl.
Song: Gesang ähnlich obiger Art [Feldschwirl]. Tiefere Tonlage, höhere Frequenz. Strophen meist kürzer [Link]		 ♫
sings 30 seconds or longer
weird

Eurasian reed warbler ■■		 weird sings 30 seconds or longer fast medium (1-5 KHz) . Weird, squeaky, urgent. Slower than Sumpfrohrsaenger.
Song: Gleichmässiges Tempo! Man kann den Takt schlagen dazu.(Metronomsänger) Oft 2-3x wiederholte kurze Motive. Viele schnarrende Töne. [Link]
By far easiest to identify by song: Characteristic, almost metric and even rhythm, very different from Sedge Warbler. Squeaky timbre with many, almost bizarre, harmonics. Phrases generally repeated 2-3 times. [Link]		 ♫
mimicry, weird

Marsh warbler ■■		 mimicry, weird sings 30 seconds or longer fast medium (1-5 KHz) . Weird, squeaky, urgent, more variable than reed warbler, with imitations of European and African birds.
Song: Der Virtuose unter den Rohrsängern! Meisterhafter Imitator anderer Vogelstimmen. Viele wirbelnde und zwirlende Laute, wenig schnarrende. Variable Tempi. [Link]
Song extremely varied and full of mimicry of both European and African species. Up to 75 species imitated by the same bird. Phrases often repeated 2-4 times, and different phrases may overlap. Nevertheless, clearly defined phrases with marked pauses. Sometimes more flowing streams of notes, but less so than Icterine Warbler. Most similar to Icterine and Blyth's Reed Warbler. Softer timbre than Icterine, and not so loud. [Link]		 ♫
rasp

Great reed warbler ■■		 rasp sings 30 seconds or longer slow medium (1-5 KHz) . General: Sounds to me like croak cheep cheep! Listening on YouTube videos, you'd call it percussion rather than song!
Song: In Vergleich zu Teichrohrsänger langsamer und lauter. [Link]
Song: Gesang ähnlich Teichrohrsänger, aber viel lauter, Tonhöhenunterschiede 2-3 Oktaven. Karre-Kit-Sänger.. Sehr taktmässig. [Link]
Song similar to Reed Warbler in timbre, but much deeper and slower. [Link]		 ♫
mimicry

Sedge warbler ■■		 mimicry sings 30 seconds or longer slow medium (1-5 KHz) . Constant stream of equally spaced sounds. vogelwarte.ch has a sample that churrs and trills, similar rhythm to reed warbler / Teichrohrsänger, so maybe that's what it was. Listening on YouTube videos, you'd call it percussion rather than song!
Song: Gesang sehr ähnlich dem Teichrohrsänger. Aber nicht so im Takt. Bevorzugte Tongebilde werden mehrmals wiederholt. Des öftern Singflug über dem Schilf. [Link]
Song vigorous and varied. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic
whoop, trill

Corn bunting ■■		 whoop, trill stereotype melodic fast high (4-8 KHz) . General: Song is an ascending trill or buzz that climbs about an octave - 4-8 KHz.
Song: Gesang steigend und immer schneller wie .... was? [Link]
Song: Sieht für mich eher braun aus als der Grau im Namen, mit einem Finken-Schnabel und Striche oben auf der Brust wie ein Drossel [Link]
Song diagnostic. A brittle, jingling and accelerating phrase of about 2 seconds duration. [Link]		 ♫
trill

Common reed bunting ■■		 trill stereotype melodic slow high (3-7 KHz) . General: At Fanel I heard sequences of whistles and trills (buzzes?), just a few notes, but wandering up and down: m h lll, or l m hhh m. Listen to recording of 2022-06-25 13.37.28
Song: BirdID: A short sequence of 3-5 brittle and buzzing sounds, repeated consistently with marked pauses. Last sound in phrase often has a conclusive feel, but not always. [Link]
Song: Song variable between individuals and breeding status: A short sequence of 3-5 brittle and buzzing sounds, repeated consistently with marked pauses. Last sound in phrase often has a conclusive feel, but not always. Paired males sing slower than unpaired. Unpaired male song also more contracted, making the pauses between each phrase stand out. [Link]		 ♫
sings 30 seconds or longer
mimicry

Eurasian siskin ■■		 mimicry sings 30 seconds or longer fast high (3-9 KHz) . bird-song.ch sagt Gesang zwitschernd und trillernd und aehnlich wie Girlitz - ich finde auch, es hat das hohe chaotische von den mit ab und zu was rohem. [Link]
Song: Distinct calls and song. The contact call is also prominent in the improvised song. Other typical sounds in the song includes a peculiar wheeze, like someone sucking their teeth, and lots of expert mimicry. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic

Northern shrike ■■		 stereotype melodic slow medium (2-5 KHz) . I'd have called the song a call myself.
Song: Song varied. During breeding season a varied subdued song is heard from both sexes. [Link]		 ♫
improvised melodic
trill, whoop, weird

Common nightingale ■■		 trill, whoop, weird improvised melodic slow medium (1-5 KHz) . Can be a sequence of unrelated weird but musical sounds - trills, churrs, human-like whistles - very amusing.
Song: The song is the best characteristic to separate it from T. Nightingale. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic

Long-tailed tit Diddly doot-doot-doot-doot ■■		 stereotype melodic slow high (3-9 KHz) . General: Meistens hoert man das Pfief...chk..chk..Pfief von den Rufen, siehe dort.
Song: Nabu: Der Gesang ist ein feines Trillern und selten zu hören (someone at XenoCanto compares it to a blue tit trill). [Link]
Song: Song: high tsee-tsee; funny downhill trill		 ♫
simple rhythmic
slur

Coal tit ■■		 slur simple rhythmic fast high (3-9 KHz) . Higher-pitched than great tit, with more slurs instead of pure notes. Usually 2 or 3 notes in varied order. To me it seems they have a repertoire of songs, like their 'big brothers', the great tits.
Song: Song: Various repeated motifs, consisting of two to three notes with alternating accents. Slightly similar to Great Tit, but faster, not so metallic and with a less full tone. Can be mistaken for Marsh Tit when singing single or double notes, but tone is softer and notes more clearly separated (if disyllabic). [Link]		 ♫

European crested tit ■■		 slur simple rhythmic fast high (3-9 KHz) . Higher-pitched than great tit - how distinguish from coal tit, etc?
Song: Song: an improvisation over previously described calls. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic

Short-toed treecreeper 'short song in the gar-DEN' ■■		 stereotype melodic slow high (4-7 KHz) . General: It sounds to me like a 5-7 note song like 'five k low high higher', 'short song in the gar-DEN'. The individual notes have the same backward checkmark shape as the call. It's basically the same across Europe.
Song: The song of the nominate subspecies is an evenly spaced sequence of notes teet-teet-teet-e-roi-tiit. [Link]
Its song is short, loud and rhythmic. [Link]
[In comparison with the visually similar Eurasian treecreeper, it] has a clearer, louder more staccato contact call of ‘sreet’ or ‘sree’ and a short ‘wit’ during normal activity [Link]
Song: Kurz u. bündig! (Gartenwege sind kurz.) Tonreihe am Schluss ansteigend. „Hesch du gseh woni bi? [Link]		 ♫

Eurasian treecreeper Sagging tree branch ■■		 stereotype melodic slow medium (1-5 KHz) . I say: it sounds like a faster higher chaffinch song. Wikipedia says: The male's song begins with srrih, srrih followed in turn by a few twittering notes, a longer descending ripple, and a whistle that falls and then rises.
Song: Lang u. klar! (Waldwege sind lang). Tonreihe im Ganzen absinkend, nur letzter Ton höher. [Link]
Song a short, continuous three-part phrase. [Link]		 ♫
improvised melodic
trill

Eurasian wren ■■		 trill improvised melodic fast high (3-9 KHz) . High-pitched, melodic, very variable with many trills and whistles.
Song: Auffällig laut für den kleinen Vogel. Singt auch im Winter! Schmetternd, mit einem bis zwei Trillern als letztes oder vorletztes Glied. [Link]
Song surprisingly loud. A high-pitched stream of clear notes resembling Robin and Dunnock in timbre. Differs from those in showing frequent shifts in pitch with much larger register than Dunnock, and by the unique, numerous, interspersed long trills. [Link]		 ♫

Black woodpecker ■■		 . Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording
Song: Beide Geschlechter ähnlich Grünspecht aber klangvoller. „klückklückklück“ 10-20 Laute. Die „klück“ werden etwas von unten heraufgeholt, vor allem gegen den Schluss zu. Häufiger hört man „kliüüh“ von am Stamme sitzenden Vogel. Bei Platzwechsel ruft er „krükrükrü“. [Link]
Song a quick series of "klee" calls resembling Green Woodpecker, but with a purer tone and upward infliction at end of each syllable. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic
drumming

Grey-headed woodpecker ■■		 drumming simple rhythmic fast medium (0-4 KHz) . Drumming in lieu of song. Fast, constant, somehow less harsh than great and middle spotted woodpeckers.
Song: Deutlich abfallende Tonreihe. 4-10 Töne. Absinken beginnt gewöhnlich erst mit dem dritten oder vierten Ton und wird etwas langsamer. Klingt etwas klagend (moll). Vor allem gegen den Schluss. Kann nachgepfiffen werden. (beim Grünspecht nicht ) [Link]		 ♫
non-musical

Eurasian wryneck ■■		 non-musical slow medium (1-6 KHz) . Woodpecker-like series of up to 25 slightly rising calls.
Song: Reihe von 8-12 Pfeiftönen. Klingt fast etwas heiser., Jeder Ruf etwas absinkend. Die Tonhöhe kann innerhalb der Reihe etwas schwanken, etwas zunehmen und eindringlicher werden. Klangfarbe weich, obertönig. [Link]
Song (both sexes): an insisting, Merlin- or Lesser Spotted Woodpecker-like series of plaintive "kee kee kee kee kee ". First slightly ascending, then descending. [Link]		 ♫

Eurasian green woodpecker ■■		 non-musical slow medium (1-6 KHz) . Spooky laugh.
Song: Helles Lachen. Weiche, oft leicht abfallende Tonreihe. Variabel in Lautstärke und Silbenzahl. je nach Stimmung. Wenn abfallend dann vom Anfang der Rufreihe an. Auch dreisilbig „kiäckkiäckkiäck“. [Link]
Song similar to Grey-headed Woodpecker, but not as soft and fluty. Each phrase consist of a series of short "klee", with a laughing quality. Pitch drops slightly throughout the phrase, but not as markedly as in Grey-headed, and tempo is fairly constant (no ritardando). [Link]		 ♫
mimicry, cawing

Eurasian jay ■■		 mimicry, cawing non-musical fast medium (1-5 KHz) . Harsh crow-like call, or quiet questioning, 'grumbling', or plaintive cries.
Song: Quiet and varied subsong with mimicry, resembling a small passerine heard from both sexes. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic
trill

Eurasian blue tit ■■		 trill simple rhythmic slow high (3-9 KHz) . General: High-pitched, often descending (hhll), occasionally ascending. "Christina compares it to a ping-pong ball dropping.
[In Januar singt die Kohlmeise als erster Vogel in Deutschland], dann kommt die Blaumeise dazu.
Song: Song: Characteristic, clear, high-pitched, vibrating call. Usually introduced by a couple of accenting syllables, followed by ringing vibrating notes: "ti ti chuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhu". [Link]		 ♫
improvised melodic
flourish

Common blackbird ■■		 flourish improvised melodic slow low-high (1-7 KHz) . Other: Gut zu erkennen ist die Amsel. Sie singt melodiös, erklärt Heller, «zuerst flötend und dann gegen Schluss so schnirpslig». Die Amsel singe gerne dort, wo sie gut gehört werde, etwa vor Hauswänden, die den Schall nicht schlucken. Ich wollte schauen was schnirpslig heisst, aber diese ist diese einzige Verwendung, die Google kennt! Der flötende Teil ist relativ tief, 1.5-3 KHz, der schnirpslige aber 2.5-7 KHz. (Schnirpslig ist ein schones Wort das der Redner erfunden hat - Google findet nur diese eine Webseite mit dem Wort!) [Von der SRF Webseite:]
Song: Melodisch flötend dazwischen auch zerquetschte Töne. Die Elemente werden nicht wiederholt. Singt von Singwarte aus. Ca. 100 verschiedene Strophentypen. [Link]
One of the most appreciated song birds. Very melodious and resonant, with long mellow notes and a large register. Less high pitched sounds than Song Thrush, and seldom repeats a phrase. Timbre fuller than both Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush. Well defined pauses between phrases, giving the song a relaxed pace. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic

House sparrow ■■		 simple rhythmic slow medium (2-5 KHz) . An monotone chirping. Mainly 2-5 KHz with higher overtones.
Song: Song a primitive, monosyllabic, or slightly disyllabic "chilp", hard to distinguish from Tree Sparrow. [Link]		 ♫

Bohemian waxwing ❑❑		 simple rhythmic fast high (5-7 KHz) . Lots of trills. [Link]
Song: Song more or less a variation on the contact call. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic

Common rosefinch ■❑		 stereotype melodic fast medium (2-6 KHz) . Einfacher, flötender Gesang: variations on a slurring hHmML. [Link]
Song: Song very characteristic. A melodious, pure and short whistle, often rendered as "pleased to meet you". Each note with a smooth gliding change of pitch. Number of syllables may vary. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic

White-winged snowfinch ■■		 simple rhythmic slow medium (4-6 KHz) . The XC song I downloaded is a faint chirping. Should follow up on song - most talk about calls.
Song: Song a staccato, variable phrase, consisting of short burst of sharp chattering in uneven tempo. The timbre is ringing, rich in harmonics and partly rolling. [Link]		 ♫

Common cuckoo ■■		 simple rhythmic slow low (0-1 KHz) . Two-noter
Song: Männchen: Unverwechselbarer Ruf. Weibchen: im Frühling eine kichernde Rufreihe, [Link]
Song: the well known disyllabic "cuck-coo" with emphasis on first note, and the second note a third lower than the first one. Also a harsh "tchaa tchaa", and a bubbly trill, reminiscent of Little Grebe, uttered by the female. [Link]		 ♫
non-musical
weird
Rook ■■ weird non-musical fast low (0-3 KHz) . Gurgling and rattling, but mostly calls
Song: Also gives a varied song of soft gurgling and rattling sounds, interwoven with calls at breeding ground. [Link]		 ♫
improvised melodic
mimicry, whoop, weird

Common starling ■■		 mimicry, whoop, weird improvised melodic slow medium (1-5 KHz) . I find their individual song amusing, with its (long) whoops and weird noises. As a group, they're just noisy!
Song: Song a highly varied mix of falling whistles, bill-clappering and various masterful mimicry. [Link]		 ♫
one note

Turtle dove ■■		 one note slow low (1-3 KHz) . Trilling coo.
Song: Song: a deep, rolling, and slightly ascending cooing; "trrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr trrr-trrrr" with variations in rhythm. Sometimes birds sticks to a phrase, but phrases varies between individuals. [Link]		 ♫
non-musical
rattle

Eurasian magpie ■■		 rattle non-musical slow low (1-3 KHz) . Familiar rattle
Song: Rich repertoire includes soft and surprisingly varied sub-song. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic

Great tit ■■		 simple rhythmic slow medium (1-5 KHz) . Said to have a repertoire as a species of 50 or more different songs, albeit simple ones, up to 10 per individual. Females prefer a male with a large repertoire. One two-note song sounds like a squeaky bed.
Song: Nabu: Die erste Vogelart, die wir im Jahr hören, ist meistens die Kohlmeise mit ihrem typischen Läuten: "Zip Zäh" oder "Zip zip Zäh". [NABU Experte Lars Lachmann bei Deutschlandfunk Nova]
Song highly variable, but usually consisting of two to three notes repeated in a motif. Same birds have many different motifs but generally repeat them many times before switching. Identified by its timbre and often metallic resonant quality, more than by actual phrasing (which is very variable). Often includes buzzing sounds in song. [Link]		 ♫
one note

European nuthatch ■■		 one note fast medium (1-5 KHz) . Song: Song a simple series of loud notes [Link]
Song: Other: The song is very variable, with rising and falling notes, sometimes with repetition of excitement calls. [Link]
The song is a slow whistled pee-pee-pee with many variants, including a faster version, and may be intermingled with the call. [Link]
Other: Song a simple series of loud notes. [Link]
Song a simple series of loud notes. [Link]		 ♫
improvised melodic
fluting

European robin ■■		 fluting improvised melodic fast high (3-9 KHz) . General: High pitched but also going low, e.g. 2.9-7.7 KHz.
Song: Only for a short period in late summer while they are moulting and inconspicuous do robins stop singing. Both sexes sing. [RSPB article]
Song: Song medium to very high pitched, with mostly clear tones with a liquid quality. Timbre reminiscent of Wren or Dunnock, but with a much more varied structure and tempo. Pitch ranges from very high to low, almost thrush-like, notes. No recognizable motifs. Often ends on a rising or falling pitch, giving it a "Chinese" accent. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic

Common chaffinch ■■		 stereotype melodic slow medium (1-5 KHz) . General: A medium long phrase that slowly descends (I think of it bouncing down a staircase), then usually takes a jump up before a final descent.
Song: In Bavaria the mnemonic for the typical chaffinch song is: „Ich hätte gerne ein Weizenbier“, i.e. "I'd like another Weizenbier". [DasHaus]
Song: Song a falling 5 sec. phrase "zitt-zitt-chep-chepp-chu-chu-churrurrwitt". Structurally similar to Willow Warbler, but with a conclusive, ascending and accented ending, and with a much harder, finch-like, timbre. [Link]		 ♫

Eurasian bullfinch ■■		 stereotype melodic slow low-high (2-8 KHz) . 3-note long M, pause, HL (somewhat falling)...Gim! Gim-peeel! Sounds a bit like a pirol.
Song: Song a quiet, modest mix of contact call and various chirping sounds, with peculiar harmonics. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic

Common chiffchaff ■■		 simple rhythmic slow high (3-9 KHz) . Seems to consist of 3 notes repeated randomly, occasionally just 2 notes. Though NABU.de says they stop singing at the end of July, I do hear their 3-note song occasionally in October, but just one or two repetitions.
Song: [Translated from German:] From the middle of August till the end of September the chiffchaff offers regular autumn song. [Link]
Lange Reihen (6-20) von „zilp-zalp“-Rufen, meist abwechselnd in Tonhöhe. (Als bemühe sich der Sänger vergeblich den ersten Ton wieder zu treffen , ohne jedoch weit zu verfehlen.) „Zins zahl, Zins zahl, zahl Zins, Zins Zins zahl“ („Zins“ etwas höher als „zahl“) [Link]
Song a very distinct: "chiff-chaff-chiff-chiff-chaff-chiff", in a regular clock-like rhythm. Each syllable at seemingly random pitch, but no large intervals tonally. Sometimes "get stuck" at one note. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic

White wagtail ■■		 stereotype melodic slow low-high (2-7 KHz) . General: Usually just calls. This song is just a few chirpy slurs, sometimes rising-rising-falling.
Song: Zirpt wie ein Sperling aber weniger Noten. Lh lh lh [Link]
Song: Song either slow and primitive, consisting of sharp falling notes given by perched birds, or longer fast and energic bursts in excited song-flight. [Link]		 ♫

Western yellow wagtail ■■		 stereotype melodic slow high (3-9 KHz) . Just a few notes, call seems to be common but song rare. Very short chirp of ~ 1 sec, long pause of 3 secs. At Wauwilermoos it seemed to be 'Twee tweetwee (higher note:) twee!'
Song: Song primitive and less striking. Beware differences in calls and songs between different subspecies. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic

Eurasian tree sparrow ■■		 simple rhythmic slow low-high (2-7 KHz) . Monotone chirping, rougher than that of the house sparrow. Most 2-7 KHz mit many overtones, i.e. somewhat higher than the house sparrow.
Song: Chattering sounds are generally harder, and song slightly higher pitched than House Sparrow. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic
trill

Grey wagtail ■■		 trill stereotype melodic fast high (3-9 KHz) . BirdID says Song simple but variable. I hear trills up to 2 seconds long and chirps. Another description says a series of calls, not very melodic. I noted zwitx3, sometimes hhhhhll. [Link]
Song: Song simple but variable. Sometimes with more elaborate song-flight like White Wagtail. [Link]		 ♫

Dunnock ■■		 stereotype melodic fast high (4-8 KHz) . General: High-pitched, repetitive but complex little tune.
Song: Melodisch, slowly rising, roughly like black-cap warbler, which I guessed in the bird-song.ch quiz. [Link]
Song: Singt schon im Vorfrühling. Klangfarbe ähnlich Gartenbaumläufer. Aufbau ähnlich Zaunkönig, aber ohne Triller. Viel leiser und dünner. [Link]
Song a fast and evenly paced, high pitched stream of clear notes. No consistent phrasing. Similar in timbre to Robin, but does not vary tempo or pitch nearly as much. Often compared to the sound of a squeaky wheelbarrow. [Link]		 ♫
non-musical
rasp

Bank swallow ■■		 rasp non-musical fast low-high (1-7 KHz) . Fast raspy one-noter.
Song: Song a primitive improvisation on the contact call. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic

Common house martin ■■		 stereotype melodic fast low-high (2-7 KHz) . Song: Mehlschwalbe klingt weniger melodisch als der Rauchschwalbe [Link]
Merry improv of chirping, contact call [Link]
Song: Song a merry improvisation of chirping, contact call-like sounds (sometimes recalling a budgerigar). [Link]		 ♫

Barn swallow ■■		 stereotype melodic fast medium (2-6 KHz) . General: Squeaky with occasional buzzes, usually heard in flock.
Song: Kann melodisch sein wenn einzeln gehört statt viele zusammen. [Link]
Song: Characteristic calls and song. Song a sparkling, squeaky energetic improvisation with interspersed contact calls, often with diagnostic ending; an electric and drawn-out "su-eerrrrrrrrrrrrrrr". [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic
trill

Wood warbler ■■		 trill simple rhythmic fast high (5-8 KHz) . Sid-sid-sid-sirrrr. 3 secs, then 5 secs pause. At bird-song.ch I hear a slow-fast one-noter, about 8 slow ones in 1.5 seconds, then a trill of 25 fast ones.
Song: kurze Reihe (4-10) v. Stakkatotönen, gefolgt von abfallendem Schwirrroller. (Tönt wie das Anlassen eines Velosolex) Während des Gesanges schwebender Schwirrflug. Dazu hört man eine Reihe angenehmer Pfeiflaute wie „djü“ [Link]
Song distinct. An accelerating series of sharp, metallic "swee-swee-swee-swee". Alternative (piping) song a series of 4-6 piping, plaintive and descending "pew - pew" calls. Resembles Willow Tit's song, but is softer with each note more evenly pitched. Contact call similar to individual syllables of piping song, but with heavier accent on the ending. [Link]		 ♫

Spotted flycatcher ■■		 simple rhythmic slow high (6-8 KHz) . High (6-8 KHz?) short sound repeated every half to 5 seconds.
Song: Gesang 'unauffaellig' - zirp x 2-3, mal steigender tWIT
Song a primitive, slow series of various buzzing and very high pitched sounds. No recurring phrases. [Link]		 ♫
improvised melodic
rasp, weird

White-throated dipper ■■		 rasp, weird improvised melodic fast low-high (1-7 KHz) . Wonderfully weird sequence of chirps, cheeps, growls. Elements often repeated twice. In a quiz, I mistook it for a starling. This recording reminds me of other water songbirds like the Marsh warbler and various reed warblers.
Song: Song a mid tempo, staccato improvisation on contact call-like sounds. Not unlike a budgerigar. Both sexes sing, the female less melodic and more staccato than the male. [Link]		 ♫
mimicry

Icterine warbler ■■		 mimicry improvised melodic fast low-high (2-10 KHz) . Short bits 4-8 notes, sometimes with a little pause, overall a greenfinch feel. Some whoops, some chucks like a great tit, some bits like a house sparrow, even a meow. BirdLife Schweiz says full of vigor, includes some mis-tones and creaky calls; eBird says Song is fast, loud, and melodious with lots of mimicry.Can sing low (2k) or high (10k)
Song: Sein lauter, lebhafter und variabler Gesang setzt sich aus flötenden, zwitschernden und nasalen Tönen sowie Imitationen anderer Vogelarten wie Drosseln, Meisen, Schwalben oder Pirol zusammen. [Scheint mir aus Segmente von ~2 Sekunden zu bestehen.] [Link]
Song very virtuous and varied. Most similar to Marsh Warbler, but timbre and attack harder and more powerful. Tempo varied with many pauses, but includes longer, and more flowing sequences than Marsh Warbler. Song frequently interrupted by characteristic, nasal, high-pitched squeaks unlike Marsh Warbler. Master of mimicry. Imitations are often repeated several times before changing to melodious motifs or more "noisy" phrases. [Link]		 ♫
stereotype melodic

European pied flycatcher Schwarzer Kopf aber nicht traurig ■■		 stereotype melodic fast high (3-10 KHz) . Nice short melody, often with 2-note parts. Blackbird-like but little variation (though differs in dialect).
Song: Song a pleasant, tuneful, simple but varied phrase. [Link]		 ♫
improvised melodic
trill

Bluethroat ■■		 trill improvised melodic fast high (3-8 KHz) . Often one little phrase or even a single note repeated, a bit like a nightingale? Occasional figaro?
Song: Song: Structure slightly similar to Nightingale, but tone much thinner and less full-bodied. A good impersonator and various imitations are interwoven among metallic, ringing sounds to form a complex, intriguing song. [Link]		 ♫
simple rhythmic

Common grasshopper warbler ■■		 simple rhythmic fast high (5-8 KHz) . Buzzing like an insect or machinery. BirdLife Schweiz says like a grasshopper (which is after all the English name).
Song: Sehr lang anhaltendes Schwirren. Die einzelnen Schlage noch zu erkennen. Der Klang erinnert etwas an Heuschreckenzirpen (alter Name Heuschreckenrohrsänger, langer Name, lange Strophe) und klingt etwas blechern., d.h. Mit Oberton. (fast wie ein Wecker bei dem man den Finger etwas auf die Glocke hält) [Link]
Song insect-like and high-pitched. A monotonous stream of even clicks similar to a running fishing line. Maintained for seemingly endless periods, and often hard to locate. Song most similar to Savi's Warbler but is slower (each click more separated), and higher pitched with a metallic, ringing quality. Short sequences of song also functions as contact call. Also a Robin-like "tick". [Link]		 ♫

Nightjar ■■		 simple rhythmic fast medium (2-4 KHz) . Buzzing like machinery or a (BirdID says) a cricket. Changes pitch at times.
Song: Song unique among birds, but quite similar to Mole cricket. A mechanical, continuous slur, like the sound of a distant motorbike. As opposed to the Mole Cricket, it often "shifts gear" by changing pitch to a note approximately a fourth below the drone. [Link]		 ♫

Ring ouzel ■■		 simple rhythmic slow medium (1-5 KHz) . BirdID says Song a primitive, plaintive series of short phrases, often with only 1-2 syllables (I heard 2-3 in Amden, sometimes chirpy, sometimes less musical).
Song: Habe mit dem Buntspecht verwechselt - Ringdrossel singt 2-3 Noten - hilft das? [Link]
Song a primitive, plaintive series of short phrases. Often with only one or two syllables. Interspersed with eerie, higher pitched sounds, reminiscent of Song Thrush. [Link]		 ♫

Song sparrow		 . Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording
Song: In this study it was found that young song sparrows recognize both a typical sound type, a trill, and the temporal pattern of the song, whereas swamp sparrows only listen for the trill, having no complex song. [page 82: acoustic cues for species-selective song learning]
The authors describe the singing with amusing terms, puff-sing-wave used to drive off a territorial intruder, and the aggressive 'zhee' call used throughout the year to threaten other species or other song sparrows. [page 165]
It was seen (by Hiebert et al in 1989) that song sparrows with a larger repertoire acquired a territory more quickly and survived longer. [page 48]
It was seen that song sparrows matched the song repertoire of a neighbor to show that they were recognized. The authors (Beecher et al 1996) said that though not very aggressive, echoing the song of a neighbor's repertoire is more aggressive than singing a completely different song. [page 50]
Another theory is that knowing all the songs of a neighbor means that it is sufficient to just responds those songs. If a bird has had to move to a more distant area or knows fewer songs himself, he may need to fight more often to prove the same point. [page 51-52]
Young birds are said to learn songs from either one adult male after hatching, therefore in the area his parents did their breeding, or after migration the following spring, in which case it learns other songs from a male there. Dialects happen because birds tend to breed and therefore to sing in the same local area where they learned their songs. [page 115-116]
One study shows that birds under stress during song learning in early development produce poor quality songs with fewer copied notes. Females prefer songs learned with accuracy, so these poor stress-out kids are out of luck. [page 324]
Beecher 2008 notes that song sparrows always learn an entire song and don't link two different songs; and that they tend to learn songs sung by many different males in their new neighbohood, making the song more useful to them. [page 375]
Stoddard et all 1991 noted that though each song sparrow has a repertoire of 10 songs, the set of neighbors will have about 50 all in all, but each can recognize the individuals. As I understood from the discussion before that, the point is that each can recognize the other's voice if they both sing the same song [page 384]
Here it's mentioned that birds with more songs in their repertoire live longer - whether song sparrows in North America or great tits, which live right by our home. [page 396]
Some birds like white-crowned sparrows are "open ended learners", and could learn song sparrow songs but prefer those of their own species. These open ended learners continue to learn songs well into adulthood or even throughout their lives. [page 371]		 ♫

Practice

♫
Answer Great hornbill XC819734 - Great Hornbill - Buceros bicornis - song, sounds like a frog.
♫ Answer Grey catbird Gray catbird weird song, Cherrywood Court.
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Answer House sparrow XC753974 - House Sparrow - Passer domesticus - song of a single bird, recorded in the UK.
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Answer Eurasian penduline-tit XC357228 - Eurasian Penduline Tit - Remiz pendulinus - song, 3 second melody mixed with occasional swoop calls.
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Answer Nightjar
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Answer White wagtail
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Answer European nuthatch Is the brevity what makes it a song, whereas calls seem to go on endlessly?
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Answer Wood warbler
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Answer Blue rock-thrush
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Answer Siberian rubythroat XC843510 - Siberian Rubythroat - Calliope calliope - song, Vientiane Prefecture, Laos.
♫
Answer European crested tit XC560609-european-crested-tit-lophophanes cristatus2020.05.20 11.51 01 song.
♫
Answer Black grouse
♫ Answer Oriental magpie-robin Melodic appearance of Oriental Magpie Robin Male 🕊️🌄#birds #viral #morning #song.
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Answer White-throated dipper XC512901-Wasseramsel.
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Answer Spotted nutcracker
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Answer Common kingfisher XC839045 - Common Kingfisher - Alcedo atthis - song - Viana do Castelo, Portugal.
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Answer Common linnet
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Answer Northern wheatear
♫
Answer Tawny pipit
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Answer Wallcreeper XC569274 - Wallcreeper - Tichodroma muraria - song, this one sounds likes a pi-rol.
♫
Answer Common cuckoo XC801215 - Common Cuckoo - Cuculus canorus.
♫ Answer Pheasant-tailed jacana XC190863 - Pheasant-tailed Jacana - Hydrophasianus chirurgus - song, sounds like pir-ol.
♫ Answer Eurasian magpie
♫ Answer Eurasian green woodpecker
♫
Answer Eurasian jay XC519564 Eurasian Jay strange song maybe like grumbling I heard, what BirdID calls a buzzard-like, mewing peeeaaa.
♫
Answer Eurasian treecreeper XC656422 - Eurasian Treecreeper - Certhia familiaris - song, recorded in Sweden.
♫ Answer Northern cardinal Morning at Cherrywood Court - northern cardinal, gray catbirds, song sparrow.
♫
Answer Savi's warbler
♫ Answer Atlantic canary Quinta San Antonio da Serra, Madeira - Kanarengirlitz Gesang.
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Answer Woodchat shrike XC722557 - Woodchat Shrike - Lanius senator - song.
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Answer Red-backed shrike
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Answer Marsh warbler
♫
Answer Purple sunbird XC792182 - Purple Sunbird - Cinnyris asiaticus intermedius - call, song, Chiang Rai, Thailand.
♫ Answer Willow tit
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Answer Black-collared starling XC841892 - Black-collared Starling - Gracupica nigricollis - call, song - Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Thailand.
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Answer Italian sparrow XC729736 - Italian Sparrow - Passer italiae - song recorded in Italy.
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Answer Stripe-throated bulbul XC298504 - Stripe-throated Bulbul - Pycnonotus finlaysoni - song, Thailand.
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Answer Plain-throated sunbird XC894450 - Brown-throated Sunbird - Anthreptes malacensis - song, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Thailand.
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Answer Eurasian bullfinch
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Answer Common tailor-bird XC878897 - Common Tailorbird - Orthotomus sutorius maculicollis - song, hl hl hl hl, Sekinchan, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Answer Northern shrike
♫
Answer Bank swallow
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Answer Rufous treepie XC810503 - Rufous Treepie - Dendrocitta vagabunda - pir-ol-like song - Bardiya National Park, Bardiya, Lumbini Province, Nepal.
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Answer Common grasshopper warbler XC557238 - Common Grasshopper Warbler - Locustella naevia - song.
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Answer Tree pipit
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Answer Brambling
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Answer White-winged snowfinch XC736093 - White-winged Snowfinch - Montifringilla nivalis - song recorded in Switzerland.
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Answer Melodious warbler
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Answer Ashy woodswallow XC823422 - Ashy Woodswallow - Artamus fuscus - song, That Luang lake & fields, Vientiane Prefecture, Laos.
♫
Answer Meadow pipit
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Answer Eurasian reed warbler
♫
Answer Collared flycatcher
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Answer Red-breasted parakeet XC35744 - Red-breasted Parakeet - Psittacula alexandri - song - Cat Tien National Park, Cochinchina, Vietnam.
♫
Answer Dunnock XC778759 - Dunnock - Prunella modularis - song recorded in Spain.
♫ Answer Garden warbler
♫
Answer Black drongo XC814830 - Black Drongo - Dicrurus macrocercus cathoecus - song, Hong Kong, China.
♫
Answer Common house martin
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Answer Icterine warbler XC772854 - Icterine Warbler - Hippolais icterina - song, recorded in Sweden.
♫
Answer Corn bunting
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Answer Bohemian waxwing XC749574 - Bohemian Waxwing - Bombycilla garrulus - song recorded in Norway, a long series of trills.
♫ Answer Black cap warbler
♫ Answer Black woodpecker XC554337 Black woodpecker song.
♫
Answer Common redpoll XC703947 - Common Redpoll - Acanthis flammea - song.
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Answer Great myna XC607250 - Great Myna - Acridotheres grandis - song - Thai Samakkhi Village, Amphoe Wang Nam Khiao, Chang Wat Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
♫
Answer Grey wagtail
♫
Answer Lesser spotted woodpecker
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Answer Yellow-vented bulbul XC477488 - Yellow-vented Bulbul - Pycnonotus goiavier - song - Davao City, Davao del Sur, Davao Region, Philippines.
♫
Answer Sedge warbler
♫
Answer Coal tit XC539352 coal tit 1m04.
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Answer Wood warbler (alternate) XC727564 - Wood Warbler - Phylloscopus sibilatrix - song.
♫ Answer Common blackbird Kohlmeise, Rotkehlchen, Amsel 06-00.
♫ Answer Common redstart
♫ Answer Common firecrest Amsel, rabenkraehe, eventuell sommergoldhaehnchen.
♫ Answer European greenfinch XenoCanto European Greenfinch XC548561-200419 Verdier MP3.
♫
Answer Lesser whitethroat
♫
Answer Wood lark
♫
Answer Eurasian tree sparrow XC558751-Feldsperling.
♫
Answer Citril finch
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Answer Rook XC749507 - Rook - Corvus frugilegus - song.
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Answer Ashy minivet XC842169 - Ashy Minivet - Pericrocotus divaricatus - song - Bangkok, Thailand.
♫
Answer Pied fantail XC855225 - Malaysian Pied Fantail - Rhipidura javanica longicauda - song - Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Thailand.
♫ Answer Common chiffchaff
♫ Answer White stork
♫
Answer Eurasian three-toed woodpecker Dreizehenspecht trommelt
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Answer Eurasian wryneck XC800958 - Eurasian Wryneck - Jynx torquilla.
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Answer Scarlet-backed flowerpecker XC663560 - Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker - Dicaeum cruentatum cruentatum - song, Nong Pen, Vientiane Prefecture, Laos.
♫
Answer Ortolan bunting
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Answer Scaly-breasted munia XC797137 - Scaly-breasted Munia - Lonchura punctulata topela - song, Pha Chang Park, Wiang Chai District, Chiang Rai, Thailand.
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Answer Crested serpent eagle XC809894 - Crested Serpent Eagle - Spilornis cheela - song - Lumbini Province, Nepal.
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Answer Stejneger's stonechat XC405064 - Stejneger's Stonechat - Saxicola stejnegeri - song - Muraviovka Park, Russian Federation.
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Answer Alpine accentor
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Answer Yellowhammer XC29721 - Yellowhammer - Emberiza citrinella - song with XlB dialect, recorded in Cudrefin, Switzerland.
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Answer Cirl bunting XC758664 - Cirl Bunting - Emberiza cirlus - one-note song recorded in Spain.
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Answer European goldfinch
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Answer Alpine chough XC769199 - Alpine Chough - Pyrrhocorax graculus graculus - song recorded in Morocco.
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Answer Marsh tit
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Answer European serin
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Answer Great spotted woodpecker Great spotted woodpecker drumming
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Answer Indochinese roller XC611151 - Indochinese Roller - Coracias affinis - song, Chon Buri, Thailand.
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Answer Golden-headed cisticola XC746858 - Golden-headed Cisticola - Cisticola exilis equicaudatus - song, Vientiane Prefecture, Laos.
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Answer Common stonechat XC633658 - European Stonechat - Saxicola rubicola - song.
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Answer Green-backed heron XC791519 - Striated Heron - Butorides striata - song, sounds like Ow plus pi-rol lhl, Copperbelt Province, Zambia.
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Answer Great reed warbler
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Answer Common whitethroat (alternate) XC344648 - Common Whitethroat - Sylvia communis communis - song, recorded in Germany.
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Answer European pied flycatcher
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Answer Bluethroat XC131272 - Bluethroat - Luscinia svecica volgae - song.
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Answer Plain prinia XC891889 - Plain Prinia - Prinia inornata herberti - chirpy song - Phnom Krom rice fields, Cambodia.
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Answer Red crossbill XC775798 - Red Crossbill - Loxia curvirostra - song.
♫
Answer Short-toed treecreeper
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Answer Common firecrest (alternate) XC769178 - Common Firecrest - Regulus ignicapilla - song recorded in the Netherlands.
♫
Answer Common whitethroat
♫ Answer Song sparrow Catbird plus song sparrow, 18 Cherrywood Court.
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Answer Plain flowerpecker XC706158 - Plain Flowerpecker - Dicaeum minullum olivaceum - song - Phou Hin Poun NPA, Khammouane, Laos.
♫
Answer Asian golden weaver XC156374 - Asian Golden Weaver - Ploceus hypoxanthus chryseus - song - Cát Tiên National Park, Vietnam.
♫
Answer Thick-billed warbler XC805623 - Thick-billed Warbler - Arundinax aedon - song - Khabarovsk Krai, Russian Federation.
♫
Answer European robin XC782997 - European Robin - Erithacus rubecula - song recorded in Italy.
♫
Answer Common rosefinch XC654449 - Common Rosefinch - Carpodacus erythrinus - song.
♫
Answer Black redstart XC745021 - Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros - typical song recorded in Calabria, Italy.
♫
Answer Spotted flycatcher XC656714 - Spotted Flycatcher - Muscicapa striata.
♫
Answer Eurasian skylark
♫ Answer Gray-breasted prinia XC541994 - Grey-breasted Prinia - Prinia hodgsonii erro - call, song - Vientiane prefecture, Laos.
♫
Answer Grey-headed woodpecker
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Answer Black-headed bulbul XC665354 - Black-headed Bulbul - Brachypodius melanocephalos - song, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Singapore.
♫ Answer Yellow-browed warbler XC894390 - Yellow-browed Warbler - Phylloscopus inornatus - song, lLMmh - Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Thailand.
♫ Answer Lesser spotted eagle
♫
Answer Eurasian blue tit XC555029 blaumeise.
♫
Answer Western bonelli's warbler
♫
Answer Long-tailed tit
♫
Answer Fieldfare
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Answer Whinchat XC775379 - Whinchat - Saxicola rubetra - song, recorded in Sweden.
♫ Answer Oriental white-eye Indian White Eye dawn song in Southern India from Wikipedia.
♫
Answer Coppersmith barbet XC857059 - Coppersmith Barbet - Psilopogon haemacephalus indicus - song but just one repeated note - Chang Wat Nonthaburi, Thailand.
♫
Answer Barn swallow XC768452 - Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica - song recorded in Denmark, rare recording with just a single bird.
♫
Answer Common nightingale
♫ Answer Common starling
♫
Answer Turtle dove XC728296 - European Turtle Dove - Streptopelia turtur.
♫
Answer Greater coucal XC862888 - Greater Coucal - Centropus sinensis intermedius - song, pigeon-like.
♫
Answer Eurasian siskin
♫ Answer Eurasian wren XC554714-Zaunkoenig song.
♫
Answer Eurasian golden oriole
♫ Answer Great tit
♫
Answer Stonechat
♫
Answer Common reed bunting
♫ Answer Common chaffinch Wald amsel plus buchfink.
♫
Answer Ring ouzel
♫
Answer Western yellow wagtail
♫
Answer Redwing
♫
Answer Indian tree pipit XC832525 - Olive-backed Pipit - Anthus hodgsoni - song, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
♫ Answer Siberian stonechat XC236691 - Siberian Stonechat - Saxicola maurus - song, Kazakhstan.
♫
Answer Mistle thrush XC800869 - Mistle Thrush - Turdus viscivorus.
♫
Answer Goldcrest XC475114-Regulus regulus - Goldcrest song.
♫
Answer Water pipit
♫
Answer Rock bunting
♫ Answer Red-eyed vireo
♫ Answer Song thrush
♫
Answer Plain-backed sparrow XC878331 - Plain-backed Sparrow - Passer flaveolus - song - Donkoi, Vientiane Prefecture, Laos.
♫
Answer Willow warbler XC556112-Fitis 1 Laubsänger 2 song.