Identifying individual birds when the dawn chorus is in full swing might seem a daunting task, but the RSPB’s youth manager Mark Boyd has some top tips to turn you into a professional.

1. Start listening early in the year when there are fewer species about to confuse you. To hear more birds, get up early. Most singing happens either side of sunrise. Resident birds start singing earliest.
2. Keep it simple to begin with. Start by identifying those birds that you can actually see singing, like robins and blackbirds.
3. Cupping your hands behind your ears really does help pick out the songs. Be quiet and make sure the birds don’t see you by avoiding standing against the skyline.
4. Learn what the descriptive terms, like fluty or harsh, that guide books use to describe songs and rhythms mean. That way you’ll have an idea of what the song should sound like before you’ve heard it.
5. If possible, go listening with somebody who knows the songs. CDs and guidebooks are good, but sometimes there are so many songs they can be confusing.
6. Be a detective. Sometimes species sound so similar they confuse even the experts. But by learning about the bird’s habits you can gather clues that will help. For example, a whitethroat sings from hedges, but the similar-sounding sedge warbler prefers reed beds. Some birds tend to sing when they’re flying, others when they’re perching.
7. Finally, don’t be discouraged if it takes a while to learn the different songs, says Mark. He’s been listening to birds since he was eight and there are still some that catch him out. Having fun is the most important thing and you probably know more songs than you think.