Listen: A Tennessee Man Teaches Us How To Mimic The Songs Of 8 Native Birds

A retired Tennessee couple is midway through an unusual quest: to spot 100 species of birds in every single county in the state, all 95 of them.

I spent a hot summer morning with Ron Hoff and Dollyann Myers — once described as the “power couple of international bird-watching” — to try to help them see some more.

You can listen to our conversation below, but I encourage you to scroll down further as well to hear Hoff in action. 

Hoff is also an avid bird imitator (although he admits birds aren’t often fooled by his calls). Click the play buttons below to hear the real bird call, as recorded by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, followed by Hoff’s imitation and explanation of the sounds.

1. Carolina Chickadee

2. Blue Jay

3. Northern Cardinal

4. Barred Owl

5. White-throated Sparrow

6. Northern Bobwhite

7. Tufted Titmouse

8. Wood Thrush