Unraveling the Nightingale Mystery in Berlin: A Guide to Identifying the Elusive Songbird
In the heart of Germany's capital city, a small, vibrant bird is making a remarkable presence known. The Nightingale, a creature of legend and lore, has found a new home in urban Berlin, singing its unique song in unexpected corners.
These birds, with their reddish-brown backs and grey chests, have a particular fondness for thickets of stinging nettles, which offer them protection from marauders like foxes or cats. You might find them nesting in Tiergarten, Landwehrkanal, Gleisdreieck, parks, cemeteries, or even along the banks of the Teltowkanal.
Nightingales are known for their nocturnal serenades, a act of pure seduction aimed at attracting unpaired females. However, once a male has found a mate, he generally stops singing after dark, resuming for just a few nights when his partner is laying her eggs. The female, on the other hand, does not sing but makes a variety of errps, tacc taccs, fiep-fiep-fieps, and other calls.
Urban nightingales are bolder than their country counterparts, singing louder so as to be heard over the urban noise of cars and trains, sirens, and parties. Their song, described as "weird...detached phrases...funky contrasting noises...an unusual rhythmic assault", may reach decibel levels of 95, and a male nightingale may have over 300 song phrases.
The renown of nightingales comes from their huge musical repertoire and tremendous vocal power. Yet, their daytime song is shorter and less varied, seeming aimed at rivals.
Berliner Nachtigall, a German-language information booklet, recommends Schloss Charlottenburg, Volkspark Friedrichshain, and the banks of the Teltowkanal, as well as places further afield in Spandau, Pankow, and Marzahn, for hearing nightingales.
This spring, the Museum für Naturkunde is planning tours to help you discover these elusive birds. The annual return of nightingales is considered poignant due to the length of their migration journey and the dangers they encounter. They spend their winters in sub-Saharan Africa and arrive in Berlin in mid April.
It's estimated that there are approximately 1,500 nightingale territories in Berlin, more than in any other German city. So, keep your ears open as you wander through Berlin's parks and green spaces, and you might just catch a glimpse of this enchanting bird.
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