Listen to their songs and meet these forest musicians
In the early 20th century, a mustachioed man named Charles Kellogg drove an 8-ton RV—which he personally carved from a fallen redwood giant—across the country, singing the praises of California’s ancient coast redwood forests
But that wasn’t all he sang. Kellogg could sing like a bird. Like many birds, actually. He was something of a birdsong troubadour, roaming the country in his rolling redwood truck, producing pitch-perfect imitations for amazed audiences. Everywhere he went, Kellogg told of the irreplaceable redwood forests in California’s misty northern reaches, home to hundreds of fine-feathered species.
I often think of Kellogg when hiking through a redwood grove, as the sounds of civilization give way to a chorus of birds calling to one another—or maybe to me. If only I spoke their language, as Kellogg seemed to so effortlessly, perhaps I could sing back. No matter how I chirp, warble, or even trill-trill my way along the path, it’s simply not the same.
Here are seven of my favorite species whose songs echo through these towering groves.
Pileated woodpecker
Pileated woodpeckers are the largest woodpeckers in North America. They prefer old-growth forests where they drum into dead trees to make nests. Pileated woodpeckers can excavate holes so large, owls and raccoons use them as homes.
Townsend’s warbler
In the summer, Townsend’s warblers generally range from Oregon northward into Alaska. But come fall and winter, they travel south along North America’s West Coast, moving all the way to Mexico, but never straying more than 100 miles from the sea.
Hermit thrush
You’re most likely to see hermit thrushes along the trail, where they like to hop among grasses, quivering their feet to shake insects out from cover. You’re also likely to see them foraging alone, which is what earned the industrious little birds their name.
Pacific wren
The small but mighty Pacific wren has been recorded singing as many as 36 notes per second. By comparison, even the best classical pianists in the world struggle to hit 20.
Brown creeper
Brown creepers might be the most aptly named birds on our list of redwood singers. They use their long legs and an unusually strong and dexterous set of tail feathers to climb in a spiral pattern around tree trunks. Creeping, you might say.
Northern flicker
Northern flickers are the anteaters of the bird family, hopping along the ground looking for columns of ants, which they lick up greedily with exceptionally long tongues.
Northern spotted owl
Your best bet at encountering the endangered northern spotted owl is in Marin County, California, where their population density on public lands is greater than anywhere else in the owl’s range. Listen for their haunting calls in the evening.
