Do birds have ears? When we look at birds, we don’t see ears. It can be easy to wonder if they hear at all. However, birds sing to each other and react to sound. The fact of the matter is that birds do have ears and they also hear very well. They just don’t have ears like we do.
However, if we look at Emus or other birds with naked heads, we can see those small, round openings. They are behind the eyes, on the back part of the face.
Meet a Naturalist: Michelle Cipiti, fulfilling a dream
Meet Michelle Cipiti, the Hidden Oaks Nature Center’s interpretive naturalist.
Save yourself from heartbreak: Check your yard for rabbit nests before mowing
It’s a good idea to check your yard for rabbit nests before you cut the grass. These nests frequently resemble little patches of dead grass, but the babies are exposed to lawnmowers because they are only a little bit below the surface.
How can birds hear without ears?
Birds have ears. Simply put, they are difficult to see because bird ears are typically covered in feathers and lack an external structure.
How Do Birds Hear?
Similar to humans, birds have structures in their middle and inner ears that allow them to perceive and process sound waves. Although humans tend to have a wider sound frequency range than birds, they still hear many of the same frequencies as us.
This may come as a shock, given that a large number of birdwatchers are unable to hear the high-pitched 8,000–10,000 Hz songs of Blackpoll Warblers and kinglets.
However, age-related, natural hearing loss is typically the reason why one cannot hear those species or other sounds above 8,000 Hz. Younger birders hear Blackpoll Warblers and Brown Creepers with ease.
People can hear between 20 and 20,000 Hz on average, but most birds sing between 1,000 and 8,000 Hz. Nevertheless, some birds sing higher and some much lower than these ranges. The Dwarf Curassow has a booming, extremely low-pitched song that only reaches 23 Hz.
The Rufous-faced Warbler of eastern China, on the other hand, has been documented singing extraordinarily high harmonics of 54,000 Hz!
Birds can also hear exceptionally well. Barn Owls hear and catch rats in the dark, Great Gray Owls can hear mice making sounds beneath the snow, and they can hear sounds at a considerable distance. These species’ and other birds’ heads and facial structures aid in their ability to locate the source of a sound.