International Dawn Chorus Day is an annual celebration of the world’s oldest wake-up call – the dawn chorus – and the beauty of bird song.

Throughout the UK, people are encouraged to wake up early and listen to the dawn chorus from their bedroom window.  For those who want to experience the dawn chorus in the wild, Cumbria Wildlife Trust's staff, volunteers and partners have organised early morning bird walks and dawn chorus breakfasts.  

We have four events running in Cumbria:

• Sunday 2 May, Birds and breakfast, Broughton-in-Furness
• Sunday 2 May, Early birds and spring flowers, Longtown
• Sunday 2 May, International Dawn Chorus Day at Dubwath Silver Meadows, near Bassenthwaite Lake
• Wednesday 5 May, Dawn chorus at Brown Robin Nature Reserve, Grange-over-Sands

For more information visit our May events page.

Led by local experts, these events have an early start - usually between 4am-6am - and offer listeners a truly memorable experience as the dawn chorus builds from the first cheep to a crescendo of birdsong. The end of April and beginning of May sees the dawn chorus reach its peak, as the songs of the UK’s resident bird species are joined by the return of summer visitors such as chiffchaffs and nightingales.

Most birds which sing are male and do so to defend their territory and attract a mate. Typically, birds such as the blackbird, robin or skylark are among the first to strike up, and the dawn chorus begins in earnest as the sun rises, usually between 5am-5.30am in early May.

Although the dawn chorus carries on until mid-morning the best time to hear it is the first hour before sunrise – which means getting up early! If you can’t make it along to an event, set your alarm, open your window and let the dawn chorus in.

Simon King, BBC Springwatch presenter and vice-president of The Wildlife Trusts, says: “Whoever you are, wherever you live, if you do just one thing this year make it this: set your alarm for 4.30am, stand outside or make the short journey to the nearest park or leafy cemetery, and wait for the curtain to rise on the most awe-inspiring symphony on earth.”

Visit the International Dawn Chorus Day website http://www.idcd.info/.