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I did not expect to be entertained by a choir at 4am, right in the middle of a forest.
The lead singer sang in a mellow, alto tone, starting with a long low note, followed by 3 quick beats in succession. Its song broke through the cold, crisp air of the forest on the edge of the Nakasendo trail between Magome and Nakatsugawa.
There were initially a few background singers whose tunes were undiscernible and reminded me of the chatter between friends at the morning market. As day broke, more joined the background choir, and then the sound gradually subsided.
I was curious who the lead singer was and why birds sing at dawn.
ChatGPT suggested that the lead singer may have been a Japanese Bush Warbler, and it is famous for its “Hō–hōke-kyo” tune, which was similar to what I heard. Apparently, they are often the first singer especially in spring.
One reason in particular cracked me up:
“In the early dawn light, it’s too dark to hunt for food efficiently. Birds are awake but can’t feed yet, so they use their time to defend territory or attract mates.”
It’s logical yet amusing.
Well, I’ve woken up too early to do anything. So, I listened.
Footnote: Sound of the Japanese Bush Warbler (
Photos below were taken at/around the Shin Chaya Ryokan (新茶屋）where I heard the most amazing bird songs
