So it was that the young hunter became the husband of the chief s daughter. He became a great man among his people. Ever since then, young men who wish to go courting have learned to make the cedar flute and play those magical songs. And many of those flutes, to give honor to the red-headed woodpecker that gave such a special gift, have been shaped like the head and open mouth of a bird. All rights reserved.
Birds sing for many reasons.
The main reason though is to define their territory which is the space where they feed and mate. A male bird s song is like an invisible fence around his land. His song helps other birds know where he is. This helps male birds avoid the needless fighting that would occur if one were to intrude on another s territory. Besides helping birds define their territories, bird songs help them to locate mates.