This Is The Most Kentucky Sound You'll Ever Hear, And We Can't Stop Listening To It
By Will Suphan|Published April 24, 2024
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Will Suphan
Author
Will has been living in Arizona off and on for 30+ years in the Phoenix Metro and Tucson areas. He has traveled all over the state as well as having lived all over the Southwest. He's been writing for OnlyInYourState for one year and has previously written for Digital Journal. Will has a passion for travel and writing and combining the two is what he loves most. He loves solo international travel and has been to Thailand, France, Japan, and Cambodia.
As the decades pass here in Kentucky, many sounds become commonly heard throughout the state. As technology advances, the sounds of industry have changed and largely become much quieter, but the sounds of nature in the Bluegrass State remain the same. There’s one sound that belongs to Kentucky that we love to hear and we hope we get to hear it well into the future. It’s been heard by our parents, grandparents, and ancestors for ages. It’s the sweet and beloved birdsong of the Kentucky Warbler.
If you’ve ever been hiking in Kentucky, you’ve probably heard the Kentucky Warbler singing in the trees. If you’re a birder, I’m sure you’ve seen its lovely golden plumage and black “spectacles”.
While no bird is limited to one state, you can certainly find this bird throughout Kentucky and all over The South during the warmer months. During the winter, they fly away to Mexico and South America.
Kentucky Warblers tend to feed on or near the ground, feasting on arthropods like centipedes, beetles, ants, katydids, and several other species. Since arthropods are the most numerous species on earth, they’re in no danger of going hungry!
They can be hard to spot as they build their nests in dense undergrowth at the base of a shrub or on the lower branches of small trees. The best time to seek them out is early morning, especially in hardwood forests where light peeks through to the ground.
Despite its camouflage and ample food supply, the number of Kentucky Warblers has been declining over the years due to deforestation in the United States as well as Central and South America, which leaves less area for nesting and feeding.
Are you also fond of the birdsong of the Kentucky Warbler? Do you have any other favorite sounds of nature in Kentucky? Let us know about them in the comments. If you want to get outdoors and hear these birds in person, then lace up your boots, download your AllTrails+ app, and hit these wonderful hiking trails in Kentucky: