The common blackbird has topped a blackbird song pleasantness study published on 02 September 2026 in Frontiers in Bird Science, scoring an average of 4.52 out of 5 across 123 bird songs rated by members of the public, with the willow warbler (4.45) and blackcap (4.43) filling the next two places.
Researchers at the University of Tübingen set out to identify the acoustic characteristics that make birdsong pleasant to human ears. Participants were asked to rate each of the 123 calls on a scale from 1 (not very pleasant) to 5 (very pleasant), and their responses were cross-referenced with acoustic data about each recording.
What the blackbird song pleasantness study actually measured
The results pointed to three broad qualities that lifted a song up the rankings: variety, a higher pitch, and a relatively low volume. Songs with a narrower bandwidth (capturing the range of frequencies used) and greater complexity in the number and variety of elements also performed well. Crucially, the highest-scoring songs avoided a frequency range where human hearing is particularly sensitive.
‘We might be wired to prefer more variable sounds with moderate amplitudes and frequencies because they signal a safe, healthy, and restorative environment where we can relax,’ said study author Dr Nadine Kalb from the University of Tübingen.
At the other end of the table, the barn owl finished last with an average pleasantness score of just 1.32, a reminder that not all wildlife sounds translate into comfort for human listeners.
Prior bird knowledge made no difference to listeners’ ratings
One of the more counterintuitive findings was that familiarity with birds did not shift people’s judgements. ‘You don’t have to be a “bird person” to find bird sounds beautiful,’ Kalb said. ‘Being able to recognise birds by their appearance or song did not affect how people rated calls.’
The team had expected that personal characteristics, including individual knowledge about birds and attitudes towards them, would influence pleasantness ratings, which is why participants were also asked questions measuring their birding skills and their perception of birds. The acoustic features, it turned out, did most of the heavy lifting.
Senior study author Dr Christoph Randler, also from the University of Tübingen, placed the findings in a broader context. ‘Bird sounds are often considered one of the most enjoyable aspects of spending time in nature, and previous research has shown that they can contribute to psychological restoration and well-being. However, not all bird sounds are perceived equally positively,’ he said.
The study was ethically approved by the ethics committee of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics of the University of Tübingen, and published in Volume 5 of Frontiers in Bird Science.
The full top 20 and the road ahead
Below the podium, the mistle thrush (4.33), garden warbler (4.30), and dunnock (4.30) rounded out the top six. The chaffinch (4.29), common nightingale (4.26), common linnet (4.26), and European goldfinch (4.26) followed closely. The European pied flycatcher (4.25), Eurasian wren (4.24), and skylark (4.23) held the next three positions, with the Eurasian golden oriole (4.17), common cuckoo (4.13), tree pipit (4.08), common redstart (4.08), and European greenfinch (4.08) also in the top 20. The Eurasian treecreeper (4.05) and European robin (4.04) completed the list.
The researchers are candid about where the work needs to go next. The current sample skewed towards certain demographics, and the team wants to carry out larger studies drawing on broader groups, including more men, different cultures, and more experienced birdwatchers. ‘I would love to investigate how bird sounds influence people in real-world environments,’ Randler said. ‘That would help us better understand the role that healthy ecosystems play in supporting both biodiversity and human well-being.’
The blackbird song pleasantness study sets a clear acoustic benchmark for what humans find restorative in nature. The next phase of research, with wider and more varied samples, will test whether that benchmark holds across cultures and contexts, or whether the blackbird’s lead is more parochial than it appears.
