A bird that sings at night!

[mynx]

It's currently 2.20am and I can hear that bird singing again! It's a pretty little tune. I'm really interested in finding out what type of bird it is. I live in central England which should narrow it down some. It sounds like only one bird to my ear but then I know nothing about birds, maybe they're taking turns. I'd appreciate any insight!

[Ember]

Are you anywhere near Berkeley Square?

[Cetti]

The Robin is the most likely culprit, some sing all through the night, but if you live in a rural area it could be the one that PG suggests!

[Kelvin]

It couldn't be a nightingale, they are summer visitors. I work night shifts and often hear blackbirds singing at night, especially in well lit areas (as well as robins as suggested).

[Cetti]

That was a joke Kelvin - note the exclamation mark :-))

[Jaybee]

Probably a blackbird. They have the most marvellous variety of songs (far better than a nightingale) and frequently sing at night.

[FredPuli]

Could be a blackbird. I used to be plagued by a young one that sat outside our 7th storey window. The block's managers had had a new timed light installed ; this bird was seemingly tricked into thinking the light coming on indicated dawn so it sang its heart out in the early hours.

[Cetti]

I've just found this article about nocturnal singing on the RSPB site.

Although it could possibly be a Blackbird as Fred suggests my money is still on the Robin as this bird sings all the year round.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/advice/nocturnalsong/
index.asp?view=print

[Hippy]

There is a canny blackbird in my locality that has taken to imitating the ring of a mobile phone. It tends to this in the morning, and I have to admit it caught me the first time. Now whether it thinks it is going to mate with the little gizmos in our pokets or not I don't know, but it is amusing to see the whole bus queue dive into their pokets when it starts up in the tree opposite.

[mynx]

Thanks so much to everyone who answered. I live right next to a wooded area and frequently have blackbirds feeding in my garden as well as the odd robin. I never knew either of them sang at night, thanks for the help! He's singing his heart out as I write! (2.20am)

[Cetti]

Mynx, before we disappear off the page I've found a website that gives British Garden birds and their song, so now you will know for certain the identity of your mystery warbler. :-)

http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/siteindex.htm

[New Forester]

Hi - It's still very early for a blackbird -- I've never heard full song before about mid-February, though they might sing a little earlier in the big smoke (do not go by what you hear on the Archers...). Robins however have been singing their winter song since about October, and will often sing at night, if there are street lamps. In the day time at the moment, most birdsong is robin, wren or tit-mice (won't let me post proper word!), though our mistle thrushes have started recently and song thrushes will do so soon. "Trim-phone" or car-alarm song is sometimes blackbird but more usually song thrush.