The teaching of sound and associated concepts such as pitch, frequency and amplitude is often done with demonstrations using a signal generator, a loudspeaker and an oscilloscope.
While these provide control over the sounds themselves and provide a way to visualise the sounds, the complexity of the equipment often causes confusion. Common birdsongs that students may be familiar with can provide an alternative way to introduce these concepts. Here, an approach to teaching sound using birdsong is explored using the sonogram as a tool to support students' understanding of these ideas.