An Evening Symphony

 "On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadows of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me." Psalm 63:6-8

    Often, in the cool of the summer evenings, I hear the robin singing a solo from the branches above. Most of the avian proclamations take place in the mornings so I wondered why this feathered friend raises praise at twilight. So, I looked it up.

    All songbirds are passerines, which means they have a distinct toe arrangement for perching purposes. A suborder of these passerines is the oscine, which have a highly specialized vocal organ called a syrinx. But, just having this syrinx isn't enough. A songbird has a superior mastery over his syrinx using complex muscles to control a series of membranes which are used to produce the delightful arias we hear. 

    Unlike other birds that merely chirp, young songbirds learn their complex musical arrangements by listening to their parents or other adult birds. They rely on more than just instinct; they learn by listening to others.

    So, getting back to the American Robin...The website for the Audubon Society says, "As the sun begins to set, robin song takes on a new and exquisitely different character. From sunset to dark, a robin adds ethereal whispered notes to its carol, creating a song of remarkable grace and complexity." (emphasis added)

    Herein lies the reason why the robin sings in the evening. He creates a song of grace. I like to imagine him thanking our Creator for his daily provisions, for his perching ability and for his syrinx. These hymns of praise he learned from the adults who surrounded his childhood nest. Now, he takes joy in using all that God gave him to teach me, his appreciative audience, to do likewise. 

    Next time I hear a robin's evening symphony, I will join in.

"I will praise you, Lord, among the nations. I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies." Psalm 57: 9, 10