Biologic/Analytic
One popular approach is that of the scientist or naturalist, which usually involves an emphasis on the naming of things, especially the identification of species. When a sound is heard, it is mentally attached to a “cardinal,” a “bullfrog,” or some other known form. Sometimes, as soon as a sound is identified, it is time to move on, time to go find a new and different sound made by a new and different animal. Identifying each sound that is heard may be the primary goal, the “fun of it all,” and the desired endpoint of an outdoor excursion.
A biological emphasis is wed to science, to emotion-free objectivity, and one’s thoughts may focus on explaining why a sound exists, what its function is in the grand scheme of things. One may ask, “what is it about a species’ song that makes it identifiable, makes it different from other species in its environment?” Or one may embrace the scientific study of complete soundscapes in an attempt to uncover how different animals might be dividing up the “sound niche” in order minimize overlapping in frequency or time. Whatever the specific focus, questions involving “what, why, and how” are at the core of scientific thinking.