Wake to Nature with a Bird Song alarm clock

Last Updated on 6 November 2024 by Alisea Mae

Waking up naturally, rested and at the end of your sleep cycle, is the most desirable way to wake up and get going in the morning. The idea of being woken up to the sound of birds singing really appealed to me. Not only does it invoke nature but it brings the feel of springtime which never fails to brighten things up. I spent a great deal of time researching the best bird song alarm clocks, looking at different factors like noise, choice of sound, aesthetics and additional features like wake-up light, snooze function and radio. 

I carefully research and consider each product before choosing the best and most useful ones.  If you click on a link and buy something, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. This does not influence my choices in any way.

After a lot of deliberation,  I found the best overall bird song alarm clock to be the Occube model. It’s affordable, comes in a choice of different colours and has a battery backup option in case the mains power should fail. It also has many 5-star customer reviews and is suitable for all ages. 

While this is the best overall clock, I’ve also picked out the best atmospheric, luxury, kids, modern, SAD and multi-functional bird song alarm clocks, so there’s something for everyone to suit all budgets.

The best bird song alarm clocks

1. Occube alarm clock (best overall and digital bird song alarm)
2. Foryond Wake up Light (best atmospheric bird song alarm
3. Lumie bodyclock Shine 300 (best SAD bird song alarm)
4. Philips Smart Sleep HF3651/01 (best luxury bird song alarm)
5. Dreamegg White Noise Machine D1+ (best multifunctional bird song alarm)
6. The H-chin Kids Sleep Training Clock (best kids bird song alarm)
7. Kookoo earlybird (best modern bird song alarm)

Read on to find out what the ideal alarm clock is for you so that you can experience the benefits of waking up naturally, ready to face the day.

Best overall: Occube alarm clock 

Features

•  A massive display with the light behind the digital clock numbers
•  A wake-up light around the rim
•  Various fun colour choices
•  5 sounds, including music, birds, piano and the more standard beep and buzzer
•  A nice retro design

While already the winner overall, the Occube alarm clock also gets the title of the best digital bird song alarm clock. 

First of all, the digital display can switch between 12 and 24 hr clocks and the clock display is large and easy to read, which makes it a great option for those with poor eyesight. There are 5 sounds to choose from so you can either pick your favourite or vary it depending on what you feel like. 

Both the volume and the brightness of the screen are adjustable, giving you the freedom to customise the clock settings based on your own preferences. For example, if you find the digital display interrupts your sleep, you can dim it and heavy sleepers can make sure they don’t sleep through the alarm by setting the volume louder. It also comes with a USB charging port which you can plug your phone or other devices into which sets it apart from the other clocks I’ve seen.

This is an ideal clock for someone who wants a more natural feeling alarm clock at an affordable price and can be adjusted based on your individual needs and sleeping pattern.

Best atmospheric: Foryond Wake Up Light

Features

• 60-minute sunrise setting
• 20 brightness levels
• 2 alarms for different users
• Snooze function
• 7 natural sounds including birds, waves and piano

The reason this clock is the best atmospheric clock is the clever use of light features. For a start, there’s a nice gradual increase in light that lasts up to 60 minutes. This is more than other models for a more realistic approach. From there, you can play with the brightness levels and use the additional colour-changing mood light during the day. This light is very pretty with its different blue tones and a great green mode for headache relief. Add in the different natural sounds, and your morning can become a lot less stressful. The appeal then continues with the adaptability for different users. There are different alarm settings per user, as well as separate weekend alarms. This is something you can play around with until you find what works best.

Ultimately, you’re getting this clock for its functions for light and sound and not any sort of award-winning design. But, if you can look past the awkwardness and focus on the colours, you can enjoy the benefits.

Best SAD: Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300

Features

• 15 sounds including blackbirds, tropical birds and waves
• Sunset mode
• Up to 90-minute duration
• White noise settings
• A clock element with the time and day

The Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300 is the winner for the best bird song alarm clock for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Lumie have been light therapy specialists since 1991, creating products based on scientific evidence to improve sleep, mood and health and their products are clinically proven to treat SAD. The light is designed to mimic the sensation of the sun rising and setting for gradual, natural exposure to light, helping you to feel refreshed rather than being startled awake. The light is also fully adjustable so you can use it for multiple purposes.

The clock has 15 different sounds to choose from, allowing you to choose the one you like best or vary them according to your mood or fancy. Some of them are designed as sleep sounds to help you relax and fall asleep alongside the sunset mode to facilitate healthy sleep. It also has a built-in radio alarm option if you’d prefer to pair the wake-up light with music or listen to it at night, letting you save up to 5 of your favourite stations. 

It’s a more expensive clock which makes it an investment, but it does come with a 45 day return period and a 3-year warranty. If you’re specifically looking for a SAD alarm clock that will help with the winter blues, it’s important to choose one of the right quality as it needs to be a certain type of light, and the cheaper versions won’t be strong enough to act as light therapy. You can’t do better than Lumie to help your SAD symptoms and wake up more rested and alert during the winter months. 

Best luxury: Philips Smart Sleep HF3651/01

Features

• 8 different wake-up sounds and 3 additional relaxation sounds
• Sunset and sunrise modes
• 7 intensity settings to suit your mood
• Simple touchscreen controls
• A bonus radio option

Phillips likes to sell this luxury clock on the quality of the light more than the sounds. There is a very attractive sunset simulation mode with deep tones and a gentle transition. You can then reverse that into sunrise mode and make use of the different sounds. The sunrise ends with a choice of natural sounds after a 30-minute transition, which should be enough to wake you up gently. A bonus here is that the clock blends into the light, so it isn’t too obtrusive. It’s more of a light than a clock, with its sculptural design with the hole in the centre. Maybe that’s why it won an award from simpleswitch.com.

The bottom line here is that it’s a wake-up light with a gorgeous transition and not a multifunctional alarm clock. That’s where the next option can help

Best multifunctional: The Dreamegg White Noise Machine D1+

Features

• A wide range of sounds, including 7 white noise settings, 7 fan sounds, and 10 natural sounds
• Simple push-button controls
• An adaptable timer for naps
• An effective nightlight
• Memory function for ease of use

This multifunctional model looks more like a smart speaker than a wake-up light, and with good reason. This one is meant to be user-friendly and functional, with a focus on sounds rather than light settings. There is a light included that is effective as a nightlight or wake-up after a nap. However, the focus is on the ability to play sounds to soothe users into a peaceful sleep. This one is marketed toward parents with young kids, but, to be honest, it has a wider audience. It is effective and soothing thanks to the adaptable timer and pretty sounds. The fan is a nice touch alongside the bird, sea, brook, thunder and rain.

This device may not look like much on first impressions, but it’s worth a second look. The features and benefits could make it a great tool for mental health issues and adult users even more than parents with kids.

Best kids: The H-chin Kids Sleep Training Clock

Features

 A fun character for children in either green or pink

•  10 nature sounds, 4 lullabies, and 3 white noise modes
•  A colour-changing light
•  5 brightness levels
•  A timer for naps

This model is an adorable little monster of an alarm clock with a goofy face on the display, feet, and spines down the back. The idea is the light and the expressions change with the alarm setting. Closed eyes and a red light mean you should be asleep, open eyes and a green light mean it’s time to get up, and the yellow mode with half-awake eyes means it’s almost time. The wake-up mode is accompanied by 17 sounds and can also be used as a nap timer. The digital display and controls make it pretty easy to use and learn with practice, but there is a child lock if needed. There is a lot for kids to engage with, and they should appreciate having this little companion to help them with their sleep patterns.

Overall, there is a lot for kids and parents to appreciate here. Kids can benefit without realizing that it’s a behavioural aid, and parents can get some peace of mind over their child’s sleep habits.

Best modern: The Kookoo Earlybird alarm clock

Features

• A cute birdhouse design in multiple colours
• An analogue clock for an old-fashioned vibe
• A light-up clockface
• Real recordings of birds, with a cuckoo, raven, golden oriole, and rooster
• Requires AAA batteries

The Kookoo Earlybird gives a modern take on the classic analogue alarm clock. Shaped as a modern style birdhouse, it’s made from real wood so it makes an interesting looking addition to your home décor that’s both natural and high quality. One pleasing aspect of this clock is that the bird song sounds are authentic recordings from nature, rather than being manufactured so it really gives it the feel of listening to birds singing outside as you wake up. There’s also a range of different bird songs to choose from, including a crowing rooster, raven and cuckoo call. 

The clock itself is battery operated which makes it easily transportable and it’s designed to be quiet so you won’t have a loud ticking noise disturbing your sleep. The alarm sounds allow for a gentle wake up by gradually getting louder with the three-stage volume feature, so there’s no danger of being woken suddenly as you would get with a standard alarm clock. You’ve also got the snooze button which you can use to illuminate the clock in the dark in case you wake up and want to check the time. 

It is quite pricey for an analogue clock which is the only drawback, but it does have a lot of excellent ratings from happy customers which speaks to the quality of it and the pleasing sensation of waking up gently to natural bird song. Plus, it’s free from electronics which means you can leave your phone out of the bedroom and not have any need for having anything plugged in and using up power overnight.

Best overall bird song alarm clock

While you’ve got some great choices here for bird song alarm clocks to suit different needs, if you’re unsure which one to go for, the best overall has to be the Occube alarm clock. The range of features it offers makes it versatile and easy to use for all ages and provides something for everyone but at an affordable price. The amount of 5 star ratings it received speaks to the positive experiences people have had with it too.