Last Updated on 20 November 2023 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 analogue, digital, luxury, kids, modern, SAD and atmospheric bird song alarm clocks, so there’s something for everyone to suit all budgets.
The best bird song alarm clocks
- Seiko alarm clock (best analogue bird song alarm)
- Occube alarm clock (best digital bird song alarm)
- Coulax wake up light (best atmospheric bird song alarm
- Lumie bodyclock Shine 300 (best SAD bird song alarm)
- Philips HF3520/01 (best luxury bird song alarm)
- Gmfine (best kids bird song alarm)
- 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.
Seiko alarm clock
The best analogue clock with bird song sounds has to be the Seiko alarm clock with the plastic creeping hand. While it functions as a traditional clock, the second hand is quiet so you don’t get that constant ticking sound keeping you awake at night. It has 3 sounds to choose from; 2 different bird songs and the option to switch to a beep if you wanted. It’s shaped like a birdhouse to add to the bird song effect and makes for a cute, slightly kitsch addition to your bedside table.
While it has a wooden look to it, the clock is actually made out of plastic which means it’s not made from natural materials but it comes at an affordable price for most budgets. Another great feature is the volume control, which means you can set it at your preferred level. It has a button that lights up the clock during the night in case you want to check the time and, of course, a snooze button for those mornings when you just need a bit of extra time in bed.
While it’s not got all the features that some of these clocks do, this is a great budget bird song alarm clock that would suit those of you who like something simple and want to steer clear of digital electronics.
Occube alarm clock
While already the winner overall, the Occube alarm clock also gets the title of the best digital bird song alarm clock.
First of all, despite it being a digital clock, the outer surface is made from wood which gives a nice natural look and feel to it while still occupying a sleek, modern look- the best of both worlds. It has a digital display which can switch between 12 and 24hr 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 including bird song, piano and soft music, 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. The drawback to that though is it might encourage you to keep your phone near the bed at night.
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.
Coulax wake up light alarm clock
The Coulax wake-up light combines gradual sunrise simulation with a range of nature-inspired sounds, making for a pleasant wake-up experience.
You can choose different time ranges for your wake-up light between 10-60 minutes depending on what suits you best. It’s also ideal if you need to wake up a bit quicker during the week but want a bit of a lie in at weekends- which is helped by being able to set two different alarms for certain days of the week. While the light on this model isn’t strong enough to counteract SAD symptoms, it can still provide a nice mood boost and a pleasant start to the day. The wake-up light can also be used in reverse to help you fall asleep and get into a good sleep routine.
What makes this a great atmospheric experience is the adjustable brightness of the light, which has 20 different levels and also 7 colour settings. This means you can customise it to suit you for different occasions and use it as a lamp in the evening which also can be paired with the built-in FM radio. The woodgrain design combined with the minimalist front gives an added natural look to the clock and makes a stylish addition to your home.
This is a great multi-function clock which allows you to wake up naturally at a budget price, enabling a more restful and relaxed morning and also creating nice moments in the evening too.
Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300
The Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300 is the winner for the best bird song alarm clock for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Lumie has 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.
Philips HF3520/01 alarm clock
For the luxury option, it had to be the Philips HF3520/01 wake up light alarm. I’ve put it in the luxury category because of all the features it offers, which of course also come at a higher price.
The clock has a choice of 5 different nature sounds, including ‘birdsong in the forest’ and ‘sounds of the seashore’- allowing you to pick the one that you find soothing and inspiring. It has a built-in FM radio which you can switch to if you prefer to wake up to music, or just use it as a radio during the day.
This clock also functions as a wake-up light, recreating a natural sunrise with gentle colour changes which can help to boost your mood and create a positive start to the day. You can adjust the brightness of the light and choose a light cycle between 20 and 40 minutes. The brightest setting is 300 lux yellow, which can be used to aid the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or the winter blues as it’s more commonly known. However, there’s no guarantee it can effectively treat SAD as individual cases will vary from person to person. The light setting also works in reverse as a sunset option to help you to relax and fall into a restful sleep.
The controls are touch sensitive which makes it easy to find the snooze button after a late night. This clock is expensive but does offer a number of different features and benefits. In addition, Phillips are so confident in their product that they challenge people to give it a try with the assurance that they will be more energetic and alert in less than 3 weeks. It has a return policy of 28 days so you can return it within this time if you’re not satisfied.
Gmfine kids alarm clock
The Gmfine Kids Alarm Clock is pleasing to the eye and has a range of features which make it perfect for a child’s bedroom. Firstly, it’s made from Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), a non-toxic material which makes it safe for kids and is also environmentally friendly. Being round and lightweight, it’s an easy clock for smaller hands to handle.
The backlight function features 7 different colours, which the light gradually changes between which makes it a lovely night light, the soft soothing light aiding a healthy sleep. It can also be used as a wake-up light or for general mood lighting, making it a great multi-functional item around the house. The alarm comes with 6 wake-up sounds to choose from, including birdsong, frog and river sounds- so you can choose whichever your kids prefer- or vary it to keep things interesting for them.
The LED display time shows the time in either 12 or 24hr time and also shows the date and temperature- perfect for teaching kids to tell the time and how to keep track of the date, and also whether or not it might be a sunny day! It also benefits from being touch sensitive, making it easy for them to reach out and check the time during the night and tap to turn off or snooze the alarm in the morning.
Overall, it’s lightweight and easy for kids to use, cute to look at and offers plenty of options for helping to get them to sleep and wake up gently in the morning.
The Kookoo Earlybird alarm clock
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 decor 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.
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