“Ornithology” is credited to Charlie Parker and trumpeter Benny Harris and was first recorded in 1946. The title is a nod to Parker’s nickname, “Bird.” It’s a contrafact, a new bebop melody written over the chord changes of “How High the Moon,” and it opens with a phrase Parker reportedly used in his solos before it became the start of this tune.
The form is a 32-bar ABAC, usually in G major. The changes are the same as “How High the Moon”: a chain of ii-V-I progressions that descend by whole steps, from G to F to Eb, and then a series of ii-Vs leading back to G. The head is a quick, twisting bebop line full of chromatic movement and syncopation.
For improvisation, borrow from the head. Its opening idea and its chromatic passing tones are classic bebop language. Practice a ii-V-I phrase and move it down a whole step each time the changes do. Target the third of each major chord on a strong beat, since that’s the note that defines each new key. Mixing short melodic quotes from the head with your own ideas is a great way to sound authentic.
Practice the head slowly in small chunks with a metronome, then gradually speed up. Learn “How High the Moon” alongside it; knowing both melodies helps you hear the harmony from two angles. Then practice soloing at a medium tempo before working toward performance speed.
Common mistake: blurring the key changes. Make each new key center clear in your line.
Advanced tip: try playing the head an octave lower, or in a different key, to build flexibility. It’s hard at first, but it trains your ear.
Recordings to study: Parker’s 1946 Dial recording and the many bebop versions by trumpeters and saxophonists since. Learn more about the composer on Charlie Parker’s Wikipedia page, and find more bebop contrafacts on Minedit.