birbyns

Birbyns, or birbynės in Lithuanian, are a family of traditional wind instruments native to Lithuania. They belong to the woodwind category and are typically built as wooden pipes with finger holes, allowing the player to produce a range of pitches by covering and uncovering the holes. Birbyns vary in size from short, portable forms to longer, more elaborate models. Traditional birbynės are usually crafted from wood such as birch or maple, though modern versions may use other materials.

Playing method involves blowing into a mouthpiece to set the air column in motion, with pitch determined largely by the length of the bore and the position of the finger holes. The exact mechanism of sound production can differ among designs; some models use a simple reed or edge-based excitation, while others rely on the air column itself. The resulting tone is typically bright and penetrating, well suited to outdoor folk tunes and dances.

Birbynės have a long-standing presence in Lithuanian folk music and are used in traditional ensembles, rural celebrations, and cultural performances. They experienced renewed interest in the 20th century as part of efforts to preserve and promote Lithuanian musical heritage, and today are made by specialist craftsmen and played by contemporary folk musicians. In modern contexts, birbynės occasionally appear in fusion or world-m music projects, expanding their repertoire and audience.

See also: Lithuanian folk music, kanklės, dūdmaiņa.