Flycatcher songs II : dawn songs

To appreciate bird song fully, it is necessary to get up really early. Not only is the amount of song greatest before sunrise, but a number of species have unique dawn songs not heard the rest of the day.

Good examples of dawn song are found among the flycatchers, which are unusual among North American birds in that they do not learn their songs.

This Acadian Flycatcher sang continuously for thirty minutes just before dawn in May along the Wissahickon Creek in Philadelphia. During each songburst it spread and quivered its tail feathers. The repeated "pi-pi-pi-pi-pi" notes before "pizza" are not heard during the day.









The Eastern Wood-Pewee adds a third phrase to its song at dawn, "ah-di-dee", the second call on the recording and the sonagram. This phrase is not usually heard during the day.(Jul, ME)









The Western Wood-Pewee adds a second phrase in its dawn song, "tswee-tee-teet", the second call on the recording and sonagram (Jun, AK)











The Eastern Phoebe has a two-phrased dawn song, "fee-bee" and "fee-be-be". Before dawn the phrases are repeated rapidly, slowing as sunrise approaches. At first "fee-be-be" alternates with "fee-bee", but closer to sunrise "fee-bee" predominates. "Fee-be-be" is less commonly heard during the day. This recording was made thirty minutes before sunrise. (Apr, PA)









The dawn song is also called the twilight song, because it may also be heard at dusk. This is a Great Crested Flycatcher singing just after sunset, with two phrases repeated over and over for about twenty minutes (May, PA)











Great Crested Flycatcher dawn song (5.00am, May, RI)











A different bird (same morning, 5.08am, May, RI)