BIRD CALLS and SONGS

Nocturnal migrants October 22nd and 23rd 2011

2011-10-27T10:55:00.028-04:00

The winds these two nights were from the WNW and NW and migration was heavy on the NEXRAD radar, but activity was light in terms of birds heard over my backyard just north of Philadelphia.

Considering the large number of Hermit Thrushes that arrived in the morning of these two dates, the fact that only about twenty were heard calling during the night seems to indicate that most migrating Hermit Thrushes must be either silent or call infrequently. Below are several examples, beginning with the typical pure-toned calls, then examples of modulated calls. Fully modulated flight calls are typical of the Wood Thrush but are given at times by all the thrushes and also probably by Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. All calls are presumed as the birds were not seen.

4.09am

5.28am

11.44pm

Most Hermit Thrush calls are pure-toned, but some are modulated in the beginning, and others are fully modulated, 5.48am

partially modulated at 2s

pure-toned at 4s

fully modulated at 6s

Lower, fully modulated calls at 1 and 9s, 11.54pm

In this cut there are two odd buzzy calls at the end, perhaps a shortened Hermit Thrush call or perhaps Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 6.00am.

Hermit Thrush and again an anomalous call at 5s, 11.38 pm

Presumed Rose-breasted Grosbeak buzzy call, 11.34pm. Wood Thrush is very similar but has a finer buzz. This call has never been confirmed by a sight recording during the day, and is a call presumed to be made by migrating Rose-breasted Grosbeaks based on its association with other known calls. A confirmed daytime recording of this call would be a great find.

Presumed Wood Thrush, 11.37pm

Warbler buzz (almost certainly Blackpoll), and Chipping Sparrow, 6.22am

Chipping Sparrow

Yellow-rumped Warblers are the latest (except for Orange-crowned) migrating warbler, and also the most abundant, 11.55pm

White-throated Sparrow, a fully modulated variant. Henslow's Sparrow has a very similar call, but with double peaked modulations. As hard as I tried, I couldn't convince myself that this was a Henslow's calling.
6.18am.

Savannah Sparrow, 5.44am

Indigo Bunting, 6.02am

Every night there will be unknown calls. This one could be the rattle of a Lapland Longspur. It also sounds a little like the staccato call of a Winter Wren. Wrens are not known to call during nocturnal migration, 6.10am

Nocturnal migrants early October 2011

2011-10-07T17:30:00.000-04:00

The following recordings are of birds calling over my house in Elkins Park, PA during the first week of October. Dominant thrushes during that time were Swainson's and Gray-cheeked, in about a 3:1 ratio, with a few Wood Thrushes and a one or two Hermit Thrushes and Veeries. Warblers were less frequent than in September with Common Yellowthroat and Blackpoll-type calls most common. Among the sparrows, White-throated was the most frequently heard. The highlight was a single American Bittern call. Some gray-cheeked thrush calls approached those of Bicknell's Thrush, and comments on the identification of these recordings would be welcomed.

All calls are presumptively identified as no birds were seen.

Gray-cheeked Thrush, typical calls, 4.45am

Buzzy variant, 5.10am

Gray-cheeked and Swainson's Thrush calls, 5.29am

Lower and higher calls, 4.56am

In this cut the gray-cheeked call is consistent with the appearance of Bicknell's, 11.53pm

A Swainson's Thrush variant "doubled" call, the bird using both syrinxes to create the sound, 9.43pm

A late Veery, 3.03am

An early Hermit Thrush, 2.45am

This strongly modulated call is similar in appearance to the buzzy Rose-breasted Grosbeak call as described on the Flight Calls DVD by Evans and O'Brien, 9.21pm

Another presumed Rose-breasted Grosbeak buzz, 10.59pm

The flight call of the Scarlet Tanager is a clear chu-wee, and seems to be less frequently heard at night than those of the thrushes,11.06pm

White-throated Sparrows began arriving in earnest in early October, 1.46am

Chipping Sparrow, 1.48am

Green Heron, 3.22am

American Bittern, 2.46am

This single owl wail may be an Eastern Screech-Owl, or possibly a Northern Saw-whet Owl; the call closely matches that on Cornell's Voices of North American Owls, Disc 2, cut 64.
11.48pm

Nocturnal migrants September 16th-18th, 2011

2011-09-20T19:43:00.000-04:00

The following are recordings of migrants flying over my house near Philadelphia, PA, during three consecutive nights of northwesterly/northeasterly winds in mid-September. The majority of calls were by thrushes, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks or warblers, and there was an occasional sparrow or heron. The most common thrush was Swainson's, with Veeries coming in second, this species being past its peak. Early Gray-cheeked Thrushes were heard in small numbers, and a few Wood Thrushes passed over. Most frequently heard warblers were Common Yellowthroat, Blackpoll/Blackburnian, Ovenbird and American Redstart.

All identifications are presumed, as no birds were observed.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks call mostly earlier in the night, whereas thrushes call throughout with an increase towards sunrise. Grosbeaks have three main categories of calls, off-key whistles (which can sound like Swainson's or Hermit Thrush), hoarse calls and buzzy calls. The calls are quite variable.

Typical whistle, which could be confused with Swainson's Thrush, 2.47am

Commonly heard hoarse call, 1.05am

11.25pm

This call is Hermit Thrush-like, 1.30am

Short call, 1.01am

The following are presumed Rose-breasted Grosbeak calls:

5.05am

3.03am

12.55am

Presumed Wood Thrush (Rose-breasted Grosbeak can be similar) 5.45am

Swainson's Thrush, modulated and typical pure-toned calls, 6.03am

Veery, typical call, 4.57am

Gray-cheeked Thrush calls are higher than those of Veery and Swainson's Thrush, 6.08am

The Bay-breasted Warbler has a bisyllabic call that is more sibilant than other buzzy warbler calls (Blackburnian can be similar), 5.02am

Buzz, most likely Blackpoll or Blackburnian (less likely Yellow, based on date, or Connecticut, based on abundance) 12.02am

Northern Waterthrush, a rising buzz, 1201am (Louisiana Waterthrush is similar)

This is a good candidate for Cape May Warbler, a high, slightly descending buzz, 3.56am.

Magnolia Warbler, a fine buzz, 2.02am

Chestnut-sided Warbler, a low, fine buzz, 1.52am

Common Yellowthroat, a distinctive low coarse buzz, 3.35am

Double rising call, Black-throated Green, Nashville or Tennessee Warbler, 12.02am

Black-throated Blue Warbler 1.39am

Northern Parula, a clear descending call, 2.00am

Palm Warbler, a distinctive emphatic "seemp", 2.00am.

Canada Warbler 3.50am

American Redstart, 12.02am

Black-and-white Warbler, a sharply modulated bisyllabic call, 3.35am

Ovenbird, a piercing rising call, 12.30am

Savannah Sparrow 11.58pm

Swamp/Lincoln's Sparrow 4.20am

Nocturnal migrants September 16-18th 2011

2011-09-20T13:06:00.081-04:00

Nocturnal migrants August 23rd 2011

2011-08-26T06:54:00.075-04:00

From 2.50 am to sunrise on August 23rd 2011 I recorded migrants flying over my house near Philadelphia, PA. The overnight winds were light and northwesterly, good for southbound migration. After analyzing the recordings, I was fairly confident in identifying 12 species of warbler, as well as a few Veery and Bobolink. A surprise was a Dickcissel, an uncommon bird in the east, and an Eastern Kingbird, rarely heard at night. Among the warblers, Chestnut-sided was the most frequently heard (at least 35 separate individuals), and 12 Canada Warblers were tallied. A number of calls could not be assigned to a species or species group because of their atypical appearance on the sonagram.

One of the easiest flight calls to recognise is the sharp tik of the Black-throated Blue warbler. It's a unique call among the warblers, and sounds more like the alarm call of a Northern Cardinal.

Another distinctive call is the low electric buzz of the Common Yellowthroat. It's a good deal lower than the buzzy calls of other warblers, but not as low as the Dickcissel (see below).

The next three species also have quite distinctive calls:

Canada Warblers have a slurred call with a unique appearance on the sonagram, but if not heard well it could be confused with American Redstart.

The American Redstart has a slurred, doubled flight call.

The Ovenbird has a piercing flight call that is a little similar to the American Redstart but is clearer and more distinctly rising.

Ovenbirds often call repeatedly in rapid succession.

The most frequently heard warbler species was the Chestnut-sided Warbler. Most other buzzy warbler flight calls are higher in frequency or less modulated.

Several other warbler species have short buzzy flight calls, and cannot generally be separated because they are so similar to one another. Additionally, there is considerable variability in the calls. The following calls could be by Yellow or Blackburnian Warblers, it being a little early for Blackpoll, and a good deal early for Connecticut, but who knows?

Worm-eating Warblers have a high, dry buzz that is often doubled. As with many of these calls, the identification is not certain, and this a presumed Worm-eating Warbler calling, but the sonagram is typical for this species.

Magnolia Warblers have a slightly longer, more modulated buzz. If it was rising, it could have been a waterthrush flying over.

Rising double-banded notes are made by several species, including Black-throated Green, Tennessee and Nashville Warblers. Only five of these calls were recorded this night.

A possible Prairie Warbler; the flight call tends to be level.

Presumed Pine Warbler. Northern Parula also has a descending call but it is steeper. Surprisingly, no parulas were recorded this night.

The unique low buzz of a Dickcissel heard at 3.10am.

Eastern Kingbird call at 3.40am.

Chipping Sparrow copulation call

2011-05-08T17:17:00.009-04:00

Many birds have special calls that are given at the time of copulation. For example, female Chipping Sparrows give a rapid twittering while mating, heard here at 8 and 21s (May, DE).

Red-breasted Nuthatch "vibratory" song

2011-03-27T13:40:00.007-04:00

Red-breasted Nuthatches are reported to have three song types, made up of notes similar to the common nasal call notes (see Titmice and allies II) but strung together in regular sequences: slow (courtship), fast (agonistic), and an even faster third type known as the vibratory (or copulation) song.
The vibratory song is usually heard near the nest-site, but in this case it was a bird in migration (Mar, PA).

American Woodcock display flight

2011-02-27T21:20:00.027-05:00

At this time of year American Woodcock can be heard performing their flight displays before sunrise and after sunset in damp, open areas in wooded habitat.

Males peent for a while, then rise into the air and begin a continuous twittering, produced by the attenuated outermost three primaries. Approaching the peak of the flight the twittering becomes intermittent, and vocal chirping begins. As the bird descends it gives forth a continuous flow of chirps and twitters before silently falling to the ground at the end, often to the same spot where the display began.

This recording begins with a bird at the height of a display flight, and ends with a second, complete, flight display, with peents in between. At 77s a rattle can be heard, an aggressive call given by interacting males.

(5.50am, Feb, NJ)

continuous mechanical twittering during ascent

intermittent twittering and chirping at peak

continuous vocal chirping during descent

rattle (with American Robin call)

peent

Baird's Sparrow at Lostwood NWR, North Dakota

2011-02-09T12:39:00.004-05:00

Baird's Sparrow singing shortly after dawn at the Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge, in a short-grass prairie habitat. Other birds heard in the chorus include Marbled Godwit, Western Meadowlark, Savannah Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, American Coot, Bobolink and Sora.

Sandhill Crane

2011-01-14T08:23:00.000-05:00

The annual spectacle in March of thousands of lesser Sandhill Cranes coming in to roost along the Platte River in Nebraska is unforgettable. This is a recording of a group flying overhead near Kearney at dusk. The main calls are bugles but interspersed are the higher-pitched purrs of young birds.

Henslow's Sparrows at Piney Tract, PA

2011-01-13T19:41:00.001-05:00

On May 30th, 2009 I made the trip to Clarion, PA to see Henslow's Sparrows at the reclaimed strip mines at Piney Tract IBA, where I'd read there may be 100 pairs.

Henslow's Sparrows have a short, insect-like song that has been famously described as "one of the poorest of vocal efforts of any bird" by Roger Tory Peterson. Each male sings a single song that is made up of about five to seven notes. I recorded five different males; two had essentially identical songs, another two differed only by an extra introductory note by one of them, and the fifth had a very different song. So there were three distinctly different songs in a sample of five.
These birds were recorded in the afternoon (Henslow's Sparrows also sing at night), and they mostly sang from the small bushes that dotted the grasslands:

Henslow's Sparrow breeding habitat at Piney Tract IBA

Note: when observing Henslow's Sparrows, the green tinge of the head is not obvious in a lot of views, but they are readily told from Grasshopper Sparrows by the necklace across their breasts.

These two had nearly identical songs, the first and last notes being slightly diferent:

The next two differed by only by an additional introductory note by one bird:

The next had a song that is noticeably different even by ear.

It would be interesting to know how many different songs there are among this population. As can be seen on the sonagrams, it is only our inability to decipher the song's complexity that makes it a "poor vocal effort".

Piney Tract also had many Savannah and Grasshopper Sparrows, Bobolinks and Eastern Meadowlarks, and I was fortunate enough to see a male Northern Harrier performing its somersaulting flight display. A place that was well worth the 300 mile trip from Philadelphia.

Fish Crow calls

2011-01-13T19:39:00.000-05:00

The easiest way to differentiate Fish Crows from American Crows is by voice. Fish Crows have distinctive uh-uh calls, and also uh and eh calls, not heard from American Crows.
Both crows caw, but the Fish Crow caw is more guttural and sounds lower than that of the American Crow, even though the greatest intensity of the caws for both species is around 1.5 kHz. This is because the partials of the calls (the horizontal lines that stack to form the sound on the sonagram) are closer together in the Fish Crow, making the call seem lower to our ears. This phenomenon is nicely demonstrated on Nathan Pieplow's site Earbirding.

A flock of about 30 Fish Crows making various calls (Nov, NJ).

uh-uh

uh calls

eh

honk-like uh (center)

short caws

long caws

American Crow caw for comparison (Sep, ME).

The partials are stacked further apart, making the call sound higher.

In this recording of the same Fish Crow flock, presumed American Crow caws can be heard on several occasions in the background, including 6, 26, 39 and 64s.

The American Crow caws actually appear to be lower in pitch on the sonagram:

Spotted Towhee calls

2011-01-13T19:37:00.000-05:00

A female Spotted Towhee has been observed at Palmyra Cove since late November, only the sixth record of this species for New Jersey, the first since 1995. The bird hasn't been very vocal, but its mew call has been helpful in localizing it.

"Mew" call.

An aggressive interaction with a male Eastern Towhee, with a series of chips made by one bird (the "fear" or "flee" call of both species, most likely made by the Spotted Towhee, which was being chased), and buzzy calls by the other.

Finding Connecticut Warblers by ear

2011-01-13T19:28:00.000-05:00

The Connecticut Warbler is an elusive and much sought-after fall migrant, occurring mostly from mid-September to early October in the Delaware Valley. It is generally considered to be a rather rare find, but there is a method of discovering this bird that I have had success with at sites alongside the Delaware River in New Jersey.
Connecticut Warblers have a unique chip call, a squeaky sweet “pwik”. They regularly call at daybreak, sometimes incessantly, but almost exclusively at that time or shortly thereafter. Later in the day they are generally silent and cannot easily be found. They seem to be more vocal when there are two or three together, which is often the case. Calls are most often made from low branches and then may allow excellent views of the birds.

If well heard the Connecticut Warbler chip is unmistakable, but there are other birds in the same habitat that make somewhat similar calls, such as Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Gray Catbird and Northern Waterthrush.

Cardinals have a variety of calls that could be confused with the Connecticut Warbler chip if not well heard.

The dry alarm call of Indigo Buntings is also a commonly heard sound that is fairly similar.

Juvenile Indigo Buntings sound more metallic and are often heard into September (Sep, NJ).

Northern Waterthrushes also have a metallic chip call.

In late summer Gray Catbirds make calls that can be confused with other species.

The Mourning Warbler chip is very similar to some Gray Catbird calls, but quite easily separable from the Connecticut chip.

Surprisingly, the hoarse chip of the Magnolia Warbler can sometimes sound a bit like a Connecticut Warbler.

I've also located a number of Connecticuts by hearing their Blackpoll/Yellow Warbler-like buzzy flight calls low down in vegetation. Other warblers with this type of call (including Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian) tend to be more active and higher up.

Swamp Sparrows have a similar but longer and finer buzzy flight call.

Indigo Bunting flight calls are also longer.

The Connecticut Warbler’s preferred habitat is areas of weeds near woodland edges, and they may stay in the same small area for several days.

Typical Connecticut Warbler habitat in fall migration

Mimid songs

2011-01-13T19:20:00.000-05:00

Gray Catbird song including mimicry of Wood Thrush (9, 19, 32s), American Robin (2, 27, 38s) and Common Grackle (24, 49s). Also possible Eurasian Starling (11s) and Blue Jay (34s),(June, PA).

American Robin at 2s

Wood Thrush at 19s

Common Grackle at 24s

A simpler song with two different phrases (July, NJ)

This bird was displaying in front of another bird and singing a subdued song with repeated phrases, including mimicry of Eastern Kingbird at 6s (May, NJ)

phrases 5-8 on the recording

Northern Mockingbird featuring a number of imitations, including (in order of appearance) Northern Flicker, American Kestrel, American Robin, Greater Yellowlegs, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Hairy Woodpecker, Virginia Rail, Carolina Wren, Blue Jay and Northern Cardinal (May, NJ). Mockingbirds are unusual among birds in that they continue to add to their repertoire throughout life (see Mimicry I for sonagrams).

Northern Mockingbirds sing in the fall while establishing winter territories (Oct, PA)

Songs and calls of about six Northern Mockingbirds in close proximity (Oct, PA)

The Brown Thrasher has thousands of different songs, each of which it often repeats twice (with Chipping Sparrow calls, May, NJ).

Starling

2011-01-13T19:08:00.000-05:00

The (variable) metallic twick of the European Starling (Nov, NJ).

Sparrow calls III : flock, agonistic, chase and mating calls

2011-01-13T19:05:00.000-05:00

I've termed flock calls those calls that are made between birds as they forage (that are not flight or aggressive calls). Chase and other agonistic calls are calls between two or more birds, involving chasing or other apparently aggressive behavior.

Flock calls

Dark-eyed Junco, a flock of about 60 birds at Whitesbogs, NJ in November. The predominant call is the tu-tu flock call, other calls are the buzzy flight call, one bird singing at 6s and a titter call at 10s.

tu-tu calls

buzzy flight calls and titter call (above tu-tu calls)

Another example of the tu-tu calls with a series of rapid chips at the end of the recording (Dec, PA).

Flock calls of White-throated Sparrows include chip calls and "laughing" calls (Oct, NJ).

laughing calls (Dec, PA)

When White-throated Sparrows interact closely, they chip rapidly. So it appears that the chip call is used for flock communication, aggressive interaction and as an alarm call.
Two birds rising in the air in a brief aggressive encounter at 4s, with flight calls (Dec, NJ).

American Tree Sparrows are also very vocal in winter. This is their common call, a unique "chu-wit".
single bird (Jan, PA)

flock (Jan, PA)

single bird (Dec, PA)

flock (Dec, PA)

Chase calls
These are also termed growls.

Savannah Sparrow (Oct, PA).

Swamp Sparrow interaction calls are lower (at dusk, Nov, PA)

chips followed by growls

Chipping Sparrow (Nov, PA).

Song Sparrow excited chip series, presumed interaction between two birds (dusk, Nov, PA). This may be the previously described chitter call.

the full series, reduced time scale

American Tree Sparrow growl (Jan, PA).

American Tree Sparrow or Song Sparrow growl. Note: heard among a group of American Tree Sparrows, Song Sparrow also present, but the calling birds were not observed:
(Dec, PA)

Other agonistic calls

This low grating call was made by a Song Sparrow while feeding with White-throated Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos, and appeared to be an aggressive vocalization. It was not made when the bird was feeding alone (Dec, PA).

This call was made during an aggressive interaction between a White-throated and Song Sparrow, where the Song Sparrow was the aggressor (identity of calling bird unknown,Jan, PA).

Various twittering calls (calls above 6kHz) by male Field Sparrow before dawn (May, DE).

Twittering between two Field Sparrows (May, DE).

Interaction calls between an Eastern Towhee (male) and Spotted Towhee (female) where the Eastern Towhee was the aggressor. One bird is uttering a series of chips, followed by two buzzy calls from the other bird. The series of chips has been described in the literature as a fear or flee call and is made by both species (Dec, Palmyra, NJ).

Mating calls

Chipping Sparrow calls while mating, a rapid series of chips at 8 and 21s (May, DE).

Sparrow calls II : chip calls

2011-01-13T19:03:00.000-05:00

Chip calls are generally given as an alarm call by agitated birds. I've also included chip calls of non-sparrows that are similar to the sparrow calls.

The "chimp' call of the Song Sparrow is distinctive among sparrows. Also on this recording made in July at Palmyra Cove, NJ, is a higher chip, which indicates increased agitation, such as when an intruder is close to young or the nest.

chimp

higher chip

The call of the Winter Wren can be mistaken for the chimp call of the Song Sparrow, but it is usually given in pairs, but not always as in this recording(Oct,PA).

The sonagrams are very similar.

This recording features three different chip calls, made by two agitated Song Sparrows. In addition to the chimp and high chip calls, there is another call that I believe represents the chet call, apparently only given by females (Aug, PA).

A pair of agitated Song Sparrows, giving a variety of calls, including two different high chip calls, the chimp call, and several different chips (June, NJ).

two high chips

chip at 13s

chip at 22s

chip at 2s

chip at 12s

The Fox Sparrow call is a smacking chip (Mar, NJ).

Note the anomalous chip at 9s:

The call is similar to that of the Brown Thrasher, which is usually louder and more emphatic (Sep, NJ).

The Lincoln's Sparrow chip sounds close to the Fox Sparrow.
Lincoln's Sparrow with fledglings,including two high chips, indicating a high level of agitation(July,CO).

high chip

This is a call not often heard in migration in my experience.
Lincoln's Sparrow (Oct, NJ).

The Dark-eyed Junco call sounds like two stones being hit together and is very similar to the chip note of the Black-throated Blue Warbler (White-throated Sparrow and Purple Finch calling, Oct, PA).

Black-throated Blue Warbler (May, PA).

The Savannah Sparrow has a chip that often sounds a little like that of the junco, but appears to be quite variable. Two examples:
(Oct, PA).

(breeding grounds, Jul, ME).

The Swamp Sparrow has an emphatic chip. Eastern Phoebe is similar but lower and more subdued.
Swamp Sparrow (Oct, NJ)

(Oct, PA)

Eastern Phoebe (Apr, PA).

The Field Sparrow has a somewhat slurred, husky chip (Feb, NJ). The v-shape gives it a slightly doubled, or slurred sound, which is shared by three eastern warblers, Prothonotary, Orange-crowned and Nashville.
(July, NJ)

Note the titter-like calls at 6 and 19s, and the flight call at 41s (Feb, NJ).

titter

Prothonotary Warbler chip for comparison (Apr, NJ).

The Chipping Sparrow has a high-pitched v-shaped chip (Aug, NJ).

(July, NJ)

This Clay-colored Sparrow chip is even higher (May, ND).

The chip of the American Tree Sparrow does not seem to be heard often in winter. Interestingly, it sounds very similar to the chip of the Hooded Warbler and has a similar sonagram.
American Tree Sparrow (background Carolina Wren, Nov, NJ).

Hooded Warbler (breeding grounds, May, NJ).

The alarm call of the Grasshopper Sparrow, heard here on its breeding grounds, June in NJ, sounds just like...a Grasshopper. The sonagram shows that it is actually a doubled (sometimes tripled) chip. It is also given singly, perhaps when under less stress.

The commonly given chips of the White-throated Sparrow appear to serve as a contact function as well as an alarm call.
(Nov, PA)

Persistent calls at dawn (Oct, PA)

This bird on breeding grounds occasionally gave a higher chip call, most likely equivalent to the high chip calls given by other sparrows and many warblers when highly agitated (July, ME).

Note how the chip call of the White-crowned Sparrow is shorter than that of the White-throated (leucophrys subspecies,Oct, NJ).

gambelli subspecies (June, AK).

This call has a similar sonagram and can sound similar to the alarm call of the Blue Grosbeak (May, NJ).

The Seaside Sparrow chip sounds very similar to the chip of the Eurasian Wren (Aug, NJ).

The familiar chewink call of the Eastern Towhee (with Northern Mockingbird, Dec, PA).

A variant of the call(Oct, NJ).

Adult pair calling with high chip calls, near fledglings (June, NJ).

Swallow and Swift calls

2011-01-13T19:00:00.017-05:00

All the following are by birds in flight, unless noted.

Barn Swallow, vwit and other calls near nest site (June, NJ).

Barn Swallow vwit call followed by alarm calls (Aug, NJ).

alarm call

Tree Swallow dawn song (4.50 am, June, CO).

Violet-green Swallow dawn song for comparison(4.45am June, CO)

Perched Tree Swallow (Mar, NJ).

Tree swallow contact call followed by two raspy aggression calls made at the bottom of a dive at an intruder close to nest site (Apr, PA).

contact call

raspy aggression call

A flock of Cliff Swallows with churr notes, squeaky calls at about 40 seconds, and the alarm call near the end of the recording (May, ND).

churr

squeaky calls

Cliff Swallow alarm calls (May, ND).

Purple Martin calls (May, DE).

cheeur calls by birds at martin house

buzzy bzeet in flight

calls at 23s

Chimney Swift (June, NJ).

Thrush calls II : alarm and contact calls

2011-01-13T18:56:00.000-05:00

The American Robin has a variety of alarm or contact calls, often heard at dusk:

chap (July, ME)

puck (May, NJ)

puck, tzzap, puk-puk-puk (Nov, PA)

tzzap

puk-puk-puk

chip (May, NJ)

Qui-qui-qui (dusk, Mar, PA).

reduced time scale

Quiet calls by one bird close to another (Mar, PA).

The whistle call is ventriloquial and is heard when an intruder is close to the nest or in the presence of a hawk (May, NJ).

The Veery also has a number of calls. Are they all alarm calls, or do they have different meanings? Interestingly, Veeries also show a lot of variability in their flight calls.
(May, NJ)

(May, NJ)

(May, NJ)

(May, NJ)

This Veery call is wren-like (May, NJ).

Hermit Thrush wheer, this call seems to heard more often on the breeding grounds (July, ME)

The chup call is the most frequently heard call during the day in fall migration, especially at dawn (with Northern Cardinal calling, Oct, PA).

The following alarm calls of the Swainson's Thrush were by the same birds on breeding grounds in Alaska in June.
whit

whit and werr

whit-werr

whit-werr

Calls and song phrases (July, ME).

Gray-cheeked Thrush, two calls, peeuu and pyu, also on breeding grounds in Alaska in June. Presumed alarm call, but similar to flight call.

peeoo

pyu

In migration Swainson's and Gray-cheeked Thrushes are very vocal while flying at night and when first landing before dawn, but are mostly silent during the day.

The Wood Thrush has a soft bubbly alarm that progresses into a whit-whit-whit with further agitation (with Gray Catbird calls, July, PA).

intermediate call

wit-wit

The Eastern Bluebird has a chatter-like call used both as an alarm call and, as in this case, amongst birds in a migrating flock (about a dozen birds, Oct, PA).
Also heard are trill-like interaction calls, at 6-9 and 19-23s.

trill-like call

Aggressive reaction between two birds, with a third singing (Oct, PA).

These are soft contact calls between several birds, and were barely audible (Jan, PA)

Old world sparrows

2011-01-13T18:54:00.002-05:00

The House Sparrow "song" is a repeated chlip chlip (male, April, PA).

The extended chatter is typically given by females (June, PA).

The cheep of a male can also be heard (according to BNA females do not often cheep).

A different, clearer cheep by a male (May, PA).

Another call by a male, "ch-ree" (Apr, PA).

An agitated male near its nest-site, with 3 different calls (May, PA).

chur

chips at 10s, notes similar to the female chatter call on sonagram

shorter churs at 35s

A descending chip (sex unknown)(June, PA).

Shorebird calls I : Calidris sandpipers

2011-01-13T18:52:00.000-05:00

Shorebirds are generally quite vocal while flying or feeding, and many have complex songs that are heard on their breeding grounds in the Arctic.

A flock of Semipalmated Sandpipers feeding on mudflats, Cape Cod, MA in August. The low buzzy calls (which are also the flight calls) are interspersed with laughing threat calls.

laughing call

The same calls by birds in spring migration (early June,NJ).

Semipalmated Sandpipers feeding calls. The calls are very similar those of feeding Short-billed Dowitchers, but may be slightly higher (June, NJ).

Feeding flock with threat call at end (June, NJ).

The song of the Semipalmated Sandpiper is like an idling diesel engine. I did not observe the bird making the chip-like calls, but they are presumed to be a Least Tern (June, NJ).

A flock of several hundred Semipalmated Sandpipers taking flight and landing again at Heislerville, NJ in early June. A Semipalmated Plover and Black Skimmer are calling, and note the high-pitched calls of White-rumped Sandpiper on the sonagram.

Least Sandpipers have a higher, rising flight call compared to that of the Semipalmated Sandpiper (birds in flight, May, NJ).

Least Sandpiper taking flight with flight/alarm call (May, NJ).

White-rumped Sandpipers have unique high-pitched squeaky calls, in this case a bit like some of the calls of the Eastern Kingbird (June, NJ).

The calls are variable but consistently high and squeaky (May, NJ).

A snippet of song from a migrant White-rumped Sandpiper (June, NJ).

The Sanderling call is a clear chit (in flight, Jan, NJ).

(birds in flight, Aug, MA).

The common call of the Dunlin is a low kree (May, NJ).

Dunlin calling to one another as they feed. The calls sound similar to those of Short-billed Dowitcher and Semipalmated Sandpiper but are less squeaky, and have a different sonagram (May, NJ).

Various calls by a feeding flock (Nov, NJ).

Dunlin song (June, NJ).

The calls of Purple Sandpipers are reminiscent of Barn Swallows.
Contact call (Mar, NJ).

Alarm call (bird taking flight, Mar, NJ).

Various calls followed by alarm call as bird takes off (Mar, NJ).

Thrush songs

2011-01-13T18:51:00.000-05:00

Thrushes have some of the loveliest songs among North American birds.

American Robin singing before dawn (July, ME)

The first two phrases are the typical "caroled" notes, and the next two are higher pitched "hisselly" phrases (see the sonagram). The typical American Robin sings 10-20 different carols and 75-100 different hissellys (Kroodsma). Hissellys are heard most reliably at dawn and dusk. During the day robins usually sing only caroled phrases.

This bird hidden in a conifer sang a song comprised only of hissellies (90 minutes after sunrise, Apr, PA). It was then chased off by a rival male.

Veery, at least two, possibly three birds countersinging, with calls in between song phrases (July, ME).

Hermit Thrush (July, ME)

Hermit Thrushes alternate lower with higher phrases.
The first three phrases:

Two Hermit Thrushes countersinging (July, ME).

Wood Thrush (June, NJ).

Wood Thrush singing a song variant with calls and short phrases (with Carolina Chickadee, June, NJ)

Swainson's Thrush (June, AK)

Swainson's Thrush singing an abbreviated song (June, AK)

Gray-cheeked Thrush (June, AK)

Eastern Bluebird (Oct, PA).

Raptors

2011-01-13T17:45:00.000-05:00

Broad-winged Hawk whistle (Apr, NJ).

Red-shouldered Hawk (July, NJ).

Red-tailed Hawk (June, NJ)

(Nov, PA)

Sharp-shinned Hawk calls at 2, 29, 50 and 62s (including mobbing calls by Blue Jays, Oct, NJ)

Cooper's Hawk (June, NJ).

Cooper's Hawk leaving nest (June, NJ).

Cooper's Hawk, female call after flying from nest to perch nearby (June, NJ).

The mew calls sound similar to Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Oct, PA).

Peregrine Falcon in flight (Oct, NJ).

American Kestrel in flight (male, Oct, PA).

This soft call was heard when two female/immature Merlins interacted with each other in flight (Nov, NJ).

Osprey (Aug, NJ).

(Aug, NJ)

Northern Harrier pair flying overhead in breeding habitat, the louder call being the female, and the whistle presumed to be the male (Red-winged Blackbird also calling, May, PA).

A male Northern Harrier being mobbed in flight by a Red-winged Blackbird was presumed to make this soft call (at 3s) (breeding grounds, May, PA).

(insect noise at 5-6kHz)

Northern Harrier in flight (Nov, NJ)

Sparrow calls I : flight calls

2011-01-13T17:24:00.000-05:00

So-called flight calls made by sparrows are also given regularly during the day as a contact call. Following are recordings and sonagrams of the flight calls of common sparrow species found in the Delaware Valley area.

The flight call of the Field Sparrow is distinctive, a clear, long, descending, plaintive call.
(Oct, PA)

(Oct, NJ).

The flight calls of Savannah and American Tree Sparrow are quite similar to each other, each being short,high and descending.

The calls of American Tree Sparrow can be likened to a foreshortened (monosyllabic) Chipping Sparrow flight call (Jan, NJ).

The Savannah Sparrow is a little higher and tinnier sounding than the American Tree Sparrow (Nov, NJ).

double-banded calls sound tinny

(Dec, PA)

The "Ipswich" subspecies of Savannah Sparrow has a flight call that may be a little buzzier, with more modulation seen on the sonagram. For more on this go to Ipswich Sparrow flight calls.
(Jan, NJ).

The flight calls of Song and White-throated Sparrow are very similar to each other, but often there is a sibilant ending to the call of the White-throated and it is usually longer.

Song Sparrow, three examples.
(Oct, PA)

(Nov, PA, with White-throated Sparrow calling)

(Oct, NJ)

White-throated Sparrow, three examples.
(Feb, PA)

(Dec, PA)

(Oct, PA)

Fox Sparrow is similar to Song but more clearly bisyllabic, su-wee.
(Nov, PA)

(Dec, NJ)

Here are two Fox Sparrows calling to each other in my backyard in Elkins Park, PA (Mar)

The Chipping Sparrow also has a bisyllabic call, but shorter than Fox.
(birds in flight, Oct, PA)

Another example of Chipping Sparrow flight calls, with more variety in the calls. Most calls are distinctively bisyllabic, and are actually more likely to be confused with the flight call of the American Redstart than with other sparrows (Dec, PA).

The White-crowned Sparrow has a rising flight call (Jan, NJ)

A less-rising version (Feb, NJ).

The flight call of the Vesper Sparrow is very similar, but has a small downward curve at the very beginning on the sonagram (Oct, PA).

Swamp Sparrow has a high buzzy flight call (Oct, NJ).

(Oct, NJ)

Lincoln's Sparrow is similar (Oct, PA).

These calls can be confused with the flight call of the Indigo Bunting, which is lower,
(Oct, NJ)

Buzzy flight calls of warblers are much shorter, for example,Blackpoll Warbler,(Oct,NJ)

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Aug, PA)

The Dark-eyed Junco also has a buzzy flight call (Dec, PA).

Heard here with the tu-tu flock calls (Nov, NJ).

Juncos have a commonly heard twittering call that they make when taking flight in response to an intruder (Feb, PA)

Eastern Towhee has a unique long contact call, a lisping see (with alarm calls, Oct, PA)

The sonagram time scale has been reduced to accommodate the call

Several birds foraging (Dec, PA)

Grasshopper Sparrows have a rising flight call (Oct, NJ).
(from a camcorder)

The Le Conte's Sparrow is a very rare migrant through the Delaware Valley. It has a long, descending call. This bird over-wintered near Glen Mills, PA in 2009. I observed it on two separate days for over 45 minutes and each time it called only once, when perched about 3 feet off the ground, shortly before flying down to forage.
(Feb)

This is the flight call of a sharp-tailed sparrow. A Nelson's (interior race) and a Saltmarsh Sparrow were feeding together and I'm not certain which one called, but the length of the calls suggests Saltmarsh, as Nelson's call is usually shorter (O'Brien and Evans). It is similar to the Song Sparrow flight call, but higher and tinnier.
(Nov, NJ)

Finch calls

2011-01-13T17:22:00.001-05:00

The flight calls of at least some finches appear to be learned. Birds of a mated pair or those in a social group have matching calls, and the calls can change throughout life as required.

American Goldfinch, birds in flight, the typical flight call (July, ME).

"Bay-bee", the alarm call (Aug, PA).

Another call, this was by repeated for several minutes by a female (Aug, NJ).

Waaee (compare with the similar call of the Pine Siskin below).
Female calling, male singing (Apr, NJ).

A different pair of birds.

More examples of this call:
(June, NJ)

(May, NJ)

Perched male, preceded by other calls (July, PA).

calls at 1s

calls at 6s

waaee

Same bird, flight call while perched.

Ti-hoo, the call of recently fledged birds(Sep, NJ).

Pine Siskin, typical klyer flight calls from perched birds (Tufted Titmouse calling, Dec, PA).

This is the characteristic zzzreeee call that is commonly heard from perched birds, and occasionally in flight too (Mar, PA).

Another common call is waaee. American Goldfinch and Common Redpoll have very similar calls to this one (Apr, PA).

Five siskins chattering to each other while feeding at the top of a tree just before flying off (Feb, PA).

Flock calls, a number of siskins calling from a tree-top (Mar, PA).

Common Redpoll, tchet and higher tchit calls in flight (June, AK).

Redpoll in flight, probably Common but not identified for certain, example of their fast trills (June, AK).

tchit and trill

The typical flight call of White-winged Crossbills is a low je-je-je-je (June,AK).

Another call is a vheet-vheet, usually heard with the je-je-je call. These birds were in the top of a spruce in SE PA in December 2008. That winter White-winged Crossbills irrupted and were found all over the Delaware Valley region.

A flock of 30 birds feeding on hemlock cones (Mar, PA).

Purple Finch flight calls (perched bird,July, ME). A very distinctive call.

These calls were made by a female Purple Finch that was with fledglings. The fledgling calls are a yo-whee (4 out of the first 5 calls on the recording), but the other calls are by the adult bird. There is also a Song Sparrow and Yellow Warbler singing (July, ME).

There are four different calls made by the female, as shown in the following sonagrams (21-26s on the recording).

to the left is the high-pitched call with the fledgling call under it

The common flight call of the House Finch is a vweet (Mar, PA).

This call can be surprisingly similar some of those of the House Sparrow (May, PA).
House Sparrow

Several typical calls of birds in my backyard (Mar, PA).

raspy vheer

call at 1, 13 and 15s

call at 3 and 6s

call at 10s