Warbler calls III : high chip and miscellaneous other calls

High chip calls

A number of warblers (perhaps most?) have high chip alarm calls different to the typical chip call, sounding more like titmice or Golden-crowned Kinglet. They seem to be heard most often on breeding grounds and are often given by birds that are highly agitated; in this way they seem homologous to the high chip call of the Song Sparrow.


Female Pine Warbler in the pine barrens (Jun, NJ).














Female Blackburnian Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo in background (Jul, ME)












Kentucky Warbler female with nearby fledgling (which looked just like a House Wren with a faint moustache and yellow under the tail), giving a high chip, an intermediate chip, and the regular low chip (June, NJ).

high chip








intermediate chip









all 3 chips (reduced time scale)








Yellow Warbler adult with food (June, NJ).











Worm-eating Warblers near nest (June, NJ).












Hooded Warbler (male, June, PA).


An agitated Common Yellowthroat male giving high chips, the regular chip call, and a couple of intermediate calls (July, PA).

high chip









the first six chips (reduced time scale), the third is the regular chip





Compare with the chip calls (regular and high) of an adjacent agitated Song Sparrow (July, PA).

v-shaped high chip of Song Sparrow








Another male Common Yellowthroat, some of the calls are cardinal-like (May, PA).


Chestnut-sided Warbler adult near fledgling, giving high-pitched and other chips (July, ME).












Presumed Palm Warbler (I didn't observe the bird that made this call but no other species were present in a flock of eastern Palm Warblers, Apr, PA).













Miscellaneous other calls

Ovenbirds have a variety of calls.
This high call is distinctive in sound (June, NJ).