Field Sparrow plastic complex song

Each adult male Field Sparrow sings one simple song (the regular daytime, bouncing ball song) and one complex song, usually sung only at dawn (the complex song is occasionally heard during the day in aggressive interactions).
I obtained the following recording of a (presumed) young Field Sparrow practicing its dawn song in mid-morning earlier this week. The phrases are each different, typical of plastic song before it has become crystallized into the final version. At 63s and 68s there are two slightly different versions of the simple song.
(Mar, PA)

complex songs:

simple songs:

Sparrow high chip calls

As with the warblers, sparrows have high chip calls that indicate a high level of agitation. High chips often show variability on the sonagram, and it is doubtful that they are identifiable to species.

Song Sparrows often give a high chip near the nest or fledglings (Mar, 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










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).











Another example, single bird (July, PA).



Lincoln's Sparrow with fledglings, including two high chips, indicating a high level of agitation (July,CO).

high chip











Dark-eyed Junco high chip (July, ME)





Savannah Sparrow chips and high chips (breeding grounds, June, NJ).












Swamp Sparrow high chip (Oct, PA).












White-throated Sparrow on breeding grounds (July, ME).



(July, ME).











High chip call by an over-wintering/migrant White-throated Sparrow. I have only heard this call in early spring (Apr, PA).















Seaside Sparrow (June,Nj).

LeConte's Sparrow high chip,spliced recording (breeding grounds, June, MN)

Eastern Towhee, adult pair calling with high chip calls, near fledglings (June, NJ).










Male with high chip and high trill (May, PA).

Warbler songs III : high-pitched songs

The following five species have very high-pitched songs.
Note: American Redstarts have varied phrases that can sometimes approach these songs in frequency.

Blackburnian Warblers each have a first category (to attract mates) and a second category (male-male interaction) song. Both songs may be accented, but the second category is longer.
Second category; note the chips in between the phrases, these are identical to the begging calls of juveniles, and not heard in first category songs. This is the aggressive song used to maintain territory and the one sung at dawn (July, ME)










first category, heard during the day (July, ME)











Blackpoll warblers have also two different song types (per BNA), delivered at different speeds, which may function as first or second category songs. There has been speculation that song speed varies geographically. The following are recordings of migrants.
(May, PA)










(May, PA)










faster song (May, PA)












even faster song (May, PA)




The Black-and-white Warbler has a "squeaky wheel" song, but there is another version that is more extended.
regular song (May, NJ)












extended version, probably representing second category (June, NJ)










Shorter version of probable second category song, at sunrise (June, NJ).






This example lacks the more usual up and down arrangement of notes, sounding more like a Cape May Warbler (May, NJ).












Cape May Warblers have two song types, one monosyllabic and the other bisyllabic.
This male sang the first type, which could be confused with a Tufted Titmouse, from the top of a conifer in an otherwise mostly deciduous woodland. Because the other song type is more complex, this is most likely the first category song. (May, PA).











Bisyllabic song type, probably second category song as it is more complex, migrant high in a spruce. Sometimes this song is two-parted, with a Wilson's-like flourish. Some versions are similar to Bay-breasted, but the notes are more separated and there is a slightly staccato sound not heard in the Bay-breasted song, where the notes merge together. Blackpoll is much more regular in rhythm and usually distinctive. Perhaps more than any other warbler, visual confirmation is advisable for migrating Cape May Warblers (May, PA)



Unseen bird singing the two different songs.
Probable first category song (May, PA)


Probable second category song


Another bird singing both songs (May, PA).






This bird sang both song types, some being hybrids between the two (May, PA).

The Bay-breasted Warbler song is short, rapid and high-pitched, with a hissing quality. There are apparently accented and unaccented versions.
Migrant male singing high in an oak (May, RI).













American Redstarts have varied songs that can be confused with several other warbler species. Those that are high-pitched can sound like Black-and-white, Cape May or Blackburnian Warblers. Generally, these high frequency songs are a good deal shorter and if there is immediate variety, can be told apart instantly (June, NJ).

Las Vegas

The following were recently recorded on a trip to the Las Vegas, Nevada area in February. Most recordings were made at two locations, Corn Creek National Wildlife Refuge just north of Las Vegas and Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve to the southeast.

Le Conte's Thrasher calls at dusk at Corn Creek. The Great Crested Flycatcher-like alarm call is typical. The calls at the end, which I believe were made by the same bird, are similar to ratchet-like calls of other mimids.




A Crissal's Thrasher was in full song in the top of a tree one morning at Corn Creek. Both thrashers sing only sporadically, and I didn't get to hear the Le Conte's song, which is very similar.






Phainopepla calls were omnipresent at Corn Creek.


This raspy call was by a male Phainopepla interacting with another in flight.


Phainopepla singing




Abert's Towhee, two different alarm calls (Henderson).



Bewick's Wren, raspy scold, at Corn Creek.






Black Phoebe call (Henderson).



Black-tailed Gnatcatchers in basic plumage are similar in appearance to Blue-gray except under the tail but the calls are quite different. Two examples of the "most common territorial advertising call" (BNA), given year round by males (Henderson).



scolding call, usually given singly



Cassin's Kingbirds winter sparsely in the region (Henderson).





The Costa's Hummingbird call sounds like the tik of a Northern Cardinal (Henderson).



Gambel's Quail flock calls


calls in flight


assembly call/song (Henderson).



All the Verdins I observed were extremely vocal:
contact calls (Corn Creek).


chip alarm calls (Henderson).


song.



A recording of a pair of Verdins mating.

The Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler chip is significantly different to that of Myrtle's, a twik versus a chup (Henderson).



Western Bluebird flight calls are monosyllabic compared to the bisyllabic calls of Eastern Bluebirds (Corn Creek).


contact calls between birds perched in a bush (with Cedar Waxwings).







Long-eared Owls hooting and mewing shortly after sunset from a roost in a mesquite thicket. Calling only lasted a few minutes.
Two birds (presumed males) hooting (6.00pm, Feb, NV)





Hooting and mew-like (alarm?) calls