[obol] bird song ID

[Dan Gleason]

Ann,

It may well be a Song Sparrow. This time of year, there are many  
young birds out in the bush. The males are learning their songs and  
just like human babies, they often have the correct "words", but not  
yet know how to put them together into correct "sentences." In  
songbirds, songs must be learned and practiced. They know bits and  
pieces but not the correct order. How to construct a proper song  
comes from listening to others and refining your own vocalizations.  
The first songs a youngster may hear are those of his father but it  
is the males of neighboring territories in next year's breeding  
season that will more likely help define what variation(s) the bird  
sings as an adult.

Just last week I was listening to a young Bewick's Wren doing a  
variety of different phrases. Each segment sounded like it belonged  
to a Bewick's Wren but the entire song did not make sense. And each  
time, the phrases were put together differently. It can be an  
interesting challenge to bird by ear in this season.

Dan Gleason
-------------
Dan Gleason
dan-gleason at comcast.net
541 345-0450


On Jul 28, 2008, at 11:37 AM, Ann Chamberlain wrote:

> OK - I give up.
>
> This morning early in the scrub alongside my garden, I heard a bird I
> have never heard before.
>
> I would say a sparrow from both the song and behavior (i.e. - danged
> thing wouldn't come out of the scrub so I could see it).
>
> chip-chip-churrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and sometimes
> chip-chip-chip-churrrrrrrrrrrrrr all on one note or very close.   
> Sounded
> like a song sparrow but either it is one that doesn't know how to sing
> or it is something else.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks - Ann outside Myrtle Creek
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