Wow, this post asking about hearing a bird that sounds very distincly saying "thank you" is the first time that I have come across anyone else that has heard it. For over four years now I have recorded that bird at my home in Yarmouthport and no one that I have taken it to seems to know what bird is making that sound but everyone agrees that it sounds exactly like "thank you". As hard as I have tried I cannot see it, it cannot get a good look because it always stays on the very tops of large trees and it always comes from the same direction passing thru daily. The only other time that I have heard this bird once when I was shingling a house that was no more than 1/4 mile from my house, and it works its way towards my house, that home owner that day said that they have heard it also and they tried to see it but they could not either. This bird usually shows up about the end of April here and comes by just about every morning thru June. The one thing that I would like to mention that strikes me is that this birds voice is as distinct saying "thank you" as a quails sounding its "bobwhite" call. I have taken it to all the bird stores and once a person who belonged to the Audobon Society took my recorder for a month and came back saying that she and her friends drew a blank trying to identify it. So the mystery goes on. I really wish that I could get a photo or a glimpse of it because I carve birds and things that bring back good memories, and this on would bring good memories. If anyone wants to hear it please contact me. Merry Christmas

I live in Southwest Missouri and I hear them all the time. I have seen them in the trees, but can't get a close enough look at them to see them enough to identify it. It is a gray colored bird though. We call them "kitty, kitty, kitty" birds.

I know they sell a CD to attract birds in general. I can't think of what it's called at the moment. Does your neighbor have a Purple Martin house up? A lot of people trying to attract Martins will play a CD called the Dawn Song, or Daytime chatter to attract them. I wonder if you could ask if they could turn it down a bit. These songs do not need to be loud to attract the desired birds.

Could it have been a whip-poor-will, or a poor-will? Whip-poor-wills are quite loud (if you are near one). However, I suppose that you would recognize a whip-poor-will; their song is so distinctive. Another night bird sound comes from a screech owl. Its not so much of a song, but more of a blood curdling scream. It is not repeated often as a regular bird song would be. Ornothogolists think maybe the purpose of the screech owl's scream is flush prey, thereby having a different use than a territorial song. If you have ever been 'flushed' from a sleep by one of those, you will not forget the sound. It makes you look around to see who is under attack. Another song bird that will sing at night, maybe more like in the early morning hours from 3am until good light is the male mocking bird. This song is territorial and can be acrobatic. However, this song habit occurs in spring and early summer when the bird is declaring his territory and attracting a mate. For the casual observer, it appears the bird is singing for the joy of spring. If his song sounds garbled in mid-song, its worth it to get up and give it a look. At that time of the year, a male mockingbird will perform aerial acrobatics during his song. I have seen them leap into the air and flip over then land on his perch. The song is garbled during the flip over, almost like something was throttling the bird. This display is amazing and well worth getting out of bed to see. However, I have seen this behavor only during the mating season and territorial stake out. It disappears after the couple settles down to the business of nesting and raising young. Again, I'm sure that you would recognize a mockingbird's song.