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Help with birdsong ID

17 years ago

Hi all,

You helped me more recently with identifying a field sparrow song, and I appreciated that!

I'm pretty familiar with lots of birdsongs around here. But I heard one this morning that was new!

Its sort of the opposite of the field sparrows song. It was a beautiful tone, monotone, and would start out fast and get much slower. Its not like the cuckoo songs I hear. It was very clear and clean.

I know bluejays can have lots of different songs, but this really didn't sound like a blue jay.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

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Comments (7)

rachel_frome_ky
17 years ago
Sounds like one of the parts of the song of a Yellow-breasted Chat
catherinet
Original Author
17 years ago
Hi rachel,
No, its not a chat. But.....and I know this is probably impossible, I was going through my National Audubon Society, North American Birds Interactive CD on the computer, and the 2 closest sounds I could find were the pygmy owl and the saw whet owl. I'm not sure these even live around here. But that was the sound! It was a very distinct, clear song. The only difference from those owl sounds was that it started out fast, and slowed down.
Gosh, I would be so excited if it was a new owl around here!
Do owls migrate?
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catherinet
Original Author
17 years ago
I heard it again this morning, so I got my binocs and tried to find it. It was very elusive. It was at the top of one of the black walnuts. Just could never see it.
I don't think its an owl, or I probably would have been able to see it.
I have gone through every bird song on my Audubon CD, and I just can't find the sound. It sounds like the first note that the bobwhite sings, but its continuous and starts out fast and slows down. Its a very musical tone (but monotone). Bobwhites don't get high in trees do they?
gosh this is driving me crazy!
organic_bassetlvr
17 years ago
Catherine,
I know you said it wasn't like cuckoos but did you try Black billed cuckoo? It's different than Yellow billed-that's the only thing I can think of- We have Saw Whet owls way up in the mountains & I have heard them once but it was a screechy sound not melodic. Good luck!
Susan
catherinet
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks Susan,
I listened to the birdsong cd for the black-billed, and I'm thinking it could be that. I know that not all of the same birds sing exactly the same......so maybe it was a black-billed cuckoo.
I was hoping it was a northern pygmy owl. hahaha A girl can always hope! Don't get me wrong......I really like cuckoos too!
Thanks for your help.
catherinet
Original Author
17 years ago
This is funny.
I've been hearing a mockingbird, going through its various mockings, and I heard what sounded like the owl! So I think it was the mockingbird all this time.
organic_bassetlvr
17 years ago
That makes me laugh! My brother, a non-birder, always teases me when I say "Hear that, that's a cardinal" or whatever by saying "How do you know it's not a mockingbird pretending to be a cardinal?" And he could be right!
Susan

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