April 10, 2008
OCWA introductions
Yesterday I posted a photo essay on migrating Orange-crowned Warblers (OCWA). Today we attempt a tone poem... of sorts.
As Orange-crowned Warblers pass through, they announce their presence by singing. A typical Orange-crowned Warbler sings a quavering trill which looks like the sonogram below.
Which sounds like this Typical OCWA
But a surprising number of individuals turn up singing introductory bits that sound like other species. For example, here's one that I originally mistook for a Yellow-rumped Warbler. OCWA03 (you may have to turn up the volume).
And here's another with a front end that sounds like a Yellow Warbler. OCWA04
In both of these cases, the introduction was decidedly un-Orange-crowned-like, but ended with a proper trill. But one bird I recorded had no trill just an atypical vaguely junco-like front end. OCWA05
It's not that unusual for warblers to imitate one another and that's why I always try to chase down early songs for species I don't really expect to be around yet.
Posted by mbalame at April 10, 2008 12:37 PM