[Tweeters] Bird song question

[Dennis Paulson via Tweeters]

Carol, a lot of songbirds have what are often called “subsongs,” similar or even not so similar to their normal songs, that they sing during winter. Some of our resident birds like Song Sparrows and Bewick’s Wrens maintain winter territories and sometime sing a variety of songs, with more variety than their full, typical songs when spring comes and hormone levels rise.

First-year birds may sing during the winter too with songs different from those of the adults.

These songs are often called “whisper songs,” but some people distinguish the two, reserving “whisper song” for full songs given by male birds in the breeding season but given very quietly.

And Black-capped Chickadees have a great repertoire of vocalizations. You can check the sections on vocalizations in the species accounts in Bird of the World Online, and you can get a free membership for that if you are a member of the Washington Ornithological Society.

Dennis Paulson
Seattle


> On Sep 17, 2024, at 3:46 PM, Tom and Carol Stoner via Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:

> 

> Do bird songs/calls change with the season? maturity of the bird?  hormone levels?

> 

> I ask because for the last month I've heard unusual bird sounds.  Song sparrows in our dense hedge travel along softly singing to themselves.  I tracked down a skulky bird in a brushy area making an odd twittering call that finally contained a couple "dee dee" notes before I saw the B-C Chickadee.  Any thoughts?

> 

> Carol Stoner

> West Seattle

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