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These are general descriptions and mnemonics for each of the 22 bird species you are required to know by sound as well as by sight for BIOL 225/RENR 401B. While many of these species make more sounds than those listed here, you will only be expected to know the sounds discussed here.
I have provided links to examples, some of which have downloadable .mp3 files. Many of the links I have provided below are to Xeno-Canto.org, which is a great resource with hundreds of downloadable bird sounds. Another excellent resource is Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library, which houses thousands of recordings of birds (and other animals). There are many more good sources for bird sounds - just try Googling a species name + song and you should get lots of pages with free sound files. Also check the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds pages for each species - they have more recordings and descriptions of sounds.
Trumpeter Swan:
Trumpeter Swan:
Description: Resounding trumpeting. “Resonant, sonorous, loud, low-pitched, bugle like call” (Trumpeter Swan Society)
Link to Trumpeter swan individual
Tundra Swan:
Tundra Swan:
Description: High-pitched whooping or yodelling, like a high-pitched recorder. Also described as a goose-like honking, more whistle-y than a Trumpeter Swan (Tundra Swan is also called “Whistling Swan”). “A high-pitched, often quavering OO-OO-OO accentuated in the middle; or WHO, WHO-HO, WOO-OO-WOOO, or WHO-WHO”.
Link to Tundra Swan calls (single bird, with others in background)
Link to more Tundra Swan recordings from Xeno-Canto.org
The Trumpeter Swan Society swan ID site is a useful resource for learning to distinguish between Trumpeter and Tundra Swans.
Ruffed Grouse:
Ruffed Grouse:
Description: Rhythmic thumping that speeds up, like a motor starting up. Sound is made with the wings, not vocally.
Video of Ruffed Grouse drumming (Click here for the YouTube link if the embedded video doesn't work).
Lesser Yellowlegs:
Lesser Yellowlegs:
Lesser Yellowlegs make a variety of calls and also a "song". This song is made by both sexes and is used for several purposes: by males during flight displays, to maintain contact with a mate, to alert a mate to the presence of a predator, or in response to the calls of another breeding pair nearby.
Link to a variety of sounds of Lesser Yellowlegs on Xeno-Canto.org
1) Song:
Description: repeated "pill-e-wee pill-e-wee pill-e-wee" or "I'm running, I'm running, I'm running, I'm running...". If used in response to a perceived threat, it may be given loudly and incessantly, and may be interspersed with alarm calls and flight calls.
Link to LEYE song, short snippet followed by calls
2) Alarm call:
Description: A series of evenly spaced, loud tu or cuw notes where bird bobs its head and tail on each note.
Link to LEYE alarm call (from Xeno-Canto.org)
Link to another LEYE alarm call (from Macaulay Library)
Link to LEYE alarm call followed by song (from Macaulay Library)
Wilson’s Snipe:
Wilson’s Snipe:
Photo:Talshiarr (Sean Breazeal) [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons, original here.
Description: Spooky, ascending whinny. Sound is made with the tail, not vocally.
Spotted Sandpiper:
Spotted Sandpiper:
Spotted Sandpipers make several sounds, most of which are loud and incessant.
1) Song: A loud series of "weet-weet-weet-weet-weet" calls made in courtship and communication between mates.
Link to SPSA song recording from Alaska (starts at about 0:09)
2) Calls: A loud, neurotic "Peet-weet", "peet-weet-weet" given as an alarm call, and a single repeated high-pitched loud "Peek".
Link to SPSA "peek" recorded near Watson Lake
Link to more SPSA recordings from Xeno-Canto.org
Great Horned Owl:
Great Horned Owl:
Description: “Who’s awake? Me, too!”
Link to Great Horned Owl call in Alaska
Boreal Owl:
Boreal Owl:
Description: Series of low, whistled toots (“woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo”)
Northern Flicker:
Northern Flicker:
Northern Flickers make three main vocalizations:
1) The "long call":
Description: Sounds like “Kek-kek-kek-kek-kek”. Used primarily during pair formation and territory establishment. Given frequently and enthusiastically.
2) The "kleer" call:
Description: Sounds like “Kleer” or "Peah". Used throughout breeding season.
3) The "wicka" call:
Description: Sounds like “Wicka-wicka-wicka”. Often involves a "wicka dance", with head-bobbing and tail-fanning. May be used as a competitive display between two males, or as a display between a mated pair.
Link to NOFL wicka call (recording starts with "kleer" call but is followed by "wickas")
Video of two males engaging in a competitive display, with a female checking them out (click here for the YouTube link if the embedded video doesn't work).
Olive-sided Flycatcher:
Olive-sided Flycatcher:
Dominic Sherony [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Description: Song a three-note whistled "quick-THREE-BEERS."
Link to OSFL song recorded in Alaska
Alder Flycatcher:
Alder Flycatcher:
Photo: Mike's Birds from Riverside, CA, US [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Description: Song a harsh, ripping "f-BEE-oo", or "ree-BEE-oh"
Link to ALFL song, recorded in Yukon
Black-capped Chickadee:
Black-capped Chickadee:
Photo: Alan D. Wilson, www.naturespicsonline.com [CC BY-SA 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons, original here.
Black-capped Chickadees produce a huge variety of sounds. For this course, you must learn two of the most common ones:
1) "Chick-a-dee" Call:
Description: Sweet, clear sounding “chick-a-dee-dee-dee”, sometimes beginning with a gurgle; sometimes a bit harsher or more emphatic when being used as an alarm call.
Link to another BCCH chick-a-dee call
2) Song:
Description: Whistled “Cheese-bur-ger” or “Fee-bee-bee”
Boreal Chickadee:
Boreal Chickadee:
Description: "Check-the-day”, “check-the-day-day”. Similar to Black-capped Chickadee “chick-a-dee-dee” but squeakier, more nasal-sounding. No whistled song.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet:
Ruby-crowned Kinglet:
Photo: Don Falkner [CC BY SA 2.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Description: Ruby-crowned Kinglet males sing a very loud, long, jumbled song. Usually begins with three whistled notes ("see-see-see") followed by a three more clear notes ("where-where-where") and ending with a somewhat frantic set of upward notes ("look at me, look at me, look at me!!!!"). Sometimes does a shorter version of the song, with a mnemonic of "chubby-chubby-chubby cheeks! chubby cheeks!". Sometimes repeats the "see-see-see" part incessantly before finally completing the rest of the song. Song is very loud, making the bird seem much closer (and larger!) than it actually is.
Link to recording of male singing in interior BC (from Xeno-Canto.org)
Link to more Ruby-crowned Kinglet recordings on Xeno-Canto.org
Red-breasted Nuthatch:
Red-breasted Nuthatch:
Description: Nasal “ank-ank-ank”, like a little tin horn. Sometimes given slowly with each note drawn out “Aaannk – aaaannnkkk – aaannnnkkkk”, other times given quickly with each note quite short “ankankankankankank”.
Link to RBNU call recorded near Pelly Crossing
Swainson’s Thrush:
Swainson’s Thrush:
Description: Song is clear, high-pitched, ethereal, flute-like; spirals upward (compare to Hermit Thrush, below, which can go up, down, or stay on one level).
Link to SWTH song recorded in Yukon (note the Dark-eyed Junco in the background)
Hermit Thrush:
Hermit Thrush:
Description: Beautiful, haunting song beginning with a sustained whistle and ending with softer, echo-like tones, described as "oh, holy holy, ah, purity purity eeh, sweetly sweetly". It pauses between each phrase, and the song is about 1.5 seconds long.
Link to HETH song recorded in Alaska
Link to HETH song recorded in Alaska (sounds like two males singing)
American Robin:
American Robin:
Robins make several sounds. You are required to know two of them for this course.
1) Song:
Description: Arguably one of the definitive sounds of spring. Mnemonic is “Cheery-up, cheerily, cheer-io”, sometimes with a squeak interspersed.
Link to AMRO song recorded in BC
2) Call:
Description: Low “chup chup chup”, sometimes with a squeak interspersed
White-crowned Sparrow:
White-crowned Sparrow:
Description: Song is another harbinger of spring, and can be heard in a huge variety of habitats throughout the breeding season. Much regional variation but the mnemonic for Yukon is something like “Mooooore more cheezies please!” or “poooor Willie peed his pants” or "Iiiiiiii don't want to go to school".
Links to recordings of the subspecies found most commonly in Yukon (gambelii).
Example 1, recorded on the Haines Road
Example 2, recorded in Yukon
Example 3, recorded in Denali, Alaska
Example 4, recorded in Denali, Alaska
Link to more WCSP recordings on Xeno-Canto.org of subspecies gambelii.
I encourage you to listen to recordings from other regions on Xeno-Canto.org to get a sense of the massive regional variation in WCSP songs. Here's a link to the main species page.
Dark-eyed Junco:
Dark-eyed Junco:
You are required to know the Dark-eyed Junco's song and call:
1) Song:
Description: Musical trill, like a phone ringing
Link to a DEJU song recorded in Alaska (note the Wilson's Snipe winnowing in the background)
2) Call:
Description: Scolding “tzit”
Link to DEJU call, interspersed with singing (also note the Swainson's Thrush and Red Squirrel in background)
Red-winged Blackbird:
Red-winged Blackbird:
Photo: Walter Siegmund [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
Description: Song is a loud, exuberant "OH-KA-LEEEEEE!" or "CONK-A-REE!". Calls are a harsh "chup" and a loud metallic whistle. You only need to know the song for this course.
Link to another RWBL song (don't bother trying to ID the background birds - this recording is from Mexico!)
Link to more RWBL recordings from Xeno-Canto.org
Common Yellowthroat:
Common Yellowthroat:
Photo: Dan Pancamo [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Description: Song is a warbly "witchety-witchety-witchety-witch".
Link to a COYE song (starts about 0:09)
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