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Post by catonsvillebill on Apr 6, 2019 16:25:36 GMT -8
The last couple of Saturday evenings that I have been out there is a species of bird that has been singing in the trees. Not one bird, but what sounds like hundreds.All the individual sounds are melded into seemingly one sound. I never see them, but I can sure hear them. This is in the Potomac rive valley. What bird in these parts sings that noticeably at night?
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foxalo
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Post by foxalo on Apr 7, 2019 11:05:38 GMT -8
I would suggest googling or go on YouTube to find night bird sounds. There are several birds that are active at night, but I'm not sure what might sounds like many birds. Whippoorwills have a very distinct sounds and are typically solo, and I know the barred owl call. Other than that, I'm not familiar with others, but you can hear the songs on the internet. I have done that before to figure out different birds.
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trinity
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Post by trinity on Apr 7, 2019 13:48:21 GMT -8
Interesting. The songbird I hear most frequently at night is the mockingbird, but they don't sing in flocks like that. And I have never heard more than a half-dozen or so Whip-poor-wills or Chuck-wills-widows singing at once. American robins occasionally sing at night. But my best guess would probably be Common Grackles. How would you describe the sound? Was it a loud cacophony?
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Apr 8, 2019 5:24:51 GMT -8
En masse... probably starlings.
Robins and wood thrushes also sing at all hours (especially evenings), but are solitary.
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desert dweller
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Post by desert dweller on Apr 8, 2019 6:55:05 GMT -8
I bet there is a bird-song identification app you can download onto your phone.
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rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on Apr 8, 2019 8:46:44 GMT -8
April 2005: I was backpacking in Paint Rock Canyon, BLM WY, with my hiking partner and her friend. On the second night, we were keep awake not only by the creek raging in the spring snow melt, but by one species of bird singing all night. they were Yellow-breasted Chats, a small very secretive sparrow like bird. This was a group of migrants though they are an uncommon summer resident in the area to breed in spring. Chats sing at night during migration and breeding.
Of course my hiking partner was all agog as the Chat was her subject bird in her doctoral work on avian neurology in Nebraska, she thought the whole experience was about her [grins] Her works studied the difference in brain development between bird that learn their songs and the others whose calls and songs are innate.
Paint Rock Canyon is one of most accessible of the Western Canyons for non-motorized recreation in the Bighorn Mountains West Slope.
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Post by Lamebeaver on Apr 10, 2019 6:15:37 GMT -8
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Post by catonsvillebill on Apr 13, 2019 9:29:04 GMT -8
It must be starlings. I have searched on line and there is no other candidate in my mind now. I wonder whey they all congregate in close formation and sing as one.
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Post by autumnmist on Apr 13, 2019 10:38:10 GMT -8
I've heard several birds hiding and singing in an arborvitae or yews, but they're not singing together; it's more like a chorus of birds harmonizing. It's quite lovely, and soothing.
I'm not really sure what they are as if I open a door or window, they fly away so quickly the only observation I can make is that they're small, something like nuthatches.
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Post by autumnmist on Apr 13, 2019 10:40:23 GMT -8
Her works studied the difference in brain development between bird that learn their songs and the others whose calls and songs are innate. Fascinating. I've never even wondered how birds learn their songs, but assumed it was from their parents, similar to how we teach our children to speak. What were her conclusions? Nature or nurture? |
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rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on Apr 14, 2019 4:15:31 GMT -8
Fascinating. I've never even wondered how birds learn their songs, but assumed it was from their parents, similar to how we teach our children to speak. What were her conclusions? Nature or nurture? My friend's research affirmed the brains of bird that learn their songs were larger and more complex than those whose song are innate. Those that are "wired' or use calls call still vocalize or express, or you can pick out a juvenile bird that needs to get in tune with the rest of their group. I am not as certain when much of the "training" begins or ends. The species just evolved differently. |
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