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Re: b&w warbler, weird-singing towhee
- To: carolina birds list serve <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
- Subject: Re: b&w warbler, weird-singing towhee
- From: Kent Fiala <fiala@ipass.net>
- Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2000 20:25:01 -0400
- References: <l03130300b50d5b6d235f@[209.138.130.86]>
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
There are many reported instances of birds singing "wrong" songs. A
recent note (1998) in The Wilson Bulletin by Jon Greenlaw et al
documents Eastern Towhees mimicking alarm calls of Blue Jays, Brown
Thrashers and American Robins. I've personally heard a Towhee do a Blue
Jay call (I'm pretty sure this was one of the same birds that Greenlaw
et al report on) and have heard a couple of different Towhees do Robin
alarm calls. How often do we actually check out Blue Jay and Robin
calls to verify who's making them?
They also cite a 1977 paper (also Wilson Bulletin) by Don Borror titled
"Rufous-sided Towhee mimicking Carolina Wren and Field Sparrow" but I'd
have to dig though some boxes to get that one out ;-).
Kent Fiala
Raleigh NC