Friday, January 11, 2013

Birdsong Learning Resource

Hi folks!

As we embark on our performance art sound choir odyssey, I will post the resources I am drawing from to create the piece. This post contains a guide to some local bird songs to help you hear, learn, and mimic bird songs. Under each bird, I have included some phonetic break-downs of bird songs and a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology pages because they are excellent resources for identifying a bird, reading about its behavior, and hearing the sound it makes.

Birding Adventures is one of the best sources I found for bird song phonetics. I'm also interested in researching what birders who speak different languages use for the same songs. Why not try making up your own phonetics for the bird songs you hear, or other sounds in the city and nature?

The Vancouver Avian Research Centre Web Pages are another excellent source of information.

*Rufous Hummingbird: zee-chuppity-chuppity (buzzy) 
bzeet, bzeet bzeet chup chup, bzeet chuppity chuppity chup 
zeet zeet chook chook chook, chookity chookity chook
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Rufous_Hummingbird/id

*Black-capped Chickadee: chik-a-dee-dee-dee 
(rapid; higher-pitched than Carolina); fee-bee
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-capped_Chickadee/id

*American Goldfinch: pa-chip-chip-chip per-chick-a-ree
"babeee"; po-ta-to-chip (and dip {in flight})
squireee, squiree, chip chip chip (first part is like a squeaky toy)
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Goldfinch/id 
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Goldfinch/sounds
 
 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
ji-dit; ji-dit; ji-dit (rattly)
too-fritchyoo-fritchyoo-fritchyoo
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-crowned_Kinglet/id 
 
Golden-crowned Kinglet: see-see-see- (hp)
 http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden-crowned_Kinglet/sounds
 
 House Sparrow
tweet tweet tweet tweet, chiddik; chiddik (dry; non-musical)
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Sparrow/id 
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Sparrow/sounds 
 
*White-Throated Sparrow: "poor Sam Pea'body, Pea'body, Pea'body"

Song Sparrow
Maids-maids-maids-put-on-your-tea-kettle-ettle-ettle
Hip; hip; hip hurrah boys; spring is here!
Madge; Madge; Madge pick beetles off; the water's hot
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Song_Sparrow/id

*Bewick's Wren
like Song Sparrow; but thinner; more rapid
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bewicks_Wren/id

*
Nashville Warbler: trill in two parts - 2nd faster and lower in pitch
see-bit-see-bit-see-bit; see-see-see-see (2-pt.)

*Olive-sided Flycatcher: Quick, THREE beers, quick quick quick

*Yellow Warbler:"sweet sweet sweet, I'm so sweet"

*Nashville Warbler: See-bit see-bit  see-bit,  see-see-see-see

MacGillivray's Warbler: chiddle-chiddle-chiddle-turtle chip-chewy or chip-chewy-chew (hp; clearer than Hammond's Flyc.) tsik (low; sharp) 

Downy Woodpecker: shrill whinnying

*Red-eyed Vireo: where are you? and here I am
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-eyed_Vireo/id

*Red-winged Blackbird
chortle-deeeeee (hp and drawn-out last syllable)
*conk-a-reeeeeeeee
tseer; tseer
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-winged_Blackbird/

*Spotted Towhee: drink your teeee!; wack! wack!
 http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Spotted_Towhee/id
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Spotted_Towhee/sounds 
 
*American Robin: "cheerup, cheerily, cheerily"
cheer-up; cheer-a-lee; cheer-ee-o, whinny: quick-wik wikwikwikwik
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/american_robin/id

*Swainson's Thrush: rurrip; rurrip   whit; whit
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Swainsons_Thrush/id 
 
Varied Thrush:  squeee!
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Varied_Thrush/id 
 
*Northern Flicker: Wicka, wicka, wicka
kleeeyer
wik-wik-wik
Northern Flicker (courting): squeechu-squeechu-squeechu
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/id 
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/sounds 
 
*Cedar  Waxwing: Zeee, zeee

*European Starling: wolf-whistle (breathy), rattles, whirrs Whistle. Pop. Whirrrr. Zzzt. 
rack rack rack zeep!
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/European_Starling/id 
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/European_Starling/sounds

Steller's Jay: chip chip chip chip; shaaaaack (drawn-out; grating); shook-shook-shook-shook-shook http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Stellers_Jay/id 

 *Mourning Dove: hooo-ah hoo-hoo-hoo; chirry-chirry-chirry-choreeo 

*American Crow: caw-caw-caw-caw-koodle-yah; koodle-yah (trilly voice)
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Crow/id

Mallard: quack quack quack
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mallard/id

*Pileated Woodpecker: kik-kik-kik-kik-kik (rate & pitch rise then fall)
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/id 
 
*Red-tailed  Hawk: Keeeeeer

*Bald Eagle: wika wika weeekeekeekeekicka

*Pacific Loon: kwa-wee! Haw, kloo-eee!
awww awwww, coocooloolee coocooloolee, 
(described as a yodel)
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pacific_Loon/id 
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pacific_Loon/sounds

 *Raven: cruk (harsh, raspy); tawk (metallic) 
*Barred Owl: Who cooks for you, who cooks for you'all
*Great Horned Owl: Are you awake? me too; scree, scree

Western Screech-Owl: accelerating hollow whistles; constant pitch

*Trumpeter Swan: sound of wings-swish; truggle, truggle

Canada Goose: honk; honk; honk

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