Subject: Re: Pishing
Date: Feb 13 11:00:21 1995
From: Dennis Paulson - dpaulson at ups.edu


>Hi Tweeters
>
>Noticed that a modified pishing works particularly well for Orange-crowned
>Warblers and some other species you're more likely to find in trees than
>brambles and tangles. Really cranks up the Lincoln's and zonosparrrows as
>well, although towhees and wrens, Song & Fox Sparrows won't even look up.
>
>Instead of a 'pshhpshhpshh' sound, make a thin 'pssspssspsss' sound with
>lotsa sustain.
>
>Michael Price
>Vancouver BC Canada
>michael_price at mindlink.bc.ca

I agree with Michael. I vary my pssshhing with pssssing (wonder what word
we can use to describe this technique), squeaking (kissing), tooting, and
general "disturbed bunch of birds" sounds, something for everybird. I have
no idea what my record is for # of species attracted, but it's in the range
of 10-15. If I made a list of species, it would include just about all the
WA passerines with the exception of open-country species like longspurs,
swallows of course, some corvids (only jays seem to respond), and most
flycatchers (Dusky and Willow seem among the most likely to be
attracted--note they live in thickety places--most of the others not).

Dennis Paulson phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416