1. Bewick's wren?

2. ??; maybe another Bewick's

3. Song Sparrow?

Since you heard them in residential areas in Seattle, you can easily
narrow the possibilities to the most likely:

Bewick's Sparrow (Quite variable, but always loud. The last notes
especially tend to ring out.)

White-crowned Sparrow: I'd describe Seattle breeders as
Chur Chur Chupa Chupa Zee

Song Sparrow. Also variable, easily confused with Bewick's by beginners.
But usually starts with a couple of whistles of the same pitch.

Add:
House Finch, Robin, Crow, BC Chickadee, Bushtits, and House Sparrow and
you have most of what you'll hear in residential Seattle. The first
three I listed, though, either aren't on the Birding by Ear tape or the
birds they use don't sound like the Seattle birds.

Kelly Cassidy -- Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Box 357980, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98195
kelly at u.washington.edu --- 206-685-4195 --- 206-368-8076

On Thu, 19 Jun 1997, Allyn Weaks wrote:
>
> Bird 1: near meany hall
>
> ***
> ^^^^
> ----
>
> kerrrr chee chip chip chip chip (usually four chips, sometimes 2 or 3)
>
>
> Bird 2: Greenwood residential area
>
> ******
> ---
> ^^^^^ On roughly a falling major triad.
>
> Chee ker chip chip chip chip chip chip (usually 6 chups, fast and well
> articulated, sometimes fewer)
>
> Initial chee about 1 second, the whistle about 1/2 that, the chups about 6
> per second.
>
>
> Bird 3: Ballard, near where 24th Ave NW hits the canal
>
>
> ----
> , ,
> ** ^ ^
>
> Kerr chee deedle deedle a slight pause between deedles
>
> kerr to chee is about a third, but I can't remember whether it was closer
> to major or minor, maybe minor...
>
>
> And why do so many birds seem to use close-to western diatonic scale
> intervals anyway, at least in the simpler songs?
>
> Many thanks for any and all help.
>
>
> Allyn Weaks
> allyn at cornetto.chem.washington.edu aka allyn at u.washington.edu
> Pacific Northwest Native Wildlife Gardening:
> http://chemwww.chem.washington.edu/natives/
>
>
>