At 07:17 28/05/97 -0700, Gail Spitler writes:

>Hi Tweets,
>I'd appreciate advice about differentiating the song of the Solitary Vireo
from the Red-eyed Vireo. I have checked several sources: Thayer's Birds of
NA, Peterson CD-ROM, Peterson-Western BirdSongs, Know Your Common Bird
Songs(AXIA), Birds of the Okanagan(CD by J. Neville), Birding by Ear(western
edition), and several field guides.
>What I have found so far is that there is a great deal of difference among
the recorded songs. Many of the recorded songs do not match suggested
mnemonics(sp?). In fact, they don't match each other. Why don't these birds
listen to the recordings and learn the "right" song ? :-)
>Basically, what I have learned is that the Solitary's song is usually
slower--longer pauses between the phrases.
>Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.


Distinguishing birds by sound is a challenge in itself, I find trying to
describe the sounds they make even more challenging! But I will give it a
try. As you have stated, the speed of the song and pausing between the
'sentences' offer a clue: Red-eyed Vireo tends to be more 'business-like'
and spits out a few 'sentences' more quickly than Solitary and the pauses
between the 'sentences' are also shorter with Red-eyed.

In terms of quality of the sounds given, there are some differences in pitch
and tone that you might detect. For example, Red-eyed sounds as though it
is asking a question, (first sentence is rising in pitch, second sentence
seems to answer the first, with a descending pitch). The tone in this case
is clearer, of higher frequency, and less warbly than that of the Solitary
Vireo.

The Solitary Vireo, it is my impression, does not hit quite as high in
frequency, and tends to sing lower notes that sound a bit more jumbled
(warbly) with what I sometimes feel approaches the tone of a Purple Finch.
(Solitary Vireo also has the asking-answering question type song but tone
and pitch are different).

I don't know if this helps or muddles the issue, but clearly the best way to
sort them out is in the field, hunting down the singing vireo and trying to
memorize its song.

cheers,

Don Cecile
dcecile at cln.etc.bc.ca