Subject: Re: WC Sparrow song
Date: Apr 12 13:39:18 1998
From: Michael Price - mprice at mindlink.bc.ca
Hi Tweets,
Bob Boekelheide writes:
>I'd just like to add some caution to the various "notes" about
>Zonotrichia songs that have been circulating recently. Specifically, are
>you sure that your renditions of subspecies songs are as widespread as
>you seem to be implying?
As I wrote in an earlier post about this: "So, a more correctly phrased
version for Vancouver BC birds [pugetensis] of this race..."
>White-crowned songs have been studied intensively, with many published
>articles. One of the noteworthy results (admittedly mostly from studies
>of Z. l. nuttalli, the non-migratory California subspecies) is that these
>birds have very local dialects, unique to specific areas. Different
>populations of the same subspecies separated by quite small distances
>have discernable differences in cadence and emphasis.
This variability is especially true of sedentary species and subspecies. One
of my least favorite phrases is 'yes, but--' but it's one I end up using a
lot; in this instance, if most of the studies of geographic variation in a
subspecies has been done primarily on one subspecies, can one generalise to
the other subspecies? Further, can one impose, a priori, a conclusion based
on studies of a sedentary species' song variability onto a highly migratory
race such as gambelii?
>To suggest that any White-crown subspecies has phonetically-identical
>songs throughout its range, or that one can use the song from one
>location to identify a White-crown subspecies somewhere else, requires
>assumptions that need testing. For example, the gambeli that migrate
>through Sequim, WA, in spring are somewhat variable between individuals
>in the sound of everything following the first two introductory notes,
>sometimes sounding remarkably like the local breeding pugetensis and
>sometimes quite different. But I'm still not certain about this and
>would want more analysis to be sure.
Not to mention indivudual variation. In White-throated Sparrows Z.
albicollis, the basic song has the first note pitched lower than the rest of
the song, but transposition often occurs for no discernible reason within
the same populations. And can anyone find two Bewick's Wrens Thryomanes
bewickii to sound alike? Four males in contiguous territories will utter
four different, individually-identifiable phrasings of roughly the same
pattern. Why is there such variation of song in some species and so rigid a
uniformity in others?
>To suggest that the zweets and
>trrrrs of a White-crowned subspecies in Vancouver, B. C. can be used over
>the internet to identify a migrant subspecies many miles away may be a
>bit of a stretch.
Of course it is, these birds don't have internet access. '-)
So, males of the two subspecies decided to put on a little workshop in the
cherry trees near the Stanley Park Bus Loop yesterday afternoon; here's the
transliterations as close as I can render 'em"
pugetensis: 'zurr, zeeee, zweetzweetzue trr', with a little buzziness on the
first two notes, next three notes buzzy, final dry trill either curtailed or
absent; the middle couplet has the most stress.
gambelii: 'see, see, silipsaseee-see, sur', sweeter, wheezier, a more
drawling ascending series, first two notes ascending, middle part clearest
and highest, last note clear and descending; quite similar in phrasing and
quality to one of the songs of Townsend's Warbler Dendroica townsendi; as
with the the former, such stress as there is in this song is placed on the
couplet.
>I therefore second Jack Bowling's caution, and add that some visual
>characteristics best be used to subspeciate these guys.
Yup. Here they are: quoting from the Birding article, White-crowned Sparrow
Subspecies: Identification and Distribution; Dunn, Garrett, Alderfer
(Birding vol 27, no 3; June 1995), and excluding in-hand characteristics:
gambelii pugetensis
bill color: orange dull yellow
Back pattern: red-brown centers dusky black centers
edged pale grey edged tan
Inner Greater deep chestnut pale rusty brown
Secondary Cvts.
Tertial edges: deep chestnut pale rusty brown
Sides &
Flanks, Adults: slight brown wash extensive brown wash
Lateral crown white duller greyish-white
stripe & super-
-cilium:
Primary long short
extension past
tertial:
Jack B's note:
>>The problem with all such transliterations is that they are open to
>>translation by individuals. Given a couple of days with either race, and the
>>differences become obvious.
is absolutely right; when both are present, with experience, the two are
easily separable by ear. I'd add, at this time of the year when large
numbers of northbound gambelii begin migrating through areas in which
pugetensis is the resident race, and both are in definitive voice.
>>The way I hear the two songs, pugetensis
>>is like a Pavarotti stuck on overly-loud Bizet, eager to shout every note,
>>especially the penultimate ones. Gambelii is more laid-back and lets the
>>melody do the talking and walking without forcing the issue.
Everyone's a critic. I thought it was more like Celine Dion and Enya. '-)
Michael Price A brave world, Sir,
Vancouver BC Canada full of religion, knavery and change;
mprice at mindlink.net we shall shortly see better days.
Aphra Behn (1640-1689)