Hi Tweets,

Just to revisit the Tropical/Couch's issue of possible Couch's in the
northward dispersal, and how to separate them, here's an interesting post
(followed by the original query) from Frontiers of Bird ID:

M

WILLIAM B MCKINNEY writes:

>The vocalizations of the tropical-type kingbird that Brian Daniels
>describes sounds very much like the calls and dawn song of Couch's
>Kingbird (T. couchii). This would undoubtedly be an incredible record for
>California. Having listened to both Tropical and Couch's in both Mexico
>and South Texas for the past ten years (almost weekly in extreme South
>Texas since the 1991 "invasion" of Tropical Kingbirds), I have never
>heard Tropical Kingbird make any "breer" or burry notes or sounds that
>could be described as mockingbird-like. This varied assortment of
>whistled calls, however, is well within the realm of Couch's. Presently
>in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of south Texas there are lots Couch's
>Kingbirds still around, which is unusual in winter, and many are singing
>the dawn song during much of the daylight hours. Steve Howell describes
>the dawn song as a "series of bright, intensifying whistles with sneezy
>inflections, ending abruptly, s'wee' s'wee s'wee s'wee-i-chu..." I would
>add that at times, it sounds as though the bird is trying laborious to
>get the last "s'wee-i-chu" phrase out (which it often fails to do). The
>"pik" notes and "breer" call is also consistent with Couch's Kingbird.
> Tropical Kingbirds have been local residents in extreme south Texas
>since 1992 and have bred every year since. Although I have only been
>keeping up with two (sometimes three) of the pairs, there have been at
>least eight pairs found in various spots from Port Isabel (on the Gulf
>Coast) to Santa Ana N.W.R. (about 60 miles upriver from the mouth of the
>Rio Grande River). The range of Tropical Kingbird vocalizations that I
>have heard is always based on a consistent theme of stocatto
>"pip-pip-pip-pip" notes, ususally a loud trill that accelerates toward
>the end and runs from about 2-5 seconds before repeating. The calls
>usually occur in "flurries" with long pauses in between. I have rarely
>heard a Tropical Kingbird utter a single syllable, and when it does, it
>is usually followed shortly by the aforementioned trill. Also on rare
>occasions, I have heard softer, long-winded songs of the same quality and
>pitch as the staccato trill of pip notes during late winter and spring.
>Once on a late February afternoon, I heard a Tropical Kingbird sing
>almost non-stop for about forty minutes after a break in a daylong
>drizzle. This song was a repeated trill that accelerated at the end much
>like the other calls, except that it was softer and was repeated with
>little delay between phrases.
> It sure sounds like an interesting bird.
>Brad McKinney
>65 Cortez Ave
>Rancho Viejo, TX 78575
>bradmckinney at juno.com
>On Fri, 2 Jan 1998 18:44:29 -0800 Brian Daniels <bdan550 at earthlink.net>
>writes:
>>How variable are Tropical Kingbird vocalizations? We found the
>>Tropical
>>Kingbird reported on December 31 at Craig Park, Fullerton (Orange
>>County, California) today. While searching for the Pine Warbler, a
>>very
>>loud and unfamiliar call was heard. Simultaneously, a couple of us
>>tracked it down and found it was the Tropical Kingbird. I was hearing
>>it from at least a hundred yards away. It was a long series of sharp
>>calls that I transcribed as a "pik." The other observer said the
>>quality reminded him of a Downy Woodpecker "pik." It became quiet,
>>foraged a bit, and then gave us great views from an alder tree (this
>>is
>>north of the lake and west of the main entrance to the park). Soon it
>>started calling again, but not the "pik" calls. It was a variable
>>assortment of whistled calls. One observer said that it was almost
>>mockingbird-like. Among the calls was a sort-of "breer" like call
>>with
>>some subtle burry tones. It then became very silent, leaving us to
>>ponder if this was truly a Tropical Kingbird. At least six Cassin's
>>Kingbirds are in the park, but we never refound the "Tropical
>>Kingbird,"
>>even though a couple of us stayed till dark. Needless to say, but we
>>are left wondering if this could be a Couch's Kingbird, or if Tropical
>>Kingbirds are more varied in the calls they can give. Our experience
>>in
>>California is limited, but we have heard at least a few TKs call over
>>the years and they always give the trill-type call which is very
>>unlike
>>this bird. We are going to play tapes tomorrow (if we can refind the
>>bird), and hopefully learn something. However, if someone out there
>>has
>>experience with Tropical Kingbird calls and can help us, it would be
>>appreciated.
>>
>