I am under the impression that Wrens in general sing quite a bit earlier
than other resident birds based on experiences. Bewick's and Winter Wrens
are the birds I start to hear first every year (Winter Wrens really seem to
sing year-round) followed shortly by Song Sparrows (which occasionally sing
all year round). I heard a both species singing on the Seattle CBC.
Birds typically sing to establish territory (and in turn attract mates) and
possibly/probably, though I am just speaking off the cuff, these birds just
need to start earlier to be successful mates. Elevated levels of
testosterone can promote singing as well. I don't necessarily think spring
and singing are completely correlated in resident birds the way that they
are with neo-tropical and altitudinal migrants. Owls are moving into their
season as we speak - I believe most larger owls fledge in early to mid
spring. Anyway....

-Brendan McGarry
Seattle

On Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 4:41 PM, RUPERT GROVE <rupertgrove at msn.com> wrote:

> Just yesterday I noticed both a Bewick's Wren singing in he bush in front
> of my house and juncos trilling. My first thought was the big temperature
> swing we have had from low 30s last week to low 50s this week. Sure doesn't
> seem like spring yet.
>
> Rupert Grove
> Tacoma
>
> > Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2009 16:50:19 -0500
> > From: hjnoble at igc.org
> > To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> > Subject: [Tweeters] Can it be Spring?
>
> >
> > Here in Maple Leaf the Bewick's Wrens are singing and the
> > Northern Flickers are hammering on the light posts. How
> > sensitive they must be to the barely lengthening days--just
> > 13 more daylight minutes since the solstice.
> >
> > Henry Noble
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Tweeters at u.washington.edu
> > http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
>
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