Reminds me of the time, a couple of years ago, when I was walking past Padden Lagoon here in Bellingham (near the AK Ferry dock). A Northwestern Crow was perched in a nearby small tree, but it didn't flush; it just let me pass by a few yards away. So I whistled a hello. After the briefest pause, it answered back with a low gurgling croak.

Phil Hotlen, Bellingham

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike M" <strix-nebulosa at centurylink.net>
To: "Bill Anderson" <billandersonbic at yahoo.com>, tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Monday, April 2, 2012 6:04:42 PM
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Re: Unusual crow call




Bill, Chaz and other interested folks,

Crows ravens and other Corvids are songbirds. Like finches, warblers, and other passerines they do sing. Although most of what we are familiar with is the commonly used caw call. In my experience with ravens you will only here their song for a brief time during the breeding season. Raven song is often described as gurgling croak and I suspect you guys are hearing something similar from crows. Cornell?s All About Birds (still there and still free, in spite of rumors to the contrary) states that crows have more than 20 calls but most are uncommon enough they only have recordings of a few. You might want to check out what they call the rattle call on their web site: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Crow/sounds If this is not it then check out some of the vocalizations they have for the raven in my experience crows have similar types of calls to much of ravens do.

Mike
Colville




From: Bill Anderson
Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 10:46 AM
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Tweeters] Re: Unusual crow call



Periodically I have heard that sound from crows as well. I have wondered what it meant.



Bill Anderson; Edmonds, WA. USA




From: Chazz Hesselein <chazz at hesselein.com>
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Monday, April 2, 2012 9:32 AM
Subject: [Tweeters] Unusual crow call

The past week or so I've heard a call from a crow that I've never heard before. The closest I can come to describing it is a metallic hollow-sounding croak. This call was repeated several times and the bird dipped while giving the call. Any chance this might be a NW Crow?

Chazz Hesselein
Port Orchard, WA



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