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~ Thursday, August 12, 2004
 
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Descriptions of some intriguing bird-calls or songs of some US and UK birds (descriptions in brackets approximate what the call sounds like in English):

US:
Arctic Loon - owiiil-ka owiiil-ka owiiil-ka
Black Storm-Petrel - pukaree puck-puckaroo
American Bittern - BLOONK-adoonk
Ruddy Duck (male during display) - jif jif jif jif ji ji ji ji jijijijijijwirrrrr
Gambel’s Quail - pup waay pop pop
Willow Ptarmigan - (displaying male) - goBEK goBEK goBEK, poDAYdo poDAYdo
Sooty Tern - ka weddy weddy
White Winged Dove - hhhHEPEP pou pooooo (‘who cooks for you’)
Inca Dove - Poo-pup (‘no hope’)
Greater Pewee - soo saay sooweeoo (‘Jose Maria’)
Olive-sided Flycatcher - whip WEEDEEEER (‘quick, three beers’)
Black-whiskered Vireo - chip john phillip
Blue-headed Vireo - see you, cheerio, be-seein-u, so-long, seeya
Tufted Titmouse - peter peter peter peter
Magnolia Warbler - sweet, sweeter, SWEETEST
Palm Warbler - zzizzizzizzizzizzi
Seaside Sparrow - tup teetle-zhrrrr

UK:
Montagu’s Harrier - yick yick yick
Red Grouse - go back, back, back
Capercaillie - click-click click-click click-click POP
Quail - whip, whip-whip (‘wet my lips’)
Jack Snipe (displaying) - kollarap kollarap kollarap
Pied Wagtail - chizzwit
Cetti’s Warbler - pwit, pity-chewit, chewit, chewit
Blue Tit - see see see
Magpie - chacker chacker chacker
Yellowhammer - zit zit trillip (‘little bit of bread and no cheese’)

Source: RSPB Handbook of British Birds / The North American Bird Guide


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