Ralph,
        Usually, Starlings will give themselves away by going into some
their other clicks, whistles and jabbers that are Starling-only noises.  A
little bit of patient listening will reveal this.  The same method holds
true with Starlings versus their other favorite cheap imitation - Meadowlark
(And also Pewee, Cedar Waxwing noises, etc.)
        Aside from waiting them out, I think most (but not all) starlings do
second-rate imitations of other birds.  A Starling's Bobwhite seems weak and
thin, perhaps with a whiny tone, compared to the full-bodied quality of the
real thing.  A Starling's Meadowlark is worse, lacking the musical quality
of the real thing.  All of this is subject to the individual Starling that
is a virtuoso and does first rate impressions.

Good birding,
Glen

-----Original Message-----
From: Ralph Wall [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2004 2:37 PM
To: 
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Bobwhites Recovering?


In a message dated 6/24/2004 9:25:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
 writes:

> I
> put it down as a possible Bob-white or European Starling (the
> latter were seen nearby, later).
>

Being a user of hearing aids while birding, bird song can be somewhat
distorted for me. Nonetheless, I am still curious as to how bird song
experts
differentiate between the call of an actual Bobwhite and good imitations of
their
call by Starlings, the mimic family of birds, and for that matter, humans.
I'm
glad I usually see a few Bobwhite each year, mainly at Bombay Hook.

Ralph Wall
Great Falls, VA