Jerry,
   The birds aren't getting the song wrong. You just have a narrow view of what's right.
--
Bob Ringler
Eldersburg MD


---- Gerald & Laura Tarbell <> wrote: 
> A Mockingbird in the yard has got a fantastic song going with dead on
> versions of Tufted Titmouse, Blue Jay, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Carolina
> Wren, Red-shouldered Hawk, Starling, Kingfisher, Killdeer and Cardinal
> songs.  All stitched together with an assortment of his own stuff!
> 
> Folks,
> If you listen carefully, they usually aren't so "dead on". To my ear they
> are usually off on everything they try by some minor fragment. The one they
> usually get me on is Eastern Phoebe. They do that fairly convincingly.
> 
> On the subject of songs, I think one of the most varied common songs is the
> Towhee's "Drink your tea". I am amazed at how often I hear them doing some
> odd-sounding variation on that theme or something altogether different.
>     Last year at Hashawa, there was one that insisted that "YOU drink your
> tea". And it was his only version of the song. Makes you wonder if he can
> rope a mate doing that.
>     So this morning at Morgan Run I found one who stutters, "Drink your,
> drink your tea." And he never varied from that theme the whole time he was
> in ear shot, which was quite a while because he chose a high perch.
>     And no, he wasn't a mocking bird doing a bad imitation - I saw him. Nice
> colored adult male.
>     Do these birds have a learning disability? Why do they get the song
> wrong? Or are they just being individualistic? This is my version and I'm
> sticking to it so to speak.
>     Jerry