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Re: Acadian behavior

From:

Gerald & Laura Tarbell

Reply-To:

Gerald & Laura Tarbell

Date:

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 07:45:57 -0400

Thank you Elliot and also David Ziolkowski from Patuxent Research. Both of
these gentlemen claim to have seen/heard the Acadian do the flutter call
(David calls it the twitter call) from stationary non-flapping birds. This
is a clip from David's message to me:

     "My experience with the particular Acadian call that you described is
that it is a vocalization commonly uttered in excited or agonistic contexts.
While I have most often found the call to be associated with slow and
exaggerated flights between perches, I've also frequently watched stationary
birds deliver it."

     My search of SORA turned up 17 articles about Acadian Flycatchers, none
of which discussed the flutter call. When I searched "flutter call" I got
nothing. The only one that discussed song much was a study done in 1979
along the C&O canal which was more interested in the distance between
singers.
    Ever since I first noticed it in May, I have paid more attention to our
hiccupy little empidonax friends and have found that they do this quite
often. However in only one instance did I think that it was possible that
the flutter call went on after the bird perched and since I was indecisive
about whether or not the call went on after the flutter, I dismissed it as a
fluke.
    I think that David's and Elliot's observations are adequate for me to
remove myself from the doubtful list as to whether it is song or wing noise.
I admit it does appear the beak may be open while they do it.

    On another note, We spent the weekend in NW PA with my family and hiked
a short trail at Heart's Content, a 20 acre tract of old growth donated by a
logging company to the state about a hundred years ago. Walking around in it
we noticed several singing Swainson's Thrush along with Winter Wrens and the
usual northern warblers. This place is just south of Warren Pa if anyone
wants to make about a 7-hour drive just to hear Swainson's on territory.
They are also found at a few other northern PA sites according to Bird of
Pennsylvania by McWilliams and Brauning. That's about as close to us as they
come after migration.
    And another note - in addition to Purple Finches and Rose-breasted
Grosbeaks at her feeder, my mother has a Least Flycatcher in her back yard
(about 12 acres). Never heard one there before. Nice trip.
    Jerry Tarbell
    Carroll County