I have noticed quite a bit of variation in Towhee songs.  When I 
was at Mt. Nemo WMA in Garrett County two weekends ago, I 
heard one that sounded like "drink up!"  (a new variation for me) 
followed a few minutes later by the more traditional song.  And 
sometimes they really do say, "tow-heeee" or just "heeee."

All the same, the apparent counter-singing reported by Cliff is
quite interesting.


Elaine Hendricks
Greenbelt, MD  (PG County)



> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Cliff Comeau" <>
> To: 
> Subject: [MDOSPREY] Towhee songs
> Date:         Tue, 17 Jul 2007 10:26:32 -0400
> 
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> Recently at Pilgrim Hill Park (Randolf Road, Montgomery Co), my 
> wife Susan & I heard an Eastern Towhee singing its "drink your tea" 
> song.  Or so we thought.  When we approached and found the bird, an 
> adult male, it was singing only the "drink your" part of the song 
> and the "tea" was being supplied by another source hidden in thick 
> brush, perhaps 30 feet from the bird we could see.
> 
> We listened for about 10 minutes to this performance.  We never saw 
> the second bird, and the song never failed to sound like the 
> typical towhee song, except that the "tea" came from a different 
> direction.  The bird I could see was about 15 feet from the trail 
> where I was standing, so the apparent difference in the direction 
> of the two parts of the song was obvious from where my wife & I 
> were standing.
> 
> I have never heard towhees singing this way, and I don't recall 
> ever reading about such behavior from towhees.
> 
> Anyone heard anything similar?
> 
> Cliff Comeau
> 
> 
> Beltsville/Calverton, PG Co. MD

> 




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