Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!rutgers!mailrus!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!CMSA.BERKELEY.EDU!SPGDCM
From: SPGDCM@CMSA.BERKELEY.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: trying to identify a new visitor
Message-ID: <8806020228.AA06452@jade.berkeley.edu>
Date: 2 Jun 88 02:26:48 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Lines: 53


 MSG:FROM: SPGDCM  --UCBCMSA  TO: NETWORK --NETWORK           06/01/88 19:26:47
 To: NETWORK --NETWORK  Network Address

 From: Doug Mosher
 Subject: trying to identify a new visitor

 To: rec-birds@ucbvax

 I am not trained in identifying birds, but I have a lot of curiosity
 about a new visitor to my back yard.

 I live in residential San Francisco, which has limited back yards with
 some large trees.

 In the last few weeks, we have a new visiting bird which seems very
 unfamiliar. I cannot see it (having tried a number of times), but what
 is distinctive is the nature of its singing.

 Most birds I have ever heard seem to have a relatively recognizable,
 repeating call. This one seems to change its call every 3-10 repetitions.

 It sings very loudly; generally at sunrise or sunset, but also at other
 times, for example, 11:30pm and 2:30 AM on occasion.

 If I try to do a bad job of explaining the calls, it would be:

 chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp (pause)

 poo-wee poo-wee poo-wee poo-wee (pause)

 squawk squawk squawk (pause)

 I could go on, but what I am trying to illustrate is that the
 very nature of the call keeps changing. Various sequences, tones,
 and timbres are used. Each given call is repeated exactly and clearly
 for a set of repetitions, then something else occurs for its set
 of repetitions.

 There are never words or clicks or other parrot-like variations, but
 the variety is impressive. The sequence does not seem to repeat over
 several minutes. One might imagine a group of birds, but it's just
 one, since there is only one song at a time (or, it's a whole group
 but they have all agreed to sing in turn, only once :-)

 Does this ring any bells? I am most curious. I wondered for awhile
 if someone's pet had escaped. But it has stayed in the neighborhood for
 a couple weeks now, and sometimes sings from across the street.

 (                                                            )
 (          Doug Mosher             )
 ( 257 Evans, Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA, 415/642-5823 )
      trying to identify a new visitor