Black-capped Chickadee illustration from P. Taverner’s 1921 edition of the Birds of Eastern Canada Field Guide.
10 BIRDS THAT CALL THEIR NAME
Day 8 of 100 days of Blogging
Today we feature 10 birds that get their names from the sound of their vocalizations. Play the media file below each photo to hear a bird’s call.
Thanks to Gayle G. for suggesting today’s topic!
American Pipit |Pipit d’Amerique|Anthus rubescens
Family: Motacillidae
The American Pipit’s call is a quick and dry “pip-it.”
Black-billed Cuckoo|Coulicou à bec noir|Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Family: Cuculidae
Call A fast rhythmic series of from two to five notes on the same pitch, with a brief pause between each set: “cu-cu-cu-cu, cu-cu-cu-cu”
Black-capped Chickadee|Mésange à tête noire|Poecile atricapillus
Family: Paridae
Chickadees make their chickadee-dee-dee call using increasing numbers of dee notes when they are alarmed.
Chuck-will’s-widow |Engoulevent de Caroline |Antrostomus carolinensis
Family: Caprimulgidae
Call a loud “Chuck-will’s-widow,” with the first “chuck” being quiet and inaudible at a distance.
Dickcissel|Dickcissel d’Amerique|Spiza americana
Family: Cardinalidae
Song a simple, dry, “dick, dick, ciss, ciss, ciss.” Call a dry “chek.” Flight call a short, buzzy “fpppt,” like a Bronx cheer.
Eastern Phoebe|Moucherolle phébi|Sayornis phoebe
Family: Tyrannidae
Males sing a raspy, two-parted song that gives them their name: “fee-bee.”
Eastern-Wood-pewee|Pioui de l’Est |Contopus virens
Family: Tyrannidae
The Eastern Wood-Pewee has several calls but when disturbed gives a shrill peeee .
Killdeer|Pluvier kildir|Charadrius vociferus
Family: Charadriidae
Most noticeable among the Killdeer’s many calls is the high, plaintive kill-deer the bird is named for.
Eastern Whip-poor-will|Engoulevent bois-pourri|Antrostomus vociferus
Family: Caprimulgidae
The male’s haunting whip-poor-will can sometimes keep going and going and…. going. Sometimes continuing for hours, it is for many people a classic summer memory.
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