[NatureNS] Re: "female" purple finch? and Amer Robins

From: Bob McDonald <bobathome@hfx.eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <94A7BC2F24604ED4A603E74AB5BD30C5@ownerpc>
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:32:38 -0400
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects


Thanks for this posting, Pat.  Great to finally resolve the question, "Do 
female purple finches sing?".
Just for the record, last Wednesday afternoon, on our street in Clayton Park 
West (Halifax), there appeared a flock of 15-20 bright and active American 
Robins.  This species has been quite uncommon around here this winter.  My 
only other sighting this winter was at the bottom of Glenwood Ave in 
Dartmouth on the January Sewer Stroll when the group saw two in the small 
woodland there.  Still keeping my eye out for waxwings and finches, other 
than AMGO's.

Cheers,

Bob McDonald
bobathome@eastlink.ca


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "P.L. Chalmers" <plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 12:13 PM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] RE: "female" purple finch?


>         According to the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology's
> website,  http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search :
>
> "Males sing three kinds of songs, all including the rich, slurred
> warbling characteristic of finch songs. There's the "warbling song,"
> a fast, rising and falling string of 6-23 notes often sung while
> flocking. Males usually sing a "territory song" alone; it begins with
> a few notes on the same pitch before breaking into warbling and
> ending with a high, emphatic note. The third is an up-and-down
> cadence of 2-5 notes that sounds similar to a Red-eyed Vireo's
> whistled hear-me?-see-me?-here-i-am. Females sing their own songs, a
> long 1-2 minute warbling from the nest. "
>
>         I remember reading that there was uncertainty for some time
> as to whether the females sang at all, since immature males can look
> just like them.  Then someone who was keeping a breeding pair under
> observation, saw the female begin to incubate, and she sang while
> doing so!  That clinched it ...
>
>         Cheers,
>
>         Patricia L. Chalmers
>         Halifax
>
>
>
> At 11:40 AM 26/02/2010, Jim Wolford wrote:
>> >does anyone know whether both sexes sing in purple finches?
>> >Purple finches are notoriously variable in just when the young
>> males begin to take on the
>> >raspberry-coloured features.  -- I invite comments or corrections? 
>> >Lance?
>


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.435 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2711 - Release Date: 02/26/10 
07:34:00

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects