RealAudio Samples for 28.8 Modems:

Below are soundprints of ten species from the guide, along with descriptive text from the accompanying booklet.

Samples are provided in RealAudio 28.8 format using HTTP pseudo-streaming. To play these files on your computer using a 28.8 or faster modem, you will need the latest version of the RealAudio Player (version 3.0 or later) available from Progressive Networks.

RealAudio 28.8 compression works very well for bird sounds falling below 5 kilohertz. However, very high-pitched calls such as the robin's "seeee" (at about 8 kilohertz) will not be heard because they are above the compression bandwidth.

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NOTE: All sound recordings copyright Lang Elliott.
Reproduction in any form is prohibited.

Common Loon (Disc 1, Track 2)

• Yodel, the territorial call of the male, is a wail followed by loud undulating notes
• Wail sounds like the how of a wolf (examples include 3-part and 4-part wails)
• Tremolo is a tremulous vibrato (example of a pair alternating calls)
• Hoot is a soft note, given intimately among loons

Mallard (Disc 1, Track 24a)

• Decrescendo call is a descending series of quacks, "k-k-QUACK-Quack-quack-quack," given by female
• Male calls include a soft "rhaeb, rhaeb" and a courtship grunt-whistle
• Other female calls include a froglike "gegegege," given in courtship groups; and persistent quacking of alarmed hens (in the last example, pair bursts into flight with quacks and wing whistle)

Barred Owl (Disc 2, Track 14)

• Classic hoot sounds like "who cooks for you, who cooks for you-all" (two individuals hooting back-and-forth)
• Other hoot patterns include a descending "hoo-aw," an ascending hoot series, and the alternation and overlap of excited monkey-like hoots when two owls greet one another in the dark
• Harsh screeches are made by begging fledglings

Northern Flicker (Disc 2, Track 36)

• Territorial call is a loud, prolonged "kekekekekek" lasting ten seconds or more; drumming is even-paced
• Another common call is a nasal, down-slurred "peough"
• Makes a squealing "wicka-wicka-wicka" or a nasal "week, week, week" during interactions

Blue Jay (Disc 2, Track 61a)

• A variety of call types are presented, including typical "jaay" and "jaay-jaay" notes, "tool-ool," tweedledee," clicking sounds, the squeaky pumphandle call, soft mewing notes (intimate contact calls) and two examples of Red-shouldered Hawk imitations at the end

Wood Thrush (Disc 2, Track 95)

• Song is a rich flutelike "oh-lee-oh-wee" or "eee-oh-leee" preceded by soft low-pitched notes (example is a song series of one male)
• Calls include volleys of loud emphatic "pit" notes, as well as softer "tut" notes (and everything in between), and a buzzy "zeee" (often heard on migration)

American Robin (Disc 2, Track 96)

• Song is a series of musical whistles sounding like "cheerily, cheeriup, cheerio, cheeriup" (typical song series of one male followed by excited continuous dawnsong of another male)
• Whinny call is a rapid outburst of notes that drop in pitch, likened to the whinny of a tiny horse
• "Peek" and "tut" calls, roughly alternated, are given in alarm situations
• Other calls include a high penetrating "seeee" (possibly an aerial predator alarm notes), and a buzzy "tzeeup" (often heard on migration)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Disc 3, Track 47a)

• Song is melodious and robinlike, sounds like "a robin who took singing lessons" (two typical songs of one male followed by a sample of extended singing of another male)
• Calls include a metallic "chink" (the most common call), "teeyoo" and related sounds (of immatures), and "weep" calls (of birds in flock)

Red-winged Blackbird (Disc 3, Track 81)

• Male song is a series of introductory notes followed by a terminal buzz or trill, "o-ka-leee" or "o-ka-leee-ink" (three songs of one male, including a songtype change, followed by one song each of three more males)
• Female song is a rapid chatter or series of harsh trills, or a combination of the two (one song of each type presented)
• Common calls include "tsk," "pteet" (metallic), and "high chips" (often paired)
• A plaintive "seeee" or seee-yeee" is given by males in alarm (examples from four different males, the last one burry)

Purple Finch (Disc 3, Track 93)

• Song is a lively musical warble of variable length (three short songs of one male followed by an extended song of another male)
• Vireo song is a series of disjointed squeaky vireo-lie phrases (seems to be given in response to aerial predators or during territorial disputes)
• Call is a brief "pik," often given in flight (calls of a small flock)

Documentation of Recordings:

Also available is a documentation of recordings used to create the audio guide. This list includes dates, locations, and sources for the nearly 1500 recordings used in the guide. We are providing this information for expert birders who are concerned about regional and dialectic differences among the sounds of particular species.

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