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Version 1.0 August 20, 2013
Red-winged BlackbirdTufted TitmouseNorthern
CardinalOvenbirdAmerican RobinEuropean StarlingBlack-capped
Chickadee
Play Mystery Sound! >All of the birds here are Passerines,
meaning they belong to an the order Passeriformes, the largest
order of birds. Passerines are often also called perching birds or
songbirds, which makes sense because perching and singing typically
go hand in hand for birds. Most songbirds like to be able to get a
good view of their surroundings while they sing, so they sit atop
wires, branches, poles, and other perches as they belt out their
songs, just as all of the birds here are doing. The Black-capped
Chickadee, the Red-winged Blackbird, and the American Robin are
especially common throughout North America and easy to find
singing! Take your kids out side and see if you can catch one of
these birds in concert!
Play the mystery sound, see if students know whos singing. Then
play one or more of the birds to check answer.
Photos:http://www.flickr.com/photos/48311154@N02/7126259115/in/photolist-bRHWyt-bRHWyk-9kjTBj-9cm9K3-9kjTBo-aumTrg-9wfKHy-9wfKty-9zmjLC-9kZbvH-9kZbx8-9kZbsP-9m3fod
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14904010@N02/6193462621/in/photolist-ari7Ei-36tcao-djc4zg-6yfKge-6yfJUa-f6eP9r-f6ePbF-f6u4SC-ari8FF-8CoE6K-8CoEhv-aoFCs7-axEhMY-8G4Xos-aoCUpx-aoFC3s-aoCWPP-aoFDhy-aoCVGT-atpdFP-atrTjU-axEi33-axEipC-8G1MfV-8G4YjN-8G1LTB-atrTb9-auWReH-ari7mz-auZxDq-anh1Hi-auZyoj-auZy1S-ari8bX-5CZQx8-ezQ8J-egSZ8L-4nndL3-9Jii4T-egSZbu-6iP1JB-cnXSQb-c2X125-c2X1xy-6kMcKH-6kMcBn-6kRmCd-6kRmtf-3vg6d-6oAtzS-6oAtDJ
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43322816@N08/6498993099/in/photolist-aUi3ea-a9b7EV-b3c6QH-diNCAn-4Qtosu-9fvEho-diNxbv-8opyYL-8opxS9-8omneM-9cikdR-8opytL-2pHMbA-9FA2Hf-RKYR-dBkBoJ-99CDx8-5VSgEq-94Umbv-7cgtkS-4XGy4Y-8Yr5qv-9Qgqjc-J4xSP-8TuLaR-7PikE4-7D3bzU-bMMy2H-aojGgY-duakLo-BCZzC-4wWrdk-4wWr8T-4wWr5K-4x1AsN-4x1AxE-5Qh6hi-5Qh6gp-5Qh6kT-dZzPBa-9dyJgZ-e9jXqe-7WgjLh-9hYvPZ-3dw5bb-tyX1P-9SjUxT-doiySL-9FAdTw-aCarow-H8DCs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48311154@N02/8872300435/in/photolist-ew1RPa-9QmPQG-edb4EQ-ew1Rxc-9QmPQU-9QmPR5-9QmPR1-9JsPLp-9FPLny-a72moz-9FdzoQ-a1eKPR-a1eKQ6-dn21Wc-e7hrEg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71833159@N00/279463228/in/photolist-qGjFw-aDytx9-KtGgx-KtGgn-KtGfZ-5ko5SQ-qGA4t-4z6JpZ-teTsC-9Pkro2-95Hg89-9Vxf62-bybX5y-7UtCc7-8fqGJZ-cHH3qE-e9Xbs8-4TZuHE-54xZz9-ea3Pbj-bpw84x-92ayA1-e6Vh48-9GG3er-9xsUqn-7A5Gjs-54xLu3-qGGLD-bjk4TZ-4Pug1z-4U6UXB-8oyqYA-54tCbv-aXM6iv-9SpQCt-eKs1VT
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48311154@N02/6189906823/in/photolist-aqYTDr-bvKR65-dm6kUX-bu9afo-aqYTDg-aqYTDi-bu9afh-9mguzb-9nabam-dMCLc4-dMCLcP-9nabaw-bcof9i-bcof9e-bcof9a-dXd4UX-dniTPK-dRsmi4-dNV5yC-bRHWyP-8TrWs3-dwbX42-9mPfnt-9mPfnB-eLGjHW-9mPfnM-9mPfnn-bu9afm-9rSAwY-9rSAwQ-9rSAxb-9mPfnR-bEqMHp-bAwgjb-bEqMHv-9wfKHy-bPLny2-9jswuQ-9jswuW-9jswuU-9jswuS-9dUCCE-9rSAwy-9rSAxh-cuhCNN-eLuVBx-eLGj7w-dGZidm-9gwMMh-9dUCCC-9tQBgd
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48311154@N02/6644070381/in/photolist-b87ADB-9X5txD-9X5txH-9X5txP-9X5txK-9X5txT-dZtcno-b7ATmc-8RUFwV2
Song or call?
A song is a longer and more complex vocalization, often with
specific repeated patternsUsually used to attract mates or defend
territoryA call is a shorter, simpler vocalizationUsed to sound
alarms, tell others about food, keep track of each otherHey
sweetie, come check out my territory!
LS1D, LS2D
Im here! Where are you?
The terms bird song and bird call are often used
interchangeably, but are they actually the same thing? Technically,
there is no real difference between calls and songs in terms of
their function or acoustic structure. Think about it from the birds
perspective: theyre not thinking of things in terms of songs versus
calls, so why should we? But it is natural and often convenient for
us humans to characterize the actions of animals in a way that is
familiar to us, so the term song has come to connote a longer, more
complex, while the term call connotes a shorter, simpler
vocalization.
The sound files are Black-capped Chickadee mating and contact
calls.
Photos:http://www.flickr.com/photos/69214385@N04/8619850011/in/photolist-e8GZ6D-7Yd7gU-7Y9RLc-7Yd7g5-7Y9RKi-9kfRjB-4vvp6V-4gcr2f-dmphU-3fWYTu-6xiezE-5fyszj-7v6jWA-6qhGDX-5fyszy-7CXYv6-atYH8z-5GC3g-bPrQXX-daz9zL-6bcoag-7W4oVM-4qFM34-9EGV6F-5QURY-FDGGt-7q17MH-eFGY2-dPEQ6L-dVpKs-4GLdy4-a1Tjz1-bZv5qS-7TW28m-6nRtFu-dVrZT4-bvC2JJ-6CFvce-6nMjr6-aqCMsD-bmHbg3-e8GZnr-eoi2So-6eWdg1-dafWwX-etmeZN-266E7z-6Bt8F7-4Kjqak-Ao6GC-ckMc
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53537861@N00/45947808/in/photolist-54uFA-7wzWTM-dVrZT4-bvC2JJ-4Urkrc-83ErrD-6CFvce-6nMjr6-9GhbLY-aqCMsD-a5Vzm-bmHbg3-jiF1j-cK5Ro-jiF1r-6yvTx9-e8GYLv-64WDYT-e8GZnr-eoi2So-6eS3S2-6eWdg1-51nwDw-dPxKDL-7qb2qr-65qD7Y-HvUiD-dafWwX-4QLCi1-5vpQjw-etmeZN-9HujUC-bApttE-bBFcX6-266E7z-8u9jvJ-4iggVN-6Bt8F7-4Kjqak-bMhLNa-aD1a5n-c75NA5-6aj7tD-q5qs8-4fgwDH-7VYCD4-bTQqfM-2qzXV-7Q89wg-4rXnrM-dEZ1jx
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjsmithphotography/5483518528/
3
Why do birds vocalize?For many birds, vocalizations are the main
mode of communication. Some bird use non-vocal communication (for
example, a woodpecker drumming.
Birds dont just sing and call because it sounds
prettyvocalizations are the main mode of communication for many
birds. Bird songs are just like a foreign language that we humans
cant understand. Different calls send different messages to other
birds, just like different words convey different messages to other
people.
Photo: male American Robin singing.
Photo:http://www.flickr.com/photos/36881921@N00/2540240054/in/photolist-4StoSj-a1Tjz1-Ao6GC-ckMc-83Pzrr-bZv5qS-9PjRNo-9PjNoq-9PjUgw-9PjUKy-9Ph2PF-9PjQby-9Ph5HP-9Ph6iM-9PjQGd-9Ph1Q8-3faMzd-7TW28m-9wDEfQ-6nRtFu-83HxQh-54uFA-7wzWTM-dVrZT4-bvC2JJ-4Urkrc-83ErrD-6CFvce-6nMjr6-9GhbLY-aqCMsD-a5Vzm-bmHbg3-jiF1j-cK5Ro-jiF1r-6yvTx9-e8GYLv-64WDYT-e8GZnr-eoi2So-6eS3S2-6eWdg1-51nwDw-dPxKDL-7qb2qr-65qD7Y-HvUiD-dafWwX-4QLCi1-5vpQjw4
Bird TalkBirds use unique songs and calls to communicate
different messages.Different species have different songs and calls
in their repertoire.
LS1DAs a class, brainstorm reasons why birds might communicate
vocally. If students struggle, you might first want to think about
the reasons humans communicate.
Different species have different vocabularies of calls.
Different birds have various combinations alarm calls, injury
calls, territorial calls, flight calls, begging calls, courtship
calls, and many others. Each different call conveys a different
message to the members of that birds species. Well go over some of
these calls and their purposes.
Photo:http://www.flickr.com/photos/37015070@N00/4835175722/in/photolist-8ngxhE-4Uy57x-5J5JLn-8ZmrgS-6u94rF-oQdCt-6uL6Et-eZf9PJ-ck4swW-ejVhUu-ejPwLe-7bjiSW-aHqRq-7qCGto-6y9JuQ-B4XKU-66h5zm-GPhHk-a6zJkZ-dzoEeQ-89JUDp-bxVtgW-2yXDxb-8JGvWg-eekkkd-6RKPsC-7WjfDr-ejnRoA-jZfdT-LjKkr-4greeK-8t6Khg-5U4FbU-bCsXkF-4B9MA2-bfrPtZ-t88Y5-3oVxSy-CyoEC-efq26s-n75mX-4VbRyb-aiZB8S-aiZBc1-aiWNZT-aiZB2G-aiZBf5-7NsdRm-HQb79-dA7hED-MsS2S5
How do birds vocalize?Humans have a larynx that allows us to
vocalizeBirds have a similar structure, called a syrinx
LS1A
Weve seen that birds have pretty extraordinary vocal abilities,
but how do they do it? How do such small creatures create sounds
that can be heard over such long distances? They must have some
serious pipesand they do. You probably know of the larynx, or voice
box, which is what allows humans to vocalize. Well instead of a
larynx, birds have a similar structure called a syrinx, which is
basically just a super-larynx. The syrinx is basically a
double-larynx, allowing the bird to make two separate sounds at the
same time. This is why birds are able to produce such rich, complex
sounds.
Images:Captured from The Language of Birds CLO videolink is
available at the BirdSleuth resource page for this webinar.6