[Tweeters] Yellow warbler songs

[Tim Brennan]

Heya tweets!

While out birding last weekend, something started to bug me, and the more I paid attention to it, the MORE it bugged me. 😄

Yellow Warblers tell us they are so so so sweet. . . but I felt like I was hearing them tell me in two different ways. Not in a wide variety of ways, although I'm sure that there was some variety. On a closer listen to some recordings, I feel like I'm hearing the "typical" (for me) sweetsweetsweeti'msososweet! which is kind of rapid, seven-ish syllables, and ends on a high note. And then I get this other Yellow Warbler song which I had only identified as "sassy" in the past. A few notes shorter, not quite as rapid, and ending on a down note.

Curious, I accidentally did a search for "yellow warbler subspecies" and found that there are like. . . 37 recognized subspecies. Hopping around on xeno-canto, I was unable to find the sassy subspecies. I listened to a few different subspecies, and never really came across what I was hearing. Visuals on birds giving both songs, but I wouldn't have had a clue as to what other subspecies would be around, what field marks to look for, etc. etc.

I'm going to have to listen this spring up in the Seattle area, and see what kind of mix of songs I'm getting up here - the weekend birds were down in Cowlitz and especially in Wahkiakum. So much sass.  I'd love to at least hear from anyone who has noticed the two "types" of calls, and especially if there is any understanding of what subspecies are found locally. Some White-crowned Sparrow discussions made me realize just how much of a mix they have down there (pugetensis and gambelii), relative to up here in puget sound, where gambeliis are such a small fraction of what I hear singing. I figured maybe (?) there was something similar going on with the YEWAs.

Cheers!

Tim Brennan
Renton
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