Another bug-a-boo in birding - secondary songs. For a beginner it's hard
enough to get the primary songs down. Then you find out that a lot of
species have other songs they like to do. I'm sure there are some scientific
studies out there that attempt to explain why birds have more than one.
Sometimes its simply a geographical thing. Yellow Warblers in New York State
don't sound a whole lot like ours but the pattern is basically the same.
Sort of.
    But in many cases it is simple an alternative song. About the only
familiar thing about it might be the frequency. It sort of sounds like a
familiar bird, but what's wrong with it? Yellows also have a secondary song
that reminds me of a Chestnut-sided.
    I have been getting down the alternative song of the local HOODED
WARBLERS. The one you always hear on the CD's and tapes and is most familiar
to us is the "wheeta, wheeta, wheet-tee-o" It is cheery and rich in tone and
fairly loud - you can hear it and recognize it from a good distance. And we
all love it. Quickens the heart when we hear it.
    So I've been hearing the birds near Hashawa doing something that sounds
like "Wheet-tee-o, wheet, wheet, wheet". It rises slightly in pitch on the
last 3 notes. It is also cheery and rich and it sort of reminds you of the
Hooded, but you aren't sure until you catch one at it visually. There is
nothing like visual reinforcement when it comes to learning bird songs.
Patience paid off today as I was coming down hill toward Pipe Creek and
heard it. I stopped and played the waiting game. Sure enough the little
bugger finally landed on an open dead limb and kept right on singing Hooded
Warbler hit tune #2, instead of the familiar #1. I've heard it enough now to
label it an alternative song and I doubt that it has anything to do with
geography. You also hear the regular song here.
    Peterson says there are variations. At least I've got one down.
    Jerry Tarbell
    Carroll County