Re: [nfc-l] passerines with sexually dimorphic flight calls?

2009-12-18 Thread Michael O'Brien
All, 


I have the impression that Blue Grosbeak and Passerina buntings are sexually 
dimorphic in their flight calls, higher pitched in females, lower in males, but 
have never tested this in any rigorous way. Has anyone else looked into this? 


Michael O'Brien 




- Original Message - 
From: "Magnus Robb"  
To: "nfc-l@cornell.edu Call ListServe"  
Cc: "Andrew Farnsworth" , "SLIMBIRD Gerard" 
 
Sent: Friday, December 18, 2009 12:04:22 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern 
Subject: [nfc-l] passerines with sexually dimorphic flight calls? 

Equally interesting is the question of which passerines (and 'near-passerines') 
can be sexed according to their flight calls outside of the breeding season. I 
have not searched for examples in any thorough way, although I have been 
recording migrants and noting sex when possible for a long time, without 
noticing examples. 


During spring migration, some birds may sing while passing overhead, and 
depending on the species, this might be limited to males. Limiting the 
discussion to flight calls, however, I can only think of Raven as a passerine 
known to have at least some male- or female-only calls throughout the year. 


There are many more examples among non-passerines, eg Apus swifts, but most 
passerines seem to share non-breeding call repertoire across the sexes without 
noticeable differences. 


I would be delighted to be shot down and shown that there are many examples, 
but what are they? Alternatively, are there instances of some passerine species 
where males use certain shared calls much more often than females outside the 
breeding season? 


all the best, 


Magnus Robb 





On 18 Dec 2009, at 16:2324, SLIMBIRD Gerard wrote: 


A related discussion which I’m sure many on the list might be interested in 
learning more about in general is flight call variation of adult verses 
juvenile birds. Any known examples of North American species that give 
distinctive age related flight calls either diurnal or nocturnal? 

Sincerely, 
Gerard Phillips 
Ontario, Canada 


On 12/17/09 10:48 AM, "Andrew Farnsworth" < andrew.farnswo...@gmail.com > 
wrote: 



variation may exist among calls given in migration, non-breeding, and 
post-breeding seasons, and on and on 



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RE: [nfc-l] passerines with sexually dimorphic flight calls?

2009-12-18 Thread Ross Ahmed
It's bordering on pure speculation and is only just relevant to this group,
but I have a sneaky suspicion the alarm calls of Blackbird are sexually
dimorphic. I'm collecting recordings at the moment to find out.

 

Cheers

Ross Ahmed

 

From: bounce-4786788-10116...@list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-4786788-10116...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Magnus Robb
Sent: 18 December 2009 17:04
To: nfc-l@cornell.edu Call ListServe
Cc: Andrew Farnsworth; SLIMBIRD Gerard
Subject: [nfc-l] passerines with sexually dimorphic flight calls?

 

Equally interesting is the question of which passerines (and
'near-passerines') can be sexed according to their flight calls outside of
the breeding season. I have not searched for examples in any thorough way,
although I have been recording migrants and noting sex when possible for a
long time, without noticing examples. 

 

During spring migration, some birds may sing while passing overhead, and
depending on the species, this might be limited to males. Limiting the
discussion to flight calls, however, I can only think of Raven as a
passerine known to have at least some male- or female-only calls throughout
the year. 

 

There are many more examples among non-passerines, eg Apus swifts, but most
passerines seem to share non-breeding call repertoire across the sexes
without noticeable differences. 

 

I would be delighted to be shot down and shown that there are many examples,
but what are they? Alternatively, are there instances of some passerine
species where males use certain shared calls much more often than females
outside the breeding season?

 

all the best,

 

Magnus Robb

 

 

On 18 Dec 2009, at 16:2324, SLIMBIRD Gerard wrote:





A related discussion which I'm sure many on the list might be interested in
learning more about in general is flight call variation of adult verses
juvenile birds. Any known examples of North American species that give
distinctive age related flight calls either diurnal or nocturnal?

Sincerely,
Gerard Phillips
Ontario, Canada


On 12/17/09 10:48 AM, "Andrew Farnsworth" 
wrote:




variation may exist among calls given in migration, non-breeding, and
post-breeding seasons, and on and on

 

 


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[nfc-l] passerines with sexually dimorphic flight calls?

2009-12-18 Thread Magnus Robb
Equally interesting is the question of which passerines (and 'near- 
passerines') can be sexed according to their flight calls outside of  
the breeding season. I have not searched for examples in any thorough  
way, although I have been recording migrants and noting sex when  
possible for a long time, without noticing examples.

During spring migration, some birds may sing while passing overhead,  
and depending on the species, this might be limited to males.  
Limiting the discussion to flight calls, however, I can only think of  
Raven as a passerine known to have at least some male- or female-only  
calls throughout the year.

There are many more examples among non-passerines, eg Apus swifts,  
but most passerines seem to share non-breeding call repertoire across  
the sexes without noticeable differences.

I would be delighted to be shot down and shown that there are many  
examples, but what are they? Alternatively, are there instances of  
some passerine species where males use certain shared calls much more  
often than females outside the breeding season?

all the best,

Magnus Robb


On 18 Dec 2009, at 16:2324, SLIMBIRD Gerard wrote:

> A related discussion which I’m sure many on the list might be  
> interested in learning more about in general is flight call  
> variation of adult verses juvenile birds. Any known examples of  
> North American species that give distinctive age related flight  
> calls either diurnal or nocturnal?
>
> Sincerely,
> Gerard Phillips
> Ontario, Canada
>
>
> On 12/17/09 10:48 AM, "Andrew Farnsworth"  
>  wrote:
>
>> variation may exist among calls given in migration, non-breeding,  
>> and post-breeding seasons, and on and on
>


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