Gander - Tufted Titmouse ??

Barry Day

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Jun 21, 2017, 9:33:13 AM6/21/17

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I've been periodically hearing an unfamiliar call/song in my backyard for the past 4-5 days. I initially thought it was just a call from a regular species that I simply didn't recognize. But late yesterday I realized it sounded like a tufted titmouse.

I made a recording and submitted it to Xeno-Canto and their initial response was possibly a tufted titmouse. Here is a link to the submission.

http://www.xeno-canto.org/forum/topic/19615

This morning I obtained a longer recording but still have had no luck catching even a glimpse of the bird. I have feeders in place but the bird has not been observed visiting them.

There are no eBird records of tufted titmouse in the province and I realize there could still be a more likely explanation.

Appreciate any insight?

tina leonard

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Jun 21, 2017, 9:46:39 AM6/21/17

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very cool! i don't have any insight on records of tufted titmouse in nfld, but check this link for cornell university recordings of the species. it does sound quite similar to yours on xeno-canto :).

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tufted_Titmouse/sounds

tina

brucema...@gmail.com

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Jun 21, 2017, 10:18:57 AM6/21/17

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Barry
I listened to the recording several times. It isn't the soft 'peter peter peter' of a Tufted Titmouse for sure. It sounds something like a Baltimore Oriole being lazy and singing only part of its song. Has the voice of a Baltimore Oriole even if it isn't completing its song.

This is my best guess without too much stretch of the imagination. But hopefully you will see the bird in case it is something else!!!!

Good Luck
B Mactavish

PS there were a couple of sub adult male Baltimore Orioles seen this spring in Newfoundland so it would be feasible for one to hang around into a Newfoundland summer.

Dave Brown

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Jun 21, 2017, 10:38:18 AM6/21/17

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I've heard Baltimore Orioles singing partial songs a couple of times in the Codroy Valley in mid June, which sounds very similar to this.Maybe another possibility could be Northern Mockingbird? Is is repeating the phrase in multiples of 3 or 4?

Dave

Barry Day

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Jun 21, 2017, 10:59:26 AM6/21/17

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In the longer recording from this morning, the same 4 notes are repeated 6 times in a span of 60 seconds. There are also 2 "chattering" phrases (after the 4 notes) that I think are from this mystery bird.

I realize mockingbirds can have varying calls (been fooled more than a few times) but, after listening to the Cornell recordings, I'd be more inclined to say it resembles a baltimore oriole more than a northern mockingbird.

Dave Brown

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Jun 21, 2017, 1:29:31 PM6/21/17

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Baltimore Oriole has a chattering call note. Do you have the recording of that online? That would probably be enough to identify the bird.

Dave

Barry Day

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Jun 21, 2017, 2:17:38 PM6/21/17

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No, but I can email, just need an address?

Dave Brown

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Jun 21, 2017, 2:19:33 PM6/21/17

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You can send it to dave.browne AT gmail.com