ML260762361
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
- Sounds
- Song
- Playback
- Playback used
Media notes
Song by a Yellow-throated Vireo recorded by Curtis A. Marantz on 3 September 2020 in the riparian corridor along Matilija Creek above Matilija Lake, Los Padres National Forest, Ventura, California. This bird was initially found by Logan Kahle and Dessi Sieburth on 28 August 2020. When recorded at 10:08 am, the bird was 20-25 meters away, 15-20 meters up in the canopy of what appeared to be a Black Cottonwood in the central portion of a riparian corridor dominated by Red and Arroyo Willows, but also with a few each of California Sycamores and Black Cottonwoods. Bird was seen well and photographed both before and after this recording was made following limited playback, in response to which the bird flew into the canopy of an overhead tree, moved about a bit quietly, and eventually began singing. The vireo had been singing only intermittently and for brief periods, and even with some playback it did not vocalize for long periods. Recording was made with filters off on the MKH-20, but set to 2 mv/Pa on the recorder, but no attenuators on either the microphone or recorder. Recording was high-pass filtered at 6 dB at 100 Hz using Audacity version 2.3.3. The skies were clear, there was little or no breeze, and temperatures in the upper 60s to low 70s.
Observation details
After hearing the continuing vireo sing periodically from the middle part of the riparian corridor, we worked our way in its direction and eventually located the bird a cottonwood tree overhead. The bird spent a short time moving about the canopy of this tree and eventually singing for a short period before moving to the south out of view. A short time later, after others arrived, we again saw the vireo in the same tree, where it behaved in a similar manner, providing more views and allowing me to take a few photos and get another recording of the song. The song was the typical slow series of burry notes that is typical for this species and both given at a slower pace and with the song elements “burrier” than I would expect from a Cassin’s Vireo. I also heard the bird give a couple of scold calls from a greater distance, but my recordings included only the song. I again noted that this was a small passerine, yet it was larger and heavier-bodied than a warbler. The bill was generally stout, blunt-tipped, and short, in that it would have extended backward on the face to a point just behind the eye. The forehead was weakly sloping and the crown was rounded on a head that was larger in proportion to the body than that of a warbler. The neck was short and inconspicuous, and the body was plump, but given that the bird was seen overhead, I was unable to discern the posture, and I cannot now recall seeing the primary projection or the placement of the wings relative to the base of the tail. The tail was of medium-length, but the undertail coverts were relatively long. The tail also appeared to be relatively slim and parallel-sided. I saw the legs and feet, but I cannot now remember any details. I again noted the key details of this bird’s plumage patterns, but given that I tried to get photos and recordings, I did not study the vireo as carefully as I had during my previous visit. Clearly apparent was that the head and back were a relatively bright green in color, the throat and breast were lemon-yellow, and the belly and undertail coverts were white. Further apparent were the narrow, but well-defined spectacles, that combined a yellow supraloral stripe with an eyering of the came color. The wings were rather dark with two well-defined wingbars that represented white tips to the greater and median coverts, but the precise background color of the wings eluded me and I cannot remember if I noted fringes on the remiges. On the underparts I noted a pretty good demarcation between the lemon-yellow of the throat, breast and sides, versus the white of the belly, flanks, and undertail coverts, but I was less sure of the flanks were washed with gray. From below the tail appeared to be dark gray and with no obvious pattern. I never saw the rump or the upperside of the tail clearly. The bill appeared to be black and the eyes were dark, but I cannot now recall noting the colors of the legs or feet.
Additional species
Technical information
- Recorder
- Nagra ARES-BB+
- Microphone
- Sennheiser MKH-20
- Accessories
- Roché 30” fiberglass parabola|
- Original file size
- 23.88 MB