Is there an ornithologist in the house?

April 5, 2008 11:02 AM

Need help identifying a bird with an unusual call.

I came across this bird last week in a nature preserve in Woodland Hills, CA. It was black with a red spot on the wing near the shoulder. It (and its many friends) made a strange computer-y sound (my daughter called them birdbots). Based on the time of year, and the fact that there seemed to be a call-and-response rhythm, I thought it might be some sort of mating call. I uploaded a small video clip here. Anyone know what kind of bird this is? And does it normally sound like R2D2, or is that just a special springtime "How YOU doin'" thing?

posted by shannonm to pets & animals (9 comments total)

Red-winged blackbird
posted by hydrophonic at 11:09 AM on April 5, 2008 [1 favorite]

Yup.
posted by Stewriffic at 11:18 AM on April 5, 2008

One of the most abundant birds in North America...

Boy is my face red. I'd just never heard such a weird robot-y sound coming out of a bird before! Clearly, I need to get out more. Thanks for the quick responses!
posted by shannonm at 11:20 AM on April 5, 2008

Based on the time of year, and the fact that there seemed to be a call-and-response rhythm, I thought it might be some sort of mating call.

Probably establishing and defending it's territory from other males. Of the females that nest in his territory, most of the offspring will be his.
posted by hydrophonic at 11:30 AM on April 5, 2008

I'd just never heard such a weird robot-y sound coming out of a bird before! Clearly, I need to get out more.

They're pretty rare in urban & suburban areas, which is why you might not have seen them much before. They tend to prefer open grasslands, farmland, & marshes.
posted by Johnny Assay at 1:54 PM on April 5, 2008

I remember hearing that call all the time when I was a kid, growing up in a semi-rural town in Northern California. I never knew what bird it was, but I remember it as being constant throughout at least the spring and summer. It was so omnipresent that I didn't even hear it anymore. Whatever it actually means, they sure don't get tired of saying it.

I don't associate it with the winter, so perhaps they don't do it then.
posted by Malor at 3:14 PM on April 5, 2008

Their longer songs sound like a telephone ringing. We always called them "telephone birds."

Grackles are another robot-sounding bird. Here's one sounding like a car alarm.
posted by mmoncur at 1:56 AM on April 6, 2008

I spent Easter weekend on a farm in Wisconsin and took someone birding for the first time. He was from the west and was very excited to see his first cardinal. A friend of ours told us about a recent exchange he had with someone at work:

"I saw a black bird with a red patch on its wing. I wonder what kind of bird it was."

"It was a red-winged blackbird."

"Don't be a smart-ass."
posted by hydrophonic at 10:29 PM on April 6, 2008

At first I felt like an idiot for not just googling "black bird red spot" but had I done that, I wouldn't have heard the car alarm bird or gotten the extra tidbits shared here. So thanks again, all, for the additional info. :)
posted by shannonm at 10:41 AM on April 7, 2008