WOOD THRUSH 115 



bath or take a shower bath under the automatic lawn sprinkler, 

 provided that we are careful not to frighten it by too close an approach. 

 It seems to be more trustful of its human neighbors than does its 

 shy relative in the woodlands.] 



Voice. — Saunders (MS.) says: "The song of the wood thrush is 

 long continued, made up of a number of different phrases, sung in varied 

 order, with rather long pauses between the phrases. It sounds like 

 eeohlay ayolee ahleelee ayleahlolah ilolilee, etc." Else- 

 where (1924) he writes: "Each phrase may have three parts, an intro- 

 duction of two or three short notes, usually low in pitch and not 

 especially musical; a central phrase of two to five notes, most com- 

 monly three, loud, clear, flute-like and extremely musical; and a ter- 

 mination of three or four notes, usually high-pitched, not so loud, 

 and generally the least musical part of the song. Phrases may be 

 sung either with or without either introduction, termination or 

 both, and sometimes, especially late in the season, birds indulge the 

 habit of singing only introductions and terminations, leaving out 

 the beautiful central phrases." Saunders made records of 115 wood- 

 thrush songs, which showed the pitch to range from D" to D"", 

 two complete octaves. The average bird has a range of a tone or 

 two over an octave. 



The song of the wood thrush early in the season is more elaborate, 

 performed with more vigor, and is of longer duration than songs later 

 in the season. 



The calls fell into three classifications discussed here in order of 

 the degree of feeling seemingly expressed by them. When slightly 

 disturbed, or uneasy, apparently to indicate his or her presence, both 

 male and female utter a sound that can be expressed by trrrrrr, trrrr, 

 a sort of rattle or trill. The other bird would then often respond with 

 the same call. If they became alarmed they used the pit, pit, pit call. 

 When greatly alarmed, as when danger threatened nest or young, the 

 call changed to quirt, quirt, quirt, quirt, usually accompanied by 

 swift zooming flights at the intruding person, bird, or object. During 

 this defensive demonstration the bill was snapped and the birds came 

 within a few inches of the object of their fury. This happened once 

 upon the erection of a blind. 



Another sound made by both male and female was a squeaky 

 whistle. During the nesting period both male and female were 

 heard to give this clear whistle upon several occasions. This was 

 used by either adult upon arrival at the nest with food, especially 

 when the young did not open their mouths to receive it. Sometimes 

 it was necessary for an adult to repeat this at least four times. It 

 can be described by saying that it seemed to have been produced by 

 inhaling with the bill almost closed. It was often given when the 



