OREGON JUNCO 1065 



two of a pair is a quiet "tsip." To others, the sound is like a "sharp, 

 metallic, kissing click," as T. G. Pearson (1939) describes the slate- 

 colored junco call note. A. A. Saunders (1936b) says to him the calls 

 and songs of the slate-colored junco and the Oregon junco are alike. 



The call note, once a person learns it, draws attention to a flock 

 before the flock is seen. As an intruder, human or otherwise, gets 

 closer to the flock and the members become alarmed, the call notes 

 come more quickly, erratically, and are obvious expressions of the 

 birds' alarm. Other birds or animals may be affected, according to 

 Thane Riney (1951) who notes: "Sounds such as * * * erratic 'thup' 

 notes of the Oregon Junco elicit alarm reactions in deer." 



H. H. Sheldon (1907) and Richard Hunt (1920) mention the Anna 

 hummingbird {Calypte anna) having a sharp note like the junco; 

 Hunt is more specific than Sheldon, calling it "a sharp smacking 

 tip-woiQ.^' 



Peter Marler, Marcia Bj-eith, and Miwako Tamura (1962) made a 

 series of experiments on song development in hand-raised Oregon 

 juncos. They write: "The song of \vild Oregon Jimcos has several 

 distinctive properties. It consists, with rare exceptions, of a trill of 

 similar, repeated syllables. The length of the song, the number of 

 constituent syllables, and the duration of those syllables vary relatively 

 little. The fine structure of the syllables themselves shows great indi- 

 vidual variabihty. Each individual has several song types, one of 

 which may be given for long periods without interruption by another 

 t>T)e." 



None of the hand-raised jmicos had the opportunity to hear any 

 songs or calls of wdld juncos after being taken from the nest. They 

 were exposed to songs of other species. Marler and his associates 

 describe their experiments, which cannot be detailed in this account. 

 In summary, they say: 



Eight male Oregon Juncos were taken from the nest and raised by hand in 

 varying degrees of acoustic isoUxtion. Each developed several song types. In 

 comparison with wild juncos, the songs of the experimental birds were somewhat 

 longer, with fewer, longer syllables. They were more variable. However, there 

 was appreciable overlap, so that each male had at least one "wild-type" song. 

 Some abnormal songs developed from imitations of other species. In addition, 

 the birds raised in a rich auditory environment had more song types and a more 

 more elaborate syllable structure, derived not from imitations but from unspecific 

 stimulation to improvise. Vocal inventiveness is established as a significant 

 factor in the development of song in Oregon Juncos. 



Field marks. — Oregon juncos are sparrows with a dark-colored 

 head, throat, and breast, called a "hood," and pinkish, yellowish, or 

 light brown sides definitely separated from the "hood." The back is 

 a shade of brown, never slate color. The outer tail feathers and 



