GREATER YELLOW-LEGS 329 



Voice. — Mr. Nichols (1920) has published the results of a detailed 

 study of the vocabularies of the two yellow-legs, which are noted for 

 the variety of their calls. He has recognized and described nine 

 different calls of the greater yellow-legs, as follows : 



(1) The yodle (a rolling tooichce tooirhcr. etc.) is commonest in a flock 

 from birds remaining in one locality, not traveling. I think I have heard it from 

 a single bird in the fog. It is characteristically given in the air. generally 

 with set wings, by birds which seem to contemplate alighting. It advertises 

 birds tarrying in one general local ty, and has probably the function of location 

 notice. It is doubtless homologous with the gather call of the spotted sandpiper 

 with which it has little analogy. 



(2) Loud ringing 3, whcu when ivheu. The characteristic cry of the species, 

 spring and fall. It is commonly given by passing or leaving birds. It adver- 

 tises the species — and a change of policy in the individual according to its 

 loudness. Analogous with notes of other species spoken of as flight notes or 

 identification notes ; occasionally heard from an alighted bird. This call is 

 subject to considerable variation, when heard from a bird about to drop down 

 and join otbers feeding it is compara ively low-pitched and even, leaving or 

 about to leave a feeding ground, highly modulated. 



(3) Four icheus, heard as follows, seem to have a rather definite significance; 

 low, hurried, descending, heard from a bird leaving companion ; short, clear, 

 four, by a following bird ; loud, four, bird without intention of alighting, trying 

 to flush decoys. This may be called a recruiting call. 



(4) Twos (when whcu) seem to be characteristic of a recruit. A "gentle" 

 bird which comes nicely to decoys is apt to call in twos when approaching and 

 coming in. 



(5) Rarely, in taking wing in the presence of an intruder, a single bird utters 

 a string of unmodulaed icheus which breaks up into threes or fours as it goes 

 off. This is likely a note of protest, which would be more common in the breed- 

 ing season. 



(6) Conversational murmuring, from a flock dropping in, expresses com- 

 panionship and confidence. 



(7) Conversational chup notes from birds about to alight, also heard from 

 birds alighted, moving about at ease. The alighting note. 



(S) Unloud chups identical with the preceding but more hurried, given by a 

 small flock of birds as they take wing. The flushing note. 



(9) Kyow, common in spring, only rarely heard in southward migration; 

 probably associated with the breeding season ; seems to express suspicion. 



Different render' ngs of some of the above notes have been given 

 by others. Mr. Brewster (1883) describes a note heard on the 

 breeding grounds as "an incessant clack-clack-clack-cJack, which 

 sounded very like the clatter of a moAving machine." He then goes 

 on to say : " In addition to the cry already described, they uttered a 

 rolling pheu-pheu-phe, pheu-pheu-phe, repeated a dozen times or 

 mora in quick succession ; a mellow pheu, pheu, pkeu, resembling the 

 whistle of the fish hawk; and a soft, hollow hoo, whoo, ivhoo, very 

 like the cooing of a dove. The latter note was g.ven only when 

 the bird perched on the top of some tall spruce." 



