SONG 63 



It does not follow that he deliberately woos her in musical terms, 

 since not only caged birds but those species in which the males arrive 

 in advance of the female, sing with or without an audience. 



Recall, as example, a solitary captive whose notes day after day, 

 and possibly spring after spring, never arouse response from others of 

 his species, or the more pleasing picture of a flock of male Redwings, 

 chanting their gurgling chorus with no streaked female to hear them. 

 Even when the flock has broken and its individuals have taken pos- 

 session of their own special bit of marsh or swamp-land, they sing alone 

 until their notes attract the later migrating females and the match is 

 made. 



Attention is often called to the fact that the best songsters are dull 

 in color, while brightly plumaged birds are poor singers, but the musical 

 standard here adopted is wholly human, and so far as we know harsh 

 tones may be just as effective in winning a mate as sweet ones. (See 

 also, under Color.) 



While the main object of song is now accomplished, fortunately 

 for the nature lover the singer continues to voice his passion during the 

 period of nest-building, while his mate is incubating, and rarely (e. g. 

 the Warbling Vireo and Rose-breasted Grosbeak) while he himself sits 

 upon the nest. 



With the appearance of the young the song wanes, and with one- 

 brooded species it now soon ceases, but the excess vitality possessed 

 by those birds which rear a second brood is manifested also in their 

 renewed vocal efforts, and their song season is prolonged to midsummer 

 or early August. 



As has been said, many species have a second song-period, at the 

 conclusion of the annual post breeding molt, but it lasts only for a few 

 days and the song rarely reaches the fullness of springtime. As dimin- 

 ishing vigor of the later nesting-season ceases to demand full expression, 

 the song may decrease in volume and, at times, is uttered sotto voce 

 with closed bill, when, though perfect in form, it may be heard only at 

 close range. 



The time of the day, as well as the time of the year in which a species 

 sings, is also to be noted. Early morning and late afternoon are the 

 periods of greatest activity in the bird's day, and it is then that most 

 species are heard singing, but each species will be found to be more or 

 less regular in regard to the time of its singing. Some begin earlier and 

 sing later, some sing more or less throughout the day, others only before 

 sunrise and after sunset, others still by night as well as by day. 



In recording a bird's biography one should also learn the duration 

 of the song itself, noting whether it is a short, definite effort, like, for 

 example, that of the Meadowlark or House Wren, or a more or less 

 continuous performance like that of the Red-eyed Vireo, Mockingbird 

 or Robin. Nothing so stimulates song as song, and the frequency of 

 song in its relation to the abundance of the species should be observed. 

 The partial or complete cessation of song during periods of cold or 



