Impressions of the Voices of Tropical Birds 



97 



is only the vocal part of the performance, and it is accompanied by a contortion 

 of which the Cowbird's spring effort gives a mild idea. The bird first looks 

 down, ruffles the nape feathers and elevates the tail, and then, clattering the 

 bill and emitting the other sounds that he alone is capable of, falls forward, 

 clapping his wings lustily over his back, until he is under his perch, with his 

 bill pointing directly up. Now he delivers his last explosive yell, wings and 



MEXICAN OROPENDOLA— SINGING. (Gymnostinops Montezuma) 



glorious tail all outspread to their utmost, and by means of his first foothold, 

 not relinquished in his effort, and with wings folded, he draws himself back 

 to his first position, where he sits ruffled for a minute or two. Then, depressing 

 his feathers, he repeats his acrobatic song. The males are a full half larger than 

 the females, and have enormously developed legs and feet, apparently for this 

 performance, recalling a Raven's foot; while the females have the usual slen- 

 der, Grackle-like feet of the family. One need never be bored when there is a 

 colony of these striking and virile birds in the vicinity. 



Some of the typical Orioles and Troupials have exceedingly brilliant, if 

 monotonous, songs, and they are kept as pets in nearly every house in the 

 towns or along the trails in Colombia. Icterus mesomelas nearly drove us 

 insane with his piercing song in the hotel in Call., repeating it incessantly 

 from his cage at our door. ""^^T""" k ^ T r 



5 



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All Orioles are great singers of little tunes, usually going just enough off key 

 to get on your nerves, and this is only one of hundreds of such little phrases. 

 The Hooded Oriole group have a deliciously naive way of singing little "ear- 

 less" tunes, like a small boy on his reluctant way to school, whistling himself 

 along the road. This is the most companionable birdsong I know, and has 

 frequently been real company to me, when hunting alone along the banks of 

 tropical rivers and in the foothills. 



