Peete Ula OPN: » Bal bel sreN 3 
Phrase 1 is described by Saunders (1951: 
90) as “a three-note phrase with the first 
note highest in pitch, the second the lowest, 
and the third medium, and all three slurred 
together, ‘peeahwee’.” Phrase 2 consists of 
two notes, the first “high and the second 
low, in fact lower than the lowest note of 
the first phrase, ‘peeoh’.” Phrase 1 is usual- 
ly sung three or four times, followed by a 
single phrase 2. Phrase 4, “used toward 
evening and in late summer at all times of 
day, is an upward slur of two notes, 
‘alwwee’.”” (Phrase 3 is not slurred; it is 
heard only in the rhythmic twilight songs Pair on. stance; 
accompanied by phrases 1 and 2.) male left, female right 
Craig (1943:73) suggests that: “Perhaps phrase 4 is a variant of phrase 
1 due to fatigue after long-continued singing; but it is stereotyped, being 
the same in all individuals.” It occurs “in late summer as contrasted with 
early summer.” It may be heard in the postludes of both morning and eve- 
ning twilight songs, but only in leisurely, not rhythmic, singing. My bird 
sang phrase 1 rarely and 2 somewhat more often after a feeding visit. 
His use of phrase 4, however, denoted no fatigue. On the contrary, it was 
a battle cry. 
Hostility of the Parent Birds 
During the 16% hours that I watched the Wood Pewees, I saw them 
attempt to drive away from the vicinity of the young six species of birds 
and one mammal — the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). Only two 
species of birds were ignored: on August 4 two House Sparrows (Passer 
domesticus) on the ground beneath the bur oak, and the next day a Red- 
eyed Vireo (Vireo wlivaceus) that came within a foot of the nest. The birds 
treated as enemies were a Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum), Starlings 
(Sturnus vulgaris), Robins (Turdus migratorius), Common Grackles 
(Quisculus quiscula), a Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), and a strange 
Wood Pewee. Whereas the. .two ignored species were only slightly larger 
than the pewees, all of the ‘‘enemies’”’, except the last, weigh from five 
to eight times as much as a Wood Pewee. Of these five species we would 
consider only the grackle and Blue Jay as really potential enemies. This 
also would be true of the squirrel. Once the male pewee sang phrase 4 
as a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) passed high overhead. 
Throughout the 16% hours of observation, 66 encounters with individu- 
als of seven species were recorded for the male pewee and 32 encounters 
with individuals of six species for the female. 
Let us first consider those species which would seem harmless to our 
eyes. A Brown Thrasher came into the oak on July 30 and approached 
within three feet of the nest; both parents attacked, but it stayed. They 
desisted; it worked up near the nest, then left. Three times passing 
Starlings were chased by the male, once by the female. Both parents 
attacked a Starling that came into the tree near the nest; it left at once. 
On August 7, two days after the young were out of the nest, their father 
struck at a Starling perched on the west side of the bur oak some 20 feet 
from where the fledglings were sitting; the Starling squawked, yet stayed. 
The pewee sang phrase 4 four times. 
