Viewing page 23 of 142

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

6 [[handwritten and circled in upper right corner]]

slightly higher in pitch than the second (and third).  These introductory notes are followed by a long, clear, loud, and rather melodious Whistle.  A typical Whistle might be transcribed as “Wheeeeeooooo”.  It usually begins at a high pitch and then descends steadily, or begins moderately high, ascends briefly, and then descends.  The Whistle is followed by a Rattle, usually or always longer than the Rattles during Dawn Calling.  This ends the performance.  

     The whole series of notes can be represented in diagrammatic form as follows:

[[There is only blank space]]

     Performances of this type apparently are uttered only by single or isolated birds, unmated or separated from their mates, during the breeding season.  They probably [[There is an arrow pointing left (to nothing) above the p in probably]] are “true” songs, as the term is used in this series of papers.  They probably attract individuals of the opposite sex and repell other individuals of the same sex.  I was not able to prove this conclusively (because there were no overt reactions between neighbors or rivals); but the evidence, such as it is, is highly suggestive.  Certainly, a bird uttering these patterns is usually joined by its mate (or a potential mate) sooner or later.[[there are a few struck through words which can't be read]] And the form of the various notes would suggest that the motivation of the performance as a whole is ambivalent in the way that would be expected of true song.  Rattles appear to be purely or predominantly hostile in all related species in which it has been possible to analyze their motivation.  The “Duh” Notes seem to be related to hostile patterns of Buff-throated Saltators (see below).  The Whistles, on the other hand, may be largely or completely sexual.  Almost all the patterns of related species which are equally clear in tone, without any hoarseness or harshness or any trace of rattling, are known to be produced by sexual and/or other “friendly” tendencies.

     Streaked Saltators tend to utter these patterns most frequently during the middle part of the morning, after Dawn Calling has ceased, and may continue