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Atlapetes, June 2, 1960, IV                  (37)

that some, but not all, of the "Soo-eeeeeee" Notes were really  more like "Ta-soo-eeeeeee".
     
In connection with the song of the Yellow-belly, it may be significant that the usual song of the Andean Sparrows here is 2 whistles followed by a rattle. [[image]] Atlapetes and Zonotrichia may be not too distantly related.

Atlapetes, I.  
             
October 3, 1960
Cerro Punta
     
Watching a mixed flock, just below the big bend in the road where I have done so much observing on previous visits here. Suddenly a Yellow-throated Atlapetes flew out of a hedge on one side of the road and landed in a bush on the other side. (It may have been joining its mate in the bush, but I am not sure about this.) In any case, it apparently uttered a very soft "song" immediately upon landing in the bush. This might be transcribed as "Tsee tsee tsee tsee tsee sree sree sree sree sree sree sree..." Probably accelerating. Rather twittering in general effect. Rather reminiscent of the Wbl of Pselliophorus.  Probably even more like the "greeting" vocalizations of the Yellow-bellies in Ecuador.   
     
It is beginning to look as if this species may have almost as many different types of "song" as the Yellow-belly.
     
I wonder if the extreme softness of the songs of the Yellow-throats might be explained as follows. They are essentially followers in mixed flocks. Perhaps disadvantageous for them to attract other species — rather than the reverse. Their original song may have been loud and Pselliophorus-like. But, as the Bush-tanagers seem to have developed a positive reaction to the Pselliophorus songs, the Yellow-throats have had to modify
     

Transcription Notes:
[[image: sketch of song structure]] Changed "Foo-eeeeeee" to "Soo-eeeeeee" note yellow pencil scribble in left margin in first 2 lines of notes note red pencil scribble in just after yellow scribble in left margin note pencil scribble next to each paragraph on note of Oct3 left hand margin