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28

Ramphocelus, Apr. 28, 1958, III             

The females around here seem to be much more silent than the males, (this is probably quite true, but it should also be noted that they seem to be rarer too.)

Almost every long ΦR is preceded or introduced by one or two shorter, more distinct notes, which may be TssCN's. May be a further indication that TssCN's are low intensity versions of the same thing as ΦR notes.

I have now seen several cases of ΦR by the attacking birds during apparent supplanting attacks. (All these birds were adult or sub-adult males.)

Peculiar performance by an adult male I came upon rather suddenly.

[image - sketch of a bird]]

Standing in a more or less erect, unritualized posture, wings slightly drooped comme ca:  Sat there for several minutes opening and closing bill exactly as if it were uttering single notes, but without any sound at all (and I was less than 5 ft away!) And each time the bill opened for one of their "silent notes" (SN), the tail was suddenly jerked down (and forward, of course, in this posture), coming up again as the bill closed at the end of the SN (all this was very rapid of course. Each SN was rapid, although some of them were separated by definite pauses.)

I wonder if this could be the D-U type of TF which Andrew mentions??? It is certainly not the usual TF of this species -these wild birds TF & WF like my captive bird - or even more like wild Sangre de Toros - but I must say that the male did eventually fly away from me after a long period of this SN and D-U TF.

There are also a few Sangre de Toros around here more or less in