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36

Ramphocelus, Oct. 24, 1958, IV        

I noticed that his lower mandible was vibrating in rhythm with the R.

Then he flew to a branch beside a female Silver-bill and leaned toward her and gave R after R, with bill wide ope throughout and lower mandible vibrating. Also made little advances toward the female as he did this. She eventually flew off. This whole behavior by the male looked most aggressive.
  
[[image - sketch of a bird]]

Male posture during R at female Silver-bill.

Later on the male Orange-rump was feeding when the female landed beside him.He immediately did a prolonged and silent G facing her. Head & bill pointed slightly downward (probably (?)of feeding), back feathers, including black upper back feathers as well as the orange feathers, very greatly fluffed!! Relaxed almost immediately. Again looked very aggressive. Possibly lower intensity than R?

Conway tells me that the other male, the one that did the Silent Song, only assumed adult plumage in May 1958. I shall call this bird "Y" and the bird that has R'd at the female Silver-bill "O."

Y has now done several performances of R followed by a single "Whit" like Note. [[image - squiggly]].

O occasionally gives a little burst of "Whit"-like Notes 2 or 3 or 4, without any other calls or notes.

These "Whit" like notes do sound as if they might be some sort of CN. They are in fact, much more common than the "Auh"