Northern cardinal
Chapter 6: Song Learning Often Creates Complex Songs and Large Repertoires
Subchapter: Small to large repertoires
From page 89 in the book.
Photo by John Van de Graaff
♫400. Here are eight different songs from this male, with each one repeated multiple times before the next is introduced. Listen carefully and you will hear him switch to a new song at the following times: 0:45, 2:14, 3:30, 5:37, 6:06, 6:44, and 7:36. June 6 and 18, 2006. Hatfield, Massachusetts. (8:00)
♫401. More cardinal listening; follow along and listen for how he repeats each song several times, then abruptly switches to a new song type. But sometimes it's not so abrupt a switch, as he seems to use the same song beginning with several endings, sometimes alternating the endings, sometimes singing only incomplete songs. From 0:25 to 1:04, for example, the first song contains only the introductory whistles, and then he uses those introductory whistles with three different endings over the next five songs. Finally, at 11:07, he does switch abruptly and unequivocally to a new song. Nothing says the cardinal has to follow the rules that we try to impose on his singing! May 28, 2010. Grundy, Virginia. (13:19)
♫402. More songs, with approaching train. May 23, 2004. Sebree, Kentucky. (9:44)
♫403. And more cardinal songs, accompanied by waves beside the Gulf of Mexico. March 20, 2004. Naples, Florida. (8:43)
♫404. The pyrrhuloxia sings much like its close relative the northern cardinal. Hear him switch to a new song at 0:20, 0:59, 1:51, and more, as he sings in the classical "repeat it several times and eventually switch" mode. April 6, 2013. Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, Artesia, Texas. (6:06) Recorded by Janet Grenzke.