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Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow Ammodramus nelsoni

Flight call description A short, high, sibilant "szeeh", typically slightly descending.

 

Fig.1. Georgia January 23, 1997 (WRE).

Perched bird.

 

Examples     Diurnal     Nocturnal

 

Similar species Typically shorter and less descending than Le Conte's Sparrow, but some overlap may exist. See Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed and Baird's Sparrows and descending seeps.

 

Behavior Nocturnal migrant. Gives flight call regularly while perched, particularly around dawn and dusk, and during nocturnal migration. Also intersperses flight call in flight song.

 

Spectrographic description Measured calls (N=10) were 86.3-171.5 (116.7) mS in duration and in the 7-10.5 (7.8-9.3) kHz frequency range. The frequency track was double-banded (lower band sometimes faint) and level or slightly descending. There were occasionally very fine modulations with a spacing of 1.5-2.7 (2.1) mS between humps.

 

Discussion See hypothetical Le Conte's or Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow nocturnal flight call page.