Seaside Sparrow Ammodramus maritimus
Flight call description A long, sibilant "szeee", sometimes rising.
Fig.1. New Jersey August 6, 1996 (MO).
Perched bird.
Examples Diurnal
Similar species Lower and buzzier than Grasshopper Sparrow. Lower, longer, buzzier, and typically more rising than Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows.
Behavior Nocturnal migrant. Gives flight call regularly while perched, particularly around dawn and dusk, and presumably during nocturnal migration. Also intersperses flight call in flight song.
Spectrographic description Measured calls (N=11) were 157.4-314.8 (208.7) mS in duration and in the 2.9-8.7 (5.4-7.5) kHz frequency range. The frequency track was typically double-banded with bands close together (sometimes single-banded) and a with a variable slope that may be rising, level, or descending. There were often fine modulations with a spacing of 4.1-5.6 (4.8) mS between humps.