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Eurasian Tree-sparrow – courtship calls

on 28th June 2019
Eurasian Tree-sparrow from an earlier encounter.

“The calls of the common Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus malaccensis) are under-recorded. I saw a pair courting today with the presumed male, excited, with a cocked tail and all hyper-alert towards the female. What was interesting was the vocalisation the bird was making. The bird made these very frequent, regular calls to woo the female. These calls are very unlike the conventional, intermittent ‘chip’ the bird usually makes. These courtship calls have been described as ‘tschip’ by the Thai National Parks, 2019 website LINK.

Sonogram of the courtship calls of the Eurasian Tree-sparrow.

“In my recording they occurred at 2 calls per second (65 in 30 second recording). Amplified recording HERE – the recording starts off with a few conventional ‘chips’ and then launches into a long series of ‘tschips’ (a Black-naped Oriole in the background). There was no response from the female in the time I was allowed to observe them – they flew off together soon after.”

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
15th May 2019

Location: Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Habitat: Urban environment

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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