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Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher  – song and calls

on 25th March 2022

I spent part of the morning listening to Tickell’s Blue Flycatchers (Cyornis tickelliae sumatrensis, now known as Cyornis sumatrensis,) sing and call out. There were at least 3 birds (perhaps 3) with 2 separate adult males and one female. I made a number of recordings.

Post 1.

The classical song comprises a “sweet song of 4-7 tinkling, metallic notes” (Wells 2007). It is highly variable and I think used as territorial marker. Post 1 shows the sonogram and waveform of such calls. The call recording can be found here: https://www.xeno-canto.org/512701Note that there are 2 birds calling (2 sets of calls). The lower volumes ones were of a bird further away and the higher volume were the answering calls of the bird nearer to me. Here the notes appeared fixed (there were 8 calls and 8 responses in 50 seconds) but I have recorded other sonograms with varying song structure.

Post 2.

The other types of call are a churring ‘trrt-trrt’ and an individual ‘tak’ (Wells 2007). These can be seen in the sonogram and waveform in Post 2. The call recording can be found here (interspersed with other call types): https://www.xeno-canto.org/512702

Post 3.

A fourth type of call, made infrequently, is a sharp whistle like call. The sonogram and waveform of such calls is in Post 3. The call recording can be found here (interspersed with other call types): https://www.xeno-canto.org/512702

Post 4.

Post 4 shows one of the males.

 

Amar-Singh HSS (Dato’ Dr) – Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Location: Kledang-Sayong Forest Reserve, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Habitat: Broken trail in primary jungle

Date: 20th December 2019

Equipment: Nikon D500 SLR with Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR, handheld with Rode VideoMic Pro Plus Shotgun Microphone

 

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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