Muted blackbird song - UK (1 Viewer)

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neilsavory

New member

• Feb 20, 2017

• #1

Hi folks,

I was in the garden the other day and heard a beautiful bird song assuming it was from a small bird. When I looked and found the bird in question it was a male blackbird hiding in the middle of a tree, and singing its full repertoire but very softly ( I mean you couldn't have heard it more than 10 yards away) as if to its self.

Has anybody else experienced this?

Neil

 

Andy Bright

Administrator

Staff member

• Feb 20, 2017

• #2

Hi Neil, welcome to birdforum from all the staff here, we hope you enjoy the site.
Yes,I have experienced quiet song from Blackbirds....it's almost as if they're practising for the months ahead.

cheers,
Andy

 

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neilsavory

New member

• Feb 20, 2017

• #3

Thanks Andy,

Yes, that's what occurred to me. He was practicing in private - he was very well hidden.

Neil

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• Feb 20, 2017

• #4

Yep, quite common with a lot of songbirds, it is called 'subsong'. Often like a quiet version of the normal song, but can be very different in some others, such as Lesser Whitethroat, where the subsong is a quiet warbling very unlike the full 'rattle' song.

 

jogresh

Bimble and patch

• Feb 20, 2017

• #5

Hi Neil , funnily enough i had exactly the same experience about a week ago, and very welcome it was too! I thought, like Andy, that it's a kind of "practice" for the turned-up-to-11 version in March/April!

 

Andy Adcock

Worst person on Birdforum

• Feb 20, 2017

• #6

jogresh said:

Hi Neil , funnily enough i had exactly the same experience about a week ago, March/April!

Click to expand...

Me too a month ago in the UK


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