• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Blackcap squealing (1 Viewer)

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by Blackcaps "squealing", but Blackcaps frequently utter a sort of nasal, slightly high pitched, call, which I think is a contact call for other Blackcaps (it basically means "I am here")... it is followed many times by the normal "tac" call. (is that what you mean?)
 

Thank you Xenospiza. Yes, that's what I meant.

I'm copying the relevant part from Bergman et al. 2008 (Die Stimmen der Vögel Europas. Aula), in German, about calls given by Blackcaps:

Bei Störungen ein wiederholtes kurzes, hartes "tak" oder "tek", das bei starker Erregung schnell und rhythmisch gereiht und z.T. mit gedehnten rauen "däh" oder "schräit"-Rufen untermischt wird. Schrill klingen hohe "psrii"-Rufe. Luftfeindruf ein leises, getragenes "jüh" oder "düh". Wird Vogel gegriffen, wiederholtes Kreischen. In Flugbereitschaft leise "dididi" oder "girrrrr"-Rufe. Daneben schnarrende Rufe wie "rarr" oder "tarrt".

According to the above (in bold), the "jüh" call is given as an alarm for an aerial danger (this is my interpretation, please correct me if I'm too far off).
They also mention a "girrrr" call given before flying away, which I can't really say I recall hearing (the sonogram presented there doesn't make it clearer to me).
 
Warning! This thread is more than 6 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top