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UK - Wales, Night-time bird call Id Please (1 Viewer)

F

Fountain

Well-known member
Hi,

Upland wales, above 1000'

For the last few years I've thought this call is a Woodcock roding. I took a video last night and whilst the screen is black the sound is OK ( but only from a compact camera) .

I am beginning to doubt this as you will hear in the unedited video how often it makes the noise... am I going mad?

Many thanks for anybody who can help - & takes the time too.

Youtube

Andy
 
Sorry, yes, its the other sound I was after I'd'ing , not the Tawny's. Snipe are a possibility, thanks... very similar to the recording on birdguides too.
 
Tree Sparrow said:
I think it's a tawny owl "warbling".

Have a look at this site

http://www.godsownclay.com/TawnyOwls/Calls/tawnyowlcalls1.html

and listen to the call that is called warble (male & female).

TS
Click to expand...

Interesting :t: - there were around a dozen tawnies around at the time. It is similar, particularly the first recording , however, the birdguides recording of a snipe is very similar too.

I have heard it for the past few months and do so every winter.

Another ob is that if I were to step outside the noise stops unlike the tawnies normal calls which don't... they are quite happy being 20 m away and still call.... whereas this caller flees or goes silent.
 
I think it is a Tawny owl too. It doesn't sound mechanical enough for a drumming snipe. Also it seems a little early for snipe drumming?
 
Yes, all Tawny Owl calls here: the "warbling" is, I believe, an "extreme threat" call, used by males in the close presence of other males.
 
A big thanks Capercaillie, Harry & Dave.
Fascinating in that case. I notice that the reason why the tawnies make this call is not well researched. So I'll just add to the points I've made above.
The Owls are numerous hereabouts at this time of year & on dry , still nights seem to congregate in an area of just a few acres around the house. The warbling has been going on since the start of the new year & is a commonly made noise. Like the night I made the recording there was no immediate danger in the vicinity just a lot of owls, probably more than a dozen. As can be heard in the recording the warbling was as regular as the other calls so it might be down to a territorial dispute or a way of attracting a mate.

I shall make a note of the nights it occurs which should also show when it stops as spring progresses.

Cheers
Andy
 
davercox said:
Yes, all Tawny Owl calls here: the "warbling" is, I believe, an "extreme threat" call, used by males in the close presence of other males.
Click to expand...

Just noticed that Tree Sparrow's post included a link to Romilly's site, which is the best I've come across for info on Tawny calls. If Romilly says this call is also made by females then I won't argue.
 
davercox said:
Yes, all Tawny Owl calls here: the "warbling" is, I believe, an "extreme threat" call, used by males in the close presence of other males.
Click to expand...

Well, I doubt that the warbling sound is necessarily due to extreme threat from other tawnys. The situation where I have heard this call is from an individual far away from any other tawnys (at least 20km, maybe even 50km) - not really crowded. I think this is just merely a part of the repertoire of (male?) tawnys. They may be excited in some ways - really trying to attract a (non existing) female or "robbing" one from other males.

Similar warbilinggy owl "songs" exist also in Ural Owl and Eagle Owl and of course Tengmalms and Hawk Owl, all at their own specific speed and tone.

Regards
Harry
 
Just wanted to say thank for solving my mystery, I've just heard the same warbling sound in the woods outside the house, along with the same tawny owl calls. I too am in South Wales. I couldn't find any information on any bird sites about the warbling.
 
VelvetLavaLamp said:
Just wanted to say thank for solving my mystery, I've just heard the same warbling sound in the woods outside the house, along with the same tawny owl calls. I too am in South Wales. I couldn't find any information on any bird sites about the warbling.
Click to expand...
Since the time of the OP there are quite more resources available: check the very good "The Sound Approach" web for Tawny Owl under "pulsed hooting" (same as "warbling" sounds above) Tawny Owl-The Sound Approach
 
Whoever set the (I hope limited) fashion for calling this call 'warbling' should be shot (if their first language is English and they have even the vaguest knowledge of how this word is normally applied to bird sounds). It's the call that the Collins app calls 'alt[ernative] song'.
 

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