Chooo....ki..ti......chooo...ki...ti (1 Viewer)

[tarves57]

Yes, a very wierd song. It took me ages to actually see this bird, and it was quite a distance away, so the pics aren't very good. Once again, it's a warbler type. Any ideas?

Thanks
Susan

 

[pduxon]

I had a Warbler saying "ink---in" to the cadence "in out" like for rowing - no idea what it was the bird was in the sun and I couldn't get the sun behind me!!

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Hi Susan,

It looks to me like a Chiffchaff and from your description of the song it sounded like one, albeit a slight variation on the classic 'Chiff-chaff'. They sometimes add in the odd extra note.

 

[scampo]

Yes, a very wierd song. It took me ages to actually see this bird, and it was quite a distance away, so the pics aren't very good. Once again, it's a warbler type. Any ideas?

Thanks
Susan

I think that the photo is of a chiffchaff - and the song is quite distinctive: swi-swa / swi-swa / swi-swi-swi / swi-swa... ...

 

[mike coleman]

I love the variation of all the phyllosc songs we're getting here today! Who'd write a book, eh?

 

[pduxon]

what was my ink --- in bird !! it drove me nuts on the day!!

 

[tarves57]

Hi Susan,

It looks to me like a Chiffchaff and from your description of the song it sounded like one, albeit a slight variation on the classic 'Chiff-chaff'. They sometimes add in the odd extra note.

no, no, it was definitely choo..kity...choo..kity...constantly, I purposely listened very hard to this bird and tried to remember the sound. A bit like a train, but a different rhythm. It was very distinctive though.

Remember I have a Scottish accent!

 

[scampo]

Well... not to disagree but I think that birds cannot possibly make the sound "ch"...

A common whitethroat can make a sound something similar to what you describe, I think - but that's not the bird in your photo. Odd, eh!

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Hi Susan,

The picture certainly shows either a Chiffchaff or a Willow Warbler (and I'm fairly sure it's a Chiffchaff). I know it's difficult to describe the sounds a bird makes in words but your description of the song you've given would certainly fit with what I've heard some Chiffchaffs do. They often give a rather hesitant or stuttery version of the regular song with three or four notes in each 'phrase' rather than just two. Your description doesn't match with anything I've heard a Willow Warbler do (they give a fluid descending of the scale). Although it had a different rhythm to a regular Chiffchaff song, did it have the same sort of tone?

 

[Bluetail]

Chiffchaff for me too.

Steve: Given that the bird's name is onomatopoeic, there's no doubt people hear it as a "ch".

Jason

 

[tarves57]

Hi Susan,

Although it had a different rhythm to a regular Chiffchaff song, did it have the same sort of tone?

Not sure what you mean by tone, but it was a long chooooo or chew, then chee chee. It was quite fragmented, as you say, so probably was a Chiffchaff.

Wasn't there a link on Birdforum to a sound database at one point? Can't seem to find it now.

Thanks everyone!
Susan

 

[Bluetail]

Iberian Chiffchaff?

Jason

 

[alanhill]

It's quite amusing seeing how people translate a sound into the nearest written equivalent. I've never heard a Chiffchaff as "chiff .. chaff", but as "tu .. tutsie, tu ... tutsie ..", the rhythm of which seems very similar to your "choo ... ki .. ti". But most of my friends don't hear it that way at all.

Alan Hill

 

[Birdspotter]

Maybe it wasn't singing at all, perhaps the "chew" note described by Susan was an alarm type call ?

 

[scampo]

Chiffchaff for me too.

Steve: Given that the bird's name is onomatopoeic, there's no doubt people hear it as a "ch".

Jason

I take your point but I don't and I never have. It's been one of those things that have made me wonder since I was a youngster. My son, too, the other day was asking me why it is "chiff chaff" - especially close to the bird, there is no hint (to either of us) of a "ch" sound - and it's hardly surprising when you think of the complexity of making that sound.

What a lovely word, 'onomatopoeic' - I read somewhere that apparently less than 1% of the population can spell it correctly...

 

[scampo]

It's quite amusing seeing how people translate a sound into the nearest written equivalent. I've never heard a Chiffchaff as "chiff .. chaff", but as "tu .. tutsie, tu ... tutsie ..", the rhythm of which seems very similar to your "choo ... ki .. ti". But most of my friends don't hear it that way at all.

Alan Hill

I agree with you - it's always intrigued me how the name came about, although it is difficult to make a word that "looks" right in any other way. The cuckoo's call is the same, "hu-hoo", no "k" sound at all to me.

 

[jeff]

Maybe there was a cat about

 

[mike coleman]

But cats go meeeoooww!!!

 

[tarves57]

Maybe there was a cat about

About as funny as an Iberian Warbler.......
(Which incidentally I looked up....... (o)< )

Okay, this weekend, weather permitting, I am taking my P&S which records sound very clearly. I am not sure whether this will pick up the bird song (assuming it's still there).

Then you can all describe what you hear........

Susan