Trying to ID a Particular Bird Call (1 Viewer)

[hoosierquilt]

I keep hearing this bird's song out of the field behind my house. I'm in N. San Diego county, in the hills about 6 miles from the ocean, in a rather rural area. I think maybe? it's one of our warblers, but not sure. I've attached a short recording. Hope you all can hear it clearly enough. Thanks for any help, this has been just driving me nuts, not being able to ID this bird by it's call. I'm hearing it mostly starting at miid-morning, throughout the day, but mostly mid-morning, then early evening.

Patty

 

[pbjosh]

I've not lived in Socal for 5+ years so apologies in advance if someone else corrects me but sure sounds like Wrentit...

 

[hoosierquilt]

I've not lived in Socal for 5+ years so apologies in advance if someone else corrects me but sure sounds like Wrentit...

Sure does, thank you! I will be on the watch for them. They are kind of plain brown birds, but that wren tail flick thing going on. I have a LOT of Bewick's Wrens in my yard, and bet I thought that was what I was seeing. Bewick's smaller, fatter, and shorter tails. Thanks so much, I will be on the watch for these. Wrens like my area, must be a good habitat for them. Thank you!!

 

[pbjosh]

No worries. Heads up though - Wrentits are not wrens, but rather are the sole new world representative, apparently, of a group of old world birds called Babblers. Wrentit is definitely an odd one, the only Babbler in the new world, and a case where convergent evolution has resulted in what is basically, ecologically, a wren, but coming from a quite different branch of the big genetic tree of bird families... at least as far as is currently understood!

 

[hoosierquilt]

Yup, just read that in my awesome bird app: the only New World bird in an Old World group. Very cool. My app also mentioned these birds are more often heard than seen, as they tend to stay in the bushes in cover. So now determined to catch a glimpse! Here is a nice little YouTube video of one right here in San Diego county:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W88DrEpo0So