Weird Robin - Muenster, Germany (1 Viewer)

[BikeandBird]

While around in the city I heard a unknown bird song and up in the tree I only saw a bird that I identified as an European Robin. However I never heard a robin like this. I came back with binoclars and camera shortly after but could not find the bird anymore. Has anyone of you ever heard a robin like this. The only other similar looking bird would be Red-breasted Flycatcher which would be out of range and out of time (?) + it does not sound like one to me either...

Thanks in advance,
Leo

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Leo,

interesting song. Its no RB-Flycatcher and I have never heard an European Robin sing like that. Are you sure, that it was actually the Robin, that made this sounds? I am puzzled, it has some quality of a Great Tit, but it isnt one for me.
It has a far resemblance to a Common Redstart, I have heard birds, that gave more melodious songs than normal. But this also seems not the right answer for me, as this would be in another dimension for a "melodious Common Redstart" to me. It is also not an aberrant Willow Warbler to me.

I am totally puzzled, I must admit. I hope for others to jump in! And if you actually saw, that this song came from an European Robin, I learned something new today. Thanks for sharing!

 

[BikeandBird]

Hello Alexander,
thanks for your input.
I saw a robin that looked like it was singing but did not hear a "normal" robin. I found the bird back in darkness but messed up a proper recording. Could not see much unfortunately but shape resembled a Robin more than it did a Common Redstart or a Willow Warbler

Would of course be nice to hear more opinions

 

[Butty]

To clarify, I think you are saying that you did not definitely see a robin making the sound you recorded?
I can only follow Alex in saying that this is not a robin song I've ever heard - and in fact I would say it is not one. The timbre of the notes has some similarity to robin but the structure is entirely wrong: this bird gives the same short phrase 3 times, and robin never does this.

 

[dwatsonbirder]

It sounds a little like Collared flycatcher to me:

XC558974 Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis)

www.xeno-canto.org

XC475105 Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis)

www.xeno-canto.org

XC376323 Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis)

www.xeno-canto.org

There has been a small influx of these birds into northern and western Europe (none in the UK yet though...)

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Interesting Daniel. Might well be, but I have heard some of them before, and a Collared Flycather doesnt come into my mind here, as I remembered them to be different to this bird here. Maybe its time for me to learn about variation in Collared Flycatcher song?

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Interesting Daniel. Might well be, but I have heard some of them before, and a Collared Flycather doesnt come into my mind here, as I remembered them to be different to this bird here. Maybe its time for me to learn about variation in Collared Flycatcher song?

I can't hear the higher frequencies in the OP song that seem to be part of Collared flycatcher song, though I am unsure of the plasticity of their song - it has been a few years since I heard one. It certainly has a Muscicapidae tone to it though...

 

[BikeandBird]

To clarify, I think you are saying that you did not definitely see a robin making the sound you recorded?
I can only follow Alex in saying that this is not a robin song I've ever heard - and in fact I would say it is not one. The timbre of the notes has some similarity to robin but the structure is entirely wrong: this bird gives the same short phrase 3 times, and robin never does this.

As I had no binoculars with me and the robin I saw was 5m above me in a tree I am not 100% sure. The sound was coming out of the tree though and I could not see any other bird there. Maybe I can find the bird again today

 

[lou salomon]

that's definitley no collared flycatcher. but i could live with a very weird singing robin. i have heard quite some weirdos over the years, some taking short imitation phrases into their songs. and in this recordng i can hear some of the very high pitched and short tones a robin usually has within its normal song (at the beginning of the phrases).

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Thank you Lou!
Although I have heard uncountable Robins, I cant remember such a weird song in this species before.

 

[lou salomon]

i'm far from sure it is one, alexander. it sounds somewhat exotic. but i know robins can get out very strange songs (and heard quite some weird ones too).

 

[sicklebill]

I also think it likely to be an odd Robin song variant,something about the phrasing and tones seems to fit despite the odd structure

 

[Hannu Varkki]

A very odd song indeed. The beginning of the phrase with a high streched note is somewhat resembling Robin, and I think Robin is the most probable solution. However the consistent repetition of the phrases doesn´t sound like Robin at all. It remains a mystery... I found only one aberrant song of Robin from XC.

XC370686 European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

both robins are singing, one bird with normal song, and the other one is answering but with aberrant song

www.xeno-canto.org