Listening to a Continent Sing

An American wigeon swims upstream, calling six times, a three-parted, airy whistle, wee WHEE whew, the first wee note barely audible over the river noise. He's accompanied by the harsh quacks of what may be a female wigeon. Just before the male's last wee WHEE whew, a Clark's nutcracker sounds off (0:23), and two nutcrackers are heard again after 0:45. The quacking duck occurs again at 0:56-1:11.

Background

Northern waterthrush, American Robin, yellow warbler, ruby-crowned kinglet, Clark's nutcracker, western wood-pewee, and the hissy flow of water in the North Fork of the Big Hole River.

Photo by John Van de Graaff