CASSIN'S FINCH WY-263
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
June 2, 7:14 a.m.
Sunrise at 5:41 a.m.
Some of the best things in life are all too brief. Here is a Cassin's finch singing quietly in the treetop, apparently courting a female, and he lets loose with a fascinating, continuous series of mimicked sounds.
What all do I hear? I hear . . .
1) an American robin call (tut, at 0:01 and again at 0:04, 0:05, and more)
2) the galloping chant of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet (0:02, 0:12)
3) the Klee-yer! call of a northern flicker (0:04, 0:12)
4) a dark-eyed junco song (perhaps; 0:06, also at 0:08)
5) a different American robin call (0:01, 0:07, and again at 0:09)
6) maybe calls of a red crossbill (0:11, 0:17),
but I'm sure there's more in there that I don't recognize.
What a surprise to hear all that he's capable of doing. You'd never guess based on his more common songs (WY-264) all that he has up his sleeve!
Background
The muted roar of geysers and the Firehole River in the Upper Basin at Yellowstone National Park.
Photo by Brian L. Sullivan
