RECORDING 1
DATE/TIME: 05/january/2003 (early morning) - IDENTIFICATION AND BEHAVIOUR: the bird is hidden into a thick bush, in an oak wood (Quercus pubescens, Quercus cerris) - POSITION: Poderone near Magliano in Toscana, LAT. N. 42°36' /LONG. E 11°16' - ALTITUDE: +130 m. - VOCALIZATION TYPE: alarm call - SEX/AGE: unknown - COMMENT: this call is easily heard when approaching the bird - MIC: (U)
recording 1 (141 KB) - * - spectrogram 1 (24 KB)
RECORDING 2
DATE/TIME: 05/january/2004 (5 p.m.) - IDENTIFICATION AND BEHAVIOUR: the bird is hidden into a thick and low bush placed between an oak wood and some cultivated fields - POSITION: Poderone near Magliano in Toscana, LAT. N. 42°36' /LONG. E 11°16' - ALTITUDE: +120 m. - VOCALIZATION TYPE: same call as above from a different bird - SEX/AGE: unknown - COMMENT: there are two spectrograms representing the same call, but with a different time scale - MIC: (U)
recording 2 (156 KB) - * - spectrogram 2 (40 KB)
RECORDING 3
DATE/TIME: 14/july/2003 (8 p.m.) - IDENTIFICATION AND BEHAVIOUR: the bird is hidden into a thick and low bush placed between an oak wood and some cultivated fields - POSITION: Poderone near Magliano in Toscana, LAT. N. 42°36' /LONG. E 11°16' - ALTITUDE: +120 m. - VOCALIZATION TYPE: full song - SEX/AGE: adult male - COMMENT: the audio sample and spectrograms reproduce two phrases of a long song bout. Both phrases (a long and a short one) end with loud fluting notes. - MIC: (U)
recording 3 (451 KB) - * - spectrogram 3 (60 KB)
RECORDING 4
DATE/TIME: 5/july/2008 (7 a.m.) - IDENTIFICATION AND BEHAVIOUR: the bird is perched in a thick bush on the banks of Perotto lake - POSITION: Perotto Lake (an artificial reservoir with a barrage), LAT.N 42°37'/LONG.E 11°15' - ALTITUDE: +70 m. - VOCALIZATION TYPE: subsong and full song with mimicry - SEX/AGE: adult male - COMMENT: From 0 to 15" subsong with mimicry of Blackbird calls, from 15" to 33" subsong, from 33" to the end full song with mimicry of Blackbird song (beginning at 40"). - MIC: (P)
recording 4 (1.17 MB) - * - spectrogram 4
RECORDING 5
DATE/TIME: 5/july/2008 (7 a.m.) - IDENTIFICATION AND BEHAVIOUR: same place as above. The same bird is singing - POSITION: Perotto Lake (an artificial reservoir with a barrage), LAT.N 42°37'/LONG.E 11°15' - ALTITUDE: +70 m. - VOCALIZATION TYPE: full song with mimicry - SEX/AGE: adult male - COMMENT: Three song phrases are very typical as Blackcap song. The fourth phrase begins with a mimicry of Blackbird song and ends with a typical Blackcap song! Background: Great crested greebe and Magpie calls. Enjoy the beauty of the song of this small bird! - MIC: (P)
recording 5 (1.43 MB) - * - spectrogram 5 (250 KB)
RECORDING 6
DATE/TIME: 30/march/2008 (6 a.m.) - IDENTIFICATION AND BEHAVIOUR: In a hilly zone with a thick maquis there are some blackcaps singing and calling. - POSITION: Montenero near Montorsaio village, LAT.N 42°54'/LONG.E 11°10' - ALTITUDE: +550 m. - VOCALIZATION TYPE: alarm call against aerial predator - SEX/AGE: unknown - COMMENT: The alarm (plaintive call) was triggered by a flying hawk, probably a Sparrowhawk. Background: Blue tit and Blackcap song. - MIC: (P)
recording 6 (304 KB) - * - spectrogram 6 (36 KB)
RECORDING 7
DATE/TIME: 20/july/2010 (8 a.m.) - IDENTIFICATION AND BEHAVIOUR: Near a small road there is a dense maquis with evergreen bushes and holm oaks. The bird - not in sight - is hidden in the maquis. - POSITION: Cala Moresca, Argentario, LAT.N 42°25'/LONG.E 11°6' - ALTITUDE: +200 m. - VOCALIZATION TYPE: full song - SEX/AGE: adult male - COMMENT: The first two song phrases contain a typical example of the so called "leiern" song (see spectrograms). "Leiern" songs can be composed by repetition of 1 or 2 or 3 syllables. Leiern is not a typical Italian dialect. It was first discovered by german ornithologist (e.g. Bergmann) in the past century and seems to be quite widespread in Western Europe (in mountains, islands and peninsulas). None knows the origin and significance of this particular vocalization. Background: Magpie call and Blackcap song. - MIC: (P)
recording 7 (1436 KB) - * - spectrogram 7 (136 KB)
RECORDING 8
DATE/TIME: 20/april/2011 (5 p.m.) - IDENTIFICATION AND BEHAVIOUR: Near a small road there is a dense maquis with evergreen bushes and holm oaks. The bird - not in sight - is hidden in the maquis. - POSITION: Cala Moresca, Argentario, LAT.N 42°25'/LONG.E 11°6' - ALTITUDE: +200 m. - VOCALIZATION TYPE: full song - SEX/AGE: adult male - COMMENT: Another example of "leiern" song. Note that the leiern syllables have the same morphology of those in the previous recording (see spectrograms). Given that the bird was found in the same place as for Recording 7, it is very likely that I have recorded tha same bird, which utters exactly the same syllables after nine months in the new reproductive season. - MIC: (P)
recording 8 (699 KB) - * - spectrogram 8 (60 KB)
RECORDING 9
DATE/TIME: 28/april/2012 (7 a.m.) - IDENTIFICATION AND BEHAVIOUR: Near a road there is a tree line with bushes. The bird - not in sight - is hidden in a bush. - POSITION: Podere Corso near Montiano, LAT.N 42°40'/LONG.E 11°15' - ALTITUDE: +240 m. - VOCALIZATION TYPE: full song - SEX/AGE: adult male - COMMENT: An example of a typical song phrase, with three distinct parts: a soft beginning, a louder warbling and a final fluted part (see spectrogram). Background: Nightingale and Italian Sparrow. - MIC: (P)
recording 9 (154 KB) - * - spectrogram 9 (31 KB)
RECORDING 10
DATE/TIME: 6/april/2003 (1 p.m.) - IDENTIFICATION AND BEHAVIOUR: The bird - not in sight - is hidden in a bush of a deciduous forest. - POSITION: Poderone near Magliano in Toscana, LAT. N. 42°36' /LONG. E 11°16' - ALTITUDE: +130 m. - VOCALIZATION TYPE: subsong and some hints of fluted song - SEX/AGE: unknown - COMMENT: The bird utters some long subsong phrases and in two cases ends with a fluted song (see spectrogram). - MIC: (U)
recording 10 (888 KB) - * - spectrogram 10 (168 KB)
RECORDING 11
DATE/TIME: 30/march/2014 (4.30 p.m.) - IDENTIFICATION AND BEHAVIOUR: The bird - not in sight - is hidden in a bush near the border of a deciduous forest. In the same bush there are at least another Blackcap and one Robin. - POSITION: Fonte Giannella, Roccalbegna, LAT. N. 42°49' /LONG. E 11°29' - ALTITUDE: +1000 m. - VOCALIZATION TYPE: alarm call and an unusual nasal call - SEX/AGE: unknown - COMMENT: The typical "tack" calls are combined with an unusual nasal call. Background: Robin, Blackcap and Blackbird. - MIC: (P)
recording 11 (669 KB) - * - spectrogram 11 (161 KB)