Did we mention that the book club is free? This book group meets after the museum closes, so you’ll have time to commute after school. Academy staff just need to know to expect you, so you can be escorted to the meeting room from the business entrance off Middle Drive. To reserve a place, pick up a “ticket” on the online calendar or call 800-794-7576.

Here’s the line-up for the next few months. Purchase a used copy from Amazon, or place a hold on the book at the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL).

Topic: Evolution at the Academy

Evidence of Evolution by Susan Middleton and Mary Ellen Hannibal

Something special for our book club meeting this month! Join the authors for a group discussion of their new book about evolution which uses specimens from the Academy’s research collections to illustrate evolutionary development in plants and animals.

SFPL . Amazon

Topic: Science in the Late 18th Century

The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science by Richard Holmes

Join a dedicated group of readers for a discussion of this winner of the 2009 Royal Society Prize for Science Books. Come prepared with your thoughts about this book about scientists such as Joseph Banks, Humphrey Davy and William Herschel “who changed our understanding of the world forever.”

SFPL . Amazon

Topic: Medical Detectives in New Guinea

The Collectors of Lost Souls: Turning Kuru Scientists into Whitemen by Warwick Anderson

Join us for what promises to be a lively discussion about this compelling story of scientific research in the 20th century. Kuru, a rare brain disease affecting people in the central highlands of New Guinea came to the attention of scientists in the 1950’s who were puzzled by its origins. This led to the new field of medical investigation where the scientists learned from the natives and vice versa.

SFPL . Amazon

In between delivering workshops, we had the opportunity to attend presentations given by other organizations, teachers, and experts on a number of topics. It was fun to hear so many excited conversations about science, and to watch so many educators share ideas and inspiration. (And the balmy Palm Springs weather was a definite plus!)

While I was there I saw many interesting sessions and learned about some creative new programs. They all sounded great, but one in particular caught my attention as something to spread the word about:

The Inquiry-2-Insight project is a collaboration involving Stanford University in California and Goteburg University in Sweden. The project pairs a high school biology class in the United States with a class in Sweden for an educational experience focused on climate change. Students in the two countries interact through social networking tools while participating in collaborative investigations and activities. Goals of the project include giving students an international perspective on environmental issues and developing students’ critical thinking skills. While only the U.S. and Sweden are involved at this point, the project may expand to other countries in the future.

If this sounds to you like an exciting project, you may be interested to hear that they are currently seeking high school classes to partner with!

Explore the Inquiry-2-Insight website to learn more about their program, and click on the “Join Us” link (found under “Partners”) to get in touch with them.

The Inquiry-2-Insight website states that “education is a critical factor in dealing with climate change.” This is definitely a perspective that we agree with at the Academy. To complement our Altered State: Climate Change in California exhibit, we’ve developed these lesson plans and museum worksheets:

California’s Climate (Grades 3-5)

Climate Change Impacts (Grades 3-5)

Climate Change & Sea Level Rise (Grades 3-8)

Carbon Cycle Demonstration (Grades 3-8)

Carbon Cycle Demonstration (Grades 9-12)

Carbon Cycle Poster (Grades 9-12)

Climate Change Research (Grades 9-12)

Climate Change Scavenger Hunt (Grades 9-12)

In addition, our next BioForum event, to be held on Saturday, April 17, 2010, is focused specifically on Climate Change. The roster of speakers will be posted soon, along with their professional biographies and presentation titles. If you haven’t yet attended this seminar series for middle and high school teachers, check out the live video and downloadable powerpoints from past events (the Genomics BioForum files will be up by early December).

Although details for the Climate Change BioForum have yet to be announced, I notice that several dozen teachers have already signed up. The topic is certainly a hot one!

About this column>>

This story behind this post begins with Facebook. Sometimes, ironically, technology can help us stay in touch with the natural world. I’ve been so busy recently, that I’ve failed to notice some of my favorite sounds of fall. Fortunately, I connected with an old birdwatching friend on Facebook who posted the following comment: “White-crowned Sparrows are back….yeah! Now where are the Golden-crowned???” A few days later she announced that the Golden-crowned Sparrows had returned as well.

Adult Golden-crowned Sparrow. Photo credit: Linda Tanner, Los Osos, CA

That day, as I walked to work across Golden Gate Park, I noticed a whole cacophony of White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrow song, right across the street from the Academy: how had I missed them?!

I thought I’d share their sounds with you. Here is a portion of a recording I made of Golden-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia atricapilla) at the spot across from the Academy. Golden-crowned Sparrow song is characterized by a doleful, descending series of three whistles. This recording consists of at least two counter-singing males: notice that the second iteration of the song is weaker and more distant-sounding, and that it is higher-pitched than the first iteration. Note also that the last two song iterations on this recording consist of only one and two whistles each. Sometimes Golden-crowned Sparrow song is heard in such shortened versions.

[As a side note, the recording also includes the calls of other birds--most prominently a chickadee overlapping with the second Golden-crowned Sparrow song iteration.]

Golden-crowned Sparrows breed along western-most Canada and in much of Alaska. They spend the winter mostly along the Pacific coast from southwestern-most Canada to northern Baja California. While in California, their song can be heard most often when they first arrive in the fall, and when they gear up for their migration north (April and early May). However, they sing throughout the winter to some extent, so keep yourself primed to hear their moving song! In the winter, they can be found in a variety of brushy habitats, and are very common in local parks and even urban gardens.

Adult White-crowned Sparrow. Photo credit: Michael “Mike” L. Baird flicker.bairdphotos.com

White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) can be found in the same sorts of places as Golden-crowned Sparrows during the winter, and the timing of their migration and the frequency with which they sing during the winter are roughly similar to those of Golden-crowns as well. There is an additional complexity to the story of wintering White-crowns, however. In comparison to Golden-crowned Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows have a much broader geographic range–they breed throughout much of the western United States and Canada, and all the way east across northern Canada.

And in the Bay Area, three different subspecies can be found in the winter. (They can be told apart by subtle physical differences as well as differences in song.) White-crowned Sparrows of the subspecies gambeli, which arrive here from Alaska, are not very common. Birds of subspecies pugetensis, from the Pacific Northwest, are abundant. White-crowned Sparrows in the subspecies nuttalli, which breed locally in northern California, stay put, and in fact, can be heard year-round in appropriate habitat: foggy, brushy areas, such as seaside vegetation and coastal hills.

While volunteering a few years ago for Jay McEntee, a graduate student in U.C. Berkeley studying, among else, vocal evolution in birds, I learned that some of the historic populations of the locally breeding subspecies of White-crowned Sparrows have disappeared. The most widespread subspecies of White-crowned Sparrow around here during the winter is the Northwestern pugetensis, and it is the one most likely to be heard.

A typical song of a White-crowned Sparrow wintering in the Bay Area begins with a whistle on a single note followed by a second whistle or buzz on a higher note. What follows is variable: one or more additional whistles/buzzes? A trill (quick repetitions of the same note)? Repeated notes followed by a buzz or whistle? See if you can pick out the two White-crowned Sparrow songs in this recording made in the San Francisco Arboretum. Here is another recording of White-crowned Sparrows singing over the noise of a cheerful baseball game.

One of my greatest joys during the fall is in following the changes that occur in bird vocalizations. Different species move through the Bay Area or arrive here at different times, so there is almost continually something new to hear. As you proceed about your daily routine–going to school or returning home, walking about your neighborhood, taking your dog to the park, making a trip to the grocery store–if you remember, consider taking a few moments just to listen to the different sounds around you. Do you hear anything you haven’t heard in a while? Anything you haven’t heard before? Over the years that I’ve been birdwatching, I’ve come to associate particular bird sounds with different parts of the fall: beginning of the school-year, the onset of cold, the approach of Christmas. And this adds a great deal of color to my life.

So, it’s worth it to pay attention to what’s going on out in nature at this time of year. But if you don’t find enough time to do that, connect with someone on Facebook who does!

Immature Golden-crowned Sparrow. Photo credit: “black_throated_green_warbler” from Flickr

Immature White-crowned Sparrow. Photo credit: Jamie Chavez, Santa Barbara Co., CA

Previous posts:
June 27, 2009: Female vocalizations in birds
May 29, 2009: Which hummingbird did we spot?
May 1, 2009: Chicks of the season
April 22, 2009: California Towhee
April 24, 2009: Update on California Towhees
March 24, 2009: Mid-March Medley
February 26, 2009: Allen’s Hummingbird
January 28, 2009: Ruby-crowned Kinglet

The Education Division has partnered with Google Earth on several initiatives, and we encourage teachers to check out the wealth of ready-made educational maps produced for the classroom.
 
We’ve also made a few ourselves!

Check out these two lessons:

Google Earth Geology Field Trip (2-7)

What types of rocks are found in California? How were they formed, and how do people use them in everyday life? Fly from the coast to the Sierras and back, exploring the unique geology of the state!
 

 

Green Buildings Virtual Tour (3-8)

What are some characteristics that make a building “green”? Where do we find exemplary buildings, and how can we view their 3D structure using Google-developed graphics?
 

 
Steps to get things started:
 

1. Download Google Earth for FREE. Just click “Agree and Download.”
(The Google Chrome browser is optional — if you don’t want to try it out, just uncheck this box before your download.)
 
2. Go make a snack while the program installs. If you experience errors, Google has a wonderful Help section.
 
3. When you download the “Google Earth Tours” from our lessons plans (files with extension .kmz), they should launch automatically in Google Earth.
 
4. Familiarize yourself with the control panel at left, and the tools in the upper right which zoom in and out, adjust the angle of view, etc. The best way to learn how to use the software is to play around!

If you have a favorite resource that integrates Google Earth (or if you’ve produced you own), be sure to share it with us!

Check out these newly translated materials:

Chaperone Guide (K-12)
A great way to encourage adult involvement.
 
African Hall Scavenger Hunt: Eat or Be Eaten (3-8)
What are some traits shared by prey, and by their predators?
 
Is that a Fish? (K-2)
Does that animal have scales, gills, and fins?
 
African Hall Sketching (9-12)
Focus your attention on a particular diorama.
 
And here are some that have been around for a bit:
 
Coral Reef Habitat Match (K-2)
Do your animal live on the sandy bottom? Open water?
 
Coral Polyp Party (K-2)
An anatomy lesson, and edible to boot!
 
Colorful Coral Reef (3-5)
Fill out this color wheel to spot adaptations for survival.
 
If you are a fan of particular Academy-developed activities already existing in our Lesson Plan Database, and a Chinese translation would be perfect for your class, leave us a comment to let us know!

We are also thinking about producing Spanish versions…

      Cognitive: improving knowledge of the natural sciences,

      Affective: creating positive emotional ties to the environment, and

      Behavioral: inspiring actions to explore, explain, and protect the natural world.

Did I just throw our mission statement in there? Bonus points if you can spot it!

As such, we support students in discovering the outdoors. Why not make it interdisciplinary, integrating art with science? Then encourage your students to create works for the Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest!

Having inspired Canadian youth for almost a decade, the Get to Know contest has finally come to California. As of September 26, 2009, youth aged 18 or younger are invited to enter.
 
How does it work? Youth are encouraged to go outside to "get to know their wild neighbors, and then to share their experience with the world by creating an original work of art, photography, or writing" to enter in the contest. Outside can be one’s background, a neighborhood park, a hiking trail, or a local zoo, aquarium, or museum.
 
And with Forests as the theme for this year’s contest, students have endless options for exploration! Here are some links compiled by Nature in the City that might spark ideas for outdoor sites (but don’t forget the urban forest in your neighborhood, or that schoolyard garden!).

Assign a project this autumn, since all entries must be received by November 30, 2009.
 

2009 Art Winners . Official Rules
 

Where did you bring your students? How did you frame the assignment? Tell us by leaving a comment!

Well, over 2 million visitors have graced our halls since then, and we’re marking the occasion with a weekend-long celebration on September 26 and 27, 2009, presented by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).

Whether you’d like to bring your own family or encourage your students to attend, the event will be a great opportunity to engage with science, art, world culture, and the local community.

Here’s the line-up of the festivities!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2009

Hiyas Philippine Folk Dance Company 9:00 am

Meaning “jewel” or “gem,” Hiyas strives to present the treasure of Filipino folk dance in its most traditional form in an era where authentic steps and movements are modernized or forgotten. To begin the day’s festivities, the troupe will perform on the Academy’s front steps.

Chinese Lion Dancers 10:00 am

Lion dancing is an ancient Chinese tradition that brings good luck, prosperity, and happiness to its audiences. The dancers and their thundering musical accompaniment are believed to dispel evil spirits and ensure prosperity. On the Academy’s front steps, the White Crane Lion Dancers will thrill you with a rousing performance.

Big Cat Ambassadors 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 3:00 pm

Meet a mountain lion, cheetah, lynx, and caracal during this presentation by the Wild Cat Education and Conservation Fund. Learn about each animal’s native habitat and conservation status, and get answers to your questions about these charismatic ambassadors of the natural world.

African Drummers Noon

Join the Nigerian Masquerade Drummers and immerse yourself in the sounds of traditional African drumming. Performances will take place on a stage erected in the West Garden (to reach the garden, look for the T. Rex, Academy cafe, or ceiling-hung blue whale skeleton, and walk out the glass doors).

Parangal Dance Company 2:00 pm

Experience the colorful costumes and graceful choreography of Philippine folk dancing by San Francisco’s Parangal Dance Company. This performance will also take place on the West Garden stage (to reach the garden, look for the T. Rex, Academy cafe, or ceiling-hung blue whale skeleton, and walk out the glass doors).

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2009

Loco Blanco 11:00 am

The inter-generational performing ensemble Loco Bloco is an explosion of rhythm, movement, color and passion, combining African, Brazilian, Latin, Hip Hop and Funk beats. Meet the drummers on the Academy’s front steps as they share their passion for performing.

Chinese Fan Dancers Noon

The traditional Chinese fan dance is renowned for its beautiful and delicate poses. Join the Flying Angels Chinese Dance Company to experience this time-honored tradition. This performances will also take place on the West Garden stage.

Science Adventures 2:15 pm

Come explore the natural world through stories, experiments, games and crafts. For children in 1st through 4th grades, Science Adventures takes place in the Education Classroom on the 3rd floor, next to the Naturalist Center. Capacity is limited, so arrive on time!

Raptor Show 2:30 pm

What characteristics do raptors share? What do they eat, and where do they live? What birds of prey might be found at The Bird Rescue Center, and which do we have here at the Academy? Come out to the stage in the West Garden for this presentation with live animals.

African Drummers 1:15 pm and 3:00 pm

Join the Nigerian Masquerade Drummers and immerse yourself in the sounds of traditional African drumming. Performances will take place on a stage erected in the West Garden (to reach the garden, look for the T. Rex, Academy cafe, or ceiling-hung blue whale skeleton, and walk out the glass doors).

SATURDAY & SUNDAY

Planetarium Show Debut: Journey to the Stars Shows every 45 minutes, starting at 10:00 am

Travel through time and space to experience the dramatic lives and deaths of stars. Witness brilliant supernova explosions, dive into the heart of the fiery Sun, and watch it transform into a red giant five billion years in the future. Discover the deep-rooted connection between humanity and the stars in our new Planetarium show.

Amateur Astronomers 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Who says you can’t study stars in the daytime? I know of a particularly prominent star often seen above the horizon. Join the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers on the Academy’s living roof, and take a closer look at our Sun through a solar telescope.

Science and Sustainability Tent 9:30 am – 5:00 pm

Join Academy naturalists and partner organizations for a variety of hands-on science demonstrations and sustainability tips.

Inside the tent in our East Garden, you’ll meet majestic birds of prey from The Bird Rescue Center in Santa Rosa, including hawks, falcons and owls. Learn about the habitat and adaptations of these amazing animals, and find out what you can do to help support them in the wild.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) will also be on hand with energy-saving tips.”Pacific Gas and Electric Company congratulates the California Academy of Sciences for its amazing first year,” says Nancy McFadden, senior vice president of public affairs for PG&E. “We are proud to partner with the Academy on our shared commitment to a sustainable future.”

Penguin Feeding 10:30 am and 3:30 pm

Did you know that 17 species of penguins exist on the globe, and most do not inhabit Antarctica? Where are our penguins from? Meet Pierre, Ocio, and the rest of the African penguin colony. Aquarium biologists field visitor questions as they feed and care for the birds.

Coral Reef Dive 11:30 am and 2:30 pm

Meet a diver who descends into the exhibit to introduce you to the world’s deepest living coral reef tank, and get answers to your questions about the most diverse aquatic ecosystem on the planet. Bring along a Coral Reef Color Wheel, or try your hand at some Fish Family Identification.

Swamp Talk 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 3:00 pm

Learn about some of the Academy’s most popular animals. You’ll find out what it takes to care for the albino alligator and the alligator snapping turtles, which are native to swamps in the southeastern United States. By the way, how did we get the turtles into the exhibit? Check out this video from last August!

Explore the Living Roof 10:30 am and 3:30 pm

Join Academy naturalists to learn about the plants on the Living Roof, as well as the diversity of birds and insects they attract. How do pollination and dispersal play key roles in shaping this natural landscape? Meet in the Naturalist Center on the 3rd floor.

ADMISSION DISCOUNT Don’t forget to walk, bike, or take public transit — you’ll save $3 off the price of general admission. For those of you that prefer to drive, consider parking for free on the Great Highway and taking the Golden Gate Park Shuttle Service, which is $2 for an all-day pass.

Questions or comments are always welcome!
Official Site>>

Hands-on Workshops on Teaching Astronomy!
Workshop website>>

Join ASP for two days of information, classroom activities, and teaching resources, exploring new ideas and techniques for teaching astronomy, space science, and earth science during the International Year of Astronomy and the Year of Science.

Sessions are appropriate for both formal and informal educators. Participants have their choice of exciting workshops which feature classroom-ready hands-on science activities, and may attend one day (Saturday or Sunday) or both.

The Basics

• When: Saturday, Sept. 12 and Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009. 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
• Where: Westin SFO Hotel, Millbrae, California (near the San Francisco Airport)
• Why: Part of ASP’s Annual Meeting (the 120th Anniversary!)
• Cost: Only $39.95 per day ($78.90 for the weekend)
• Course Credit: 1 semester unit of academic credit available through SFSU*

*This optional credit is available for K-12 teachers who attend both days, write a short paper, and pay a $100 fee to San Francisco State University.

Selected Workshop Topics

the Moon and upcoming lunar science missions the Sun and its relationship with our own planet astrobiology and the search for life understanding the universe through Hubble and other NASA missions mastering the use of a small telescope, just like Galileo (free to participants!) …and many more!

The Andromeda galaxy, as viewed through the Hubble telescope. An observatory floating in space, this telescope is an ideal instrument for photographing the universe, as the clouds and light pollution in our own atmosphere don’t obstruct its view!

A workshop for college astronomy instructors will provide techniques for engaging students effectively, and workshops focusing on informal science education provide experience with interactive activities and storytelling as a means of communicating science.

Non-technical Talks

Sunday afternoon, all workshop participants will join to hear a series of non-technical talks on the search for extra-terrestrial life, with speakers including:

• Dr. Frank Drake, the father of SETI
• Seth Shostak, award-winning science popularizer
• Margaret Race, the planetary protection scientist
• and Douglas Caldwell, instrument scientist for the Kepler Mission

Details and Registration

For more information, including specific workshop descriptions, the roster of instructors, and registration forms, visit the 2009 Annual Meeting Workshop website. (Insider tip: If you’re just planning to attend the weekend workshops and not the entire meeting, use the “Weekend Workshops Only” registration form.)

For additional information, don’t hesitate to contact staff from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific at 2009meeting@astrosociety.org.

And better yet, the team uploads their videos for free streaming! High school teachers will be particularly interested in Science in Action content.

Let’s highlight the video from July 17th, which addresses the artificial selection of dog breeds. Not only can this short clip serve as an extension to our “Artificial Selection: Dog Breeds” lesson in the Evolution Kit, but it also introduces you to Brian Simison, the Director and Curator of the Center of Comparative Genomics here at the Academy, who will act as moderator for the upcoming BioForum event on October 3rd.

Bookmark the Science in Action blog to remind yourself to check for new additions!

Some recent videos, none more than 3 minutes in length:

• Jupiter’s New Spot
  This is Citizen Science, folks!
• Shrinking Sheep
  Looking for some recent research providing evidence for climate change?
• Facial Expressions: Learned or Innate?
  How might a scientist use human research subjects, without biasing results?

Do you have a favorite online source of streamable science videos?

I received another comment to which I’d like to reply publicly:

This comment brings up a few very important issues, and I must admit that I’ve been quite neglectful. I’ve just returned from a week-long workshop on recording of natural sounds—birds in particular—and one message we received is that, while most people who record bird sounds like to focus on the most palatable ones—namely male song—there is a real need to document other vocalizations, among them call notes uttered under various circumstances, the vocalizations of young, and, of course, the vocalizations of females.

I’ve neglected female vocalizations, and, indeed, even female images, partly because I’ve aimed to keep my blog as simple as possible, and as accessible as possible, and the fact of the matter is that, often, the most easily visible and audible birds are males.

But there is no longer an excuse! I will therefore do my best to address the issues that I perceive in Gay Bishop’s comment.

First, female-specific vocalizations. In some birds, there are vocalizations that are specific to males, and others that are specific to females. This is true for several local species in the blackbird family (Icteridae). For example, when a male Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) sings to a female, she often answers with a trill, or “chatter” call. An example of a male song can be found here. Males have several types of song—this is only one. Some more examples of song, as well as an example of the female chatter call, are posted here.

Male and female Brown-headed cowbirds. The female is on the right. Photo credit: Tom Talbott, Seattle, WA

Male and female Red-winged Blackbirds. The female is below the male Photo credit: Jeff McCrory, Tacoma, WA

Male and female Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius pheoniceus, also in the blackbird family) form separate flocks in the winter, and I’ve noticed that their flight vocalizations are distinctly different. Unfortunately, I cannot find a recording of flying flocks of blackbirds. However, I did come across this page from a blog by Paul Driver, with examples of other Red-winged Blackbird calls unique to males and females. Paul Driver’s blog is incredible for documenting so many different kinds of vocalizations of so many species. The blog focuses on birds from the eastern United States, but many of the species occur here in the Bay Area as well.

Red-winged Blackbirds are common breeders in marshy areas. Flying flocks can be encountered in the winter in various places, such as Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont, where you might be able to see the birds close enough to tell whether they are male or female. A more impressive sight is the seemingly endless stream of giant flocks of blackbirds one sees in the winter in the Sacramento Valley.

Flock of blackbirds. Photo credit: Mike Baird, Morro Bay, CA

Another bird with male and female specific calls is the Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis). This bird is very common in the Bay Area, and is often easy to find even during nesting. When you (unknowingly) approach a nest, the male may begin sounding deep “tup” calls. (A couple of examples of this call can be found on this page. Scroll down to the track labeled “Alarm call and other call notes.”) If you approach even closer, the female will appear and begin sounding sharper “tick” calls. (Unfortunately, I have not been able to locate a recording of this call.) The Dark-eyed Juncos’ local breeding season is quite long, beginning early in the spring and lasting well into summer, so you may still have a chance to observe these vocalizations firsthand. If you notice a male Junco tupping, approach it and see what happens.

Female Dark-eyed Junco. Photo credit: Jamie Chavez, California Male Dark-eyed Junco. Photo credit: Nathan Hamm, Roseburg, OR

Bishop asked specifically about female song. In some species, females do indeed sing. In Black-headed Grosbeaks (Pheucticus melanocephalus), females sing a song similar to, but not quite exactly like, that of the males. They can however sing the male version of the song. I learned from Dr. Alan Kaplan, former naturalist at Tilden Regional Park in the East Bay, that females will sometimes take advantage of this ability when sharing incubation duty with males. If a male has been out foraging a bit too long for the female’s taste, she will sing a male song. He, interpreting her song as that of an intruding male, will rush to the nest, at which point she will relinquish her post to leave him to incubate the eggs for a while.

Female Black-headed Grosbeak. Photo credit: Maggie Smith, San Luis Obispo County, CA

While I have never knowingly heard female Black-headed Grosbeak song, as opposed to male, here is an example of the song of this species. Black-headed Grosbeaks are native to the Bay Area. However, I recorded this particular bird during my sound-recording class in the Sierra Nevada. I never saw this individual, and do not know whether it was male or female.

Male Black-headed Grosbeak. Photo credit: Steve Ryan, Groveland, CA

Wrentit with morsel in its bill. Female and male wrentits look alike. Photo credit: Larry Tunstall, Brookrails, CA

Another species where both males and females sing is the Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata), a unique denizen of thick chaparral restricted to coastal California, Oregon, and Baja California, and the western Sierra Nevada foothills. In Wrentits, both male and female song consists of an accelerating series of “yips,” reminiscent of the pattern of sound of a ball bouncing on a table. The male version of the song (a recording of which can be found here) accelerates to a trill, whereas the female version does not speed up as much. (An example of a song that does not speed up quite enough to end in a trill can be found on this page—I don’t know whether it accelerates little enough to qualify as female song.)

Finally, Bishop asked whether there is a resource that lists which native species’ females sing. I did not find such a resource! As may be evidenced by my blog entry, even recordings of female vocalizations are (surprisingly) difficult to find!

Some simple google searches, however, for ‘female vocalization in birds’ or ‘female bird song’ and similar terms, retrieved some very interesting information, and I managed to track down quite a few studies on the subject. I discuss just a handful of them briefly below.

First of all, it should be noted that female birds can often be induced to sing male song via implantation of testosterone, and this practice has been used by researchers to study the acquisition of song.

Naturally occurring female song is another story.

Perhaps the most provocative study I came across was a collaboration between researchers in Belgium and France (L. Z. Garamszegi et al., 2006, published in the journal Behavioral Ecology), who searched the literature for mention of female song in European songbirds, and used statistical and phylogenetic methods to ask whether the ability of females to sing is ancestral—in other words, whether it is the rule rather than the exception. Despite a dearth of available data, they still managed to show that female song is the norm in two families, and they suggested that, with more information, it may turn out to be the norm for all European songbirds.

Many families of songbirds are common to Europe and North America, and so, what is found to be true of European songbirds is likely to be true of our songbirds as well.

In fact, female song may be ancestral to all songbirds. Songbirds are thought to have originated in Australia, and female song, apparently, has been commonly noted in Australian songbirds!

Garamszegi and his colleagues mention several possible explanations for the existence of female song, and these are identical to explanations that have been pursued for male song: attraction of mates, fending off of competitors—two hypotheses that I have mentioned in a previous column—and several that I haven’t, including coordination of breeding activities, and maintenance of contact with mates.

A study by researchers from the University of Cambridge (N. E. Langmor and N. B. Davies, 1997, published in the journal Animal Behavior) has provided direct evidence that female song may evolve for the purpose of competing for mates. The study focused on Dunnocks (Prunella modularis, a European bird). The researchers experimentally removed males from the study area to increase competition for mates between females. Females use a “trill” call to induce their mate to approach them. When two females were in direct competition for a single male, they increased their trill rates. Also, some of the females who shared males produced complex “songs,” which summoned their mates, but females who had a male all to themselves did not produce these songs!

For me, this study raises an interesting question: What is female song? If we remain male-biased, we may fail to recognize a female vocalization as “song” if it does not match a male “song.”

And this, of course, harks back to the question of what “song” is, and how it is distinguished from a “call,” which, as I have also discussed before, is quite a murky question. “Song” seems to imply a complex, or a palatable vocalization. However, for the purpose of a rigorous definition of “song,” the function of the vocalization has often been invoked. If a female utters a relatively simple and (to us) unpalatable vocalization in order to attract a mate, is it song?

As you probably see, bird song in general is a complex issue, and female song not well enough studied. I have provided a few examples of female-specific vocalizations, a few of female-song, and a few of research on female song. However, I have failed to find any central resource on female song. If you come across such a resource, please leave a comment, and let us all know!

Vocalizing female Red-winged Blackbird. Photo credit: Julie Falk, Southern Michigan