Songs and calls of the Tiger Shrike
Posted by BESG on 12 December 09, Saturday
Contributed by Lena Chow
Lena Chow was at Singapore’s Hindhede Park on the evening of 9th December 2009 when she heard a constant soft song from amongst the low branches. She looked about for a minute or so and saw a juvenile Tiger Shrike (Lanius tigrinus) singing a quiet song to itself on a low perch. It wasn’t too bothered by her presence and continued singing when she left five minutes later.
The soft song was apparently a seldom-heard musical warbling, often made from within cover. Or could it be the subdued subsong of a courting male - although it was rather the wrong season for this? The song could only be heard if one is just within 5 metres of the tree.
The tiger Shrike has a variety of harsh calls including a loud, repeated territorial call, a chattering alarm call and a softer trilling call. These are often made from within cover but territorial males call from a prominent perch. Alarm calls can often be heard 10-20 metres away.
The scolding chatter of the Tiger Shrike can be heard HERE.
According to Yosef (2008), “the song of most Lanius is relatively rarely uttered and is not far-carrying, although territorial calls are important.” The vocalisation of a male becomes territorial defence once he has bonded with a female.
So far, local birdwatchers have ignored calls and songs except basic recordings. It is time to start giving vocalisation the attention it deserves. Concludes Lena, “..looks like birders now need to carry a recorder, in addition to a camera and bino…”
Reference:
Yosef, R., 2008. Family Laniidae (Shrikes). In: del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott & D. A. Christie (eds.), Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 13. Penduline-tits to Shrikes. Lynx Editions, Barcelona. Pp. 732-796.
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Categories: Vocalisation
Comment by Amar
Made Monday, 14 of December , 2009 at 1:12 pm
Appreciate this posting.
Have occasionally heard the softer “warbling’ of the Tiger Shrike in our garden. Often hard to spot the bird when doing this (often extended) singing as it is in a dense tree. Was confused in the past as to who it was until I saw the bird
actually making the call.
My wife used to call these the “reformed” shrikes as they sound so polite & sweet.
Comment by Margie Hall
Made Monday, 14 of December , 2009 at 4:47 pm
Yes, I have noted a Brown Shrike singing very quietly and for long durations, day after day, at my garden in Pasir Pangjang (Singapore) sometime in the late 1980s, and again here at King’s Avenue (Singapore) a few years back. I believe I discussed this in one of the egroups, but not sure which one. I found that many people seem to think that there is always a “survival” explanation (what I call crass-evolutionism) and that these are males practising their songs ready for return to breeding grounds later. Maybe. Could be. Personally, listening to these and other birds in my garden, I am convinced that some singing, particularly in this case, is simply for pleasure, because they can, not for a “reason”.
