Sounds

Development

No data.

Vocal Array

Little detailed information on vocalizations, except for Miller’s (1983, 1984a) analysis of aerial displays.

In nonbreeding season, flight call variously described as loud cherk, sometimes modified to softer cheror chethat becomes conversational twittering of foraging group (Nichols in Bent 1927), cher(Savile 1951), churrup(Wallace 1974), chit-chit(lower pitched than in Western Sandpiper; Phillips 1975), or chert(Godfrey 1986). Cramp and Simmons (1983) described sounds of British vagrants of this species.

On breeding grounds, numerous sounds made but few described or analyzed. Different vocalizations used during aerial displays (by males only), nest defense (a type of “scold” by both sexes), chick defense (both sexes), injury feigning (both sexes), copulation, short-range communication between foraging mates, calling chicks, brooding, etc.

Höhn (1968) reported a male chasing a female, continuously trilling yu-yu-yu-yuwith elevated tail and raised wings. Savile (1951) noted that adults with young often fly about uttering a repetitious alarm trill. Sound spectrogram of alarm calls of adults with young in Miller (1984b: Fig. 8J). Two types of calls illustrated described as trilluttered from ground far from brood, and brief, higher intensity frequency-modulated calls usually given near brood, often while parent flies about potential predator.

Miller (1983) described several vocalizations that accompany display flights of males on breeding grounds. Instead of usual “rhythmically repeated call” used by aerially displaying males in most other calidridine species, Semipalmated Sandpiper males utter “motorboat” sound almost constantly during aerial display. This motorboat sound usually precedes song, consists of brief elements, and can occasionally be sequentially graded in frequency and amplitude. Song is more complex than chattering, with buzzy sequences of several distinct parts. Sonograms are shown in Miller (1983: Figs. 7, 8, 9). Savile (1951) defined motorboat sound as pulsating vurravurravurra. There appears to be little or no geographic variation in vocalizations (Miller 1983).

Phenology

Display flights and their vocal-izations are initiated when males establish territories upon arrival on breeding grounds in late May or early June (Parmelee et al. 1967, Ashkenazie and Safriel 1979a, b, CLG-T). Display flights are most common when females arrive, and generally stop once the male is paired (Ashkenazie and Safriel 1979b, Miller 1984b, CLG-T). Song may occur later in breeding season, however, even among incubating males (CLG-T). Parmelee et al. (1967) noted aerial displays commonly up to early July, later than other sandpipers.

Scoldingvocalization, given while standing, is common in both sexes through incubation, when birds are flushed from the nest (CLG-T). After hatching, alarm calls (described above) are much more intense, and often uttered in flight.

Daily Pattern Of Vocalization

No data available.

Places Of Vocalization

Motorboat sounds are given during display flights by males as they hover, alternating brief glides with rapid shallow wing flutters (Miller 1983). Height of flights estimated by several authors ranges from 5 m (Miller 1983) to 61 m (Irving 1960), most commonly 9–15 m (Dixon 1917, Sutton 1932, Parmelee et al. 1967, Höhn 1968, CLG-T). Songs by males also may be given during aerial displays (often during descent), during aerial pursuit of other males, or during short flights (Miller 1983).

Scoldingvocalization commonly uttered from rock perch, occasionally from small willow bush or ground. Alarm calls of birds with young are often emitted while parents fly in low circles around area of young, and sometimes from ground (CLG-T).

Repertoire And Delivery Of Songs

No data.

Social Context And Presumed Function Of Vocalizations

Since frequency of display flights and motorboat sounds decrease after a male is paired, they probably function primarily in mate attraction, while also repelling competing, unpaired males (Ashkenazie and Safriel 1979b, Miller 1984b). Song is given by males during incubation as well, and so must serve other functions. Sounds emitted during distraction displays and scoldingcalls of birds flushed from nests may distract predators from the nest itself. Frequency-modulated alarm calls of adults with young may serve the same distractive purpose. Although these birds do not mob, the frequency-modulated calls often attract other shorebirds to the vicinity, usually early fall migrant Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalaropus lobatus), and other calidridines. The trill alarm call of parents with young, usually given away from the brood, appears to serve as a type of early warning to the brooding parent (CLG-T).

None described.