Sounds

From authors, unless stated otherwise.

Development

Chicks make repeated peep from about 3 d before hatching. Young begin to give tu-tu-tu about the time (or slightly after) they start flying and have been deserted by male.

Vocal Array

Vocalizations highly variable and diverse, with probable differences in transcription by different observers. The main calls and context described below.

Song. Song is bubbly, melodious, complicated, and relatively loud, and when given in flight (usually) is audible for 0.3–0.5 km. Various authors (e.g., Bent 1927, Rowan 1927) have tried unsuccessfully to render an English transcription, and we can do no better. In our experience it usually consists of 3 segments: (1) several double introductory notes tu-tu, tu-tu, tu-tu, (2) a middle segment of rising and descending notes that we hear as toodle-ee tu tu repeated several times, and (3) followed by a low, almost nasal, anh, anh, anh . According to Miller et al. (1983: 2191), it consists of “a stereotyped sequence of one to five units that are repeated rapidly and increase successively in duration.” The units tend to change systematically over a song utterance, and each “consists of a fixed sequence of three readily distinguished element types.” Buzzy elements are similar to those of Long-billed Dowitcher and Least Sandpiper, “notably in their sequential increase in duration and decrease in frequency and modulation rate within song units, and their rhythmic amplitude and frequency modulation (which are coupled). Other features of song structure in these three species are similar, but not so strikingly” (Miller et al. 1984: 809).

Early in nesting season, song is associated with display flight and performed well above treetops. Display begins with regular flight characterized by even, deep wing-beats; bird is silent or gives short notes. Bird then climbs slightly with quick, quivering wing-beats and gives rapidly repeated introduction notes tu-tu-tu . This followed by a descending glide with wings fully extended or nearly so and set 10–20° below horizontal, which fully exposes white rump and back. During glide, song may be repeated several times, always with neck outstretched. This followed by sudden drop in elevation with partially folded wings; this display often followed by a climb in elevation to begin new display or by long, quiet flight low above the ground (Harris 1989). See Figure 4A for sonogram of song of hendersoni from Manitoba, Figure 2 in Miller et al. 1984 for song of griseus from Labrador, and Figure 2 in Miller et al. 1983 for comparison of songs of all 3 subspecies.

Contact Notes. Feeding birds generally silent, with exception of short time after arriving to breeding grounds (see Places of vocalizing, below). Occasionally utter a single call to, usually shorter, flatter, and not as loud as tu . Given from ground, perch, or air (Lenna 1969, Kaufman 1990). Pair gives a muttered, subdued chuckle when feeding together before or during laying.

Precopulatory Call. Female (sex confirmed) gave wit-wit-wit prior to copulation.

Contact Notes in Communication with Chicks. Single or repeated (3 times) tu, much calmer than regular Contact Note; also wheet, wit, and qu-wit, with first syllable very long. “ Wit-wit ” used to call chicks from nest; they responded with peeps but did not leave. Male led chicks away from nest calling tu-tu-tu very softly, then gave a low rapid gurgling on 1 pitch—likened to a musical sewing machine. Same call heard from female on other occasion and from displaying males early in season. Adult (usually male) calls soft wuh wuh wuh, or oo-it while brooding small chicks. Chicks peep in response to oo-it, crouch in response to tu-tu-tu .

Flight Calls. Clear, melodic, staccato tu-tu-tu, or tu-tu-tu-tu, often repeated 3 or 4 times (Fig. 4B). Resembles call of Lesser Yellowlegs.

Alarm Calls. Alarm Call of feeding flock can also be described as tu, but lower and harsher, and sometimes given in longer series. Resembles call of Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres).

Calls of Short-billed Dowitcher approached by a human change when incubation advances. Calls include: ti-ti-ti (or tu-whee), given early in season; more agitated call is oo-ee . Female leaving nest half-way through incubation called tip-tip-tip . Incubating dowitcher disturbed at nest gave catlike whine. Near time of hatch, call kip, reminiscent of “ scaipe ” call of Common Snipe given by male. When eggs pipped, Alarm Call ki-ki, ki-ki, ki-ki, similar in quality to keek call note of Long-billed Dowitcher. Same call, sometimes trebled, given at nest after chicks hatch. As chicks start to hatch, both parents call wit or wheet, and then oo-ee in high alarm. In response of such call by female, male flew in and called tic-tic-tic and also tu-tu . This tu-tu call never heard earlier.

Agitated Alarm Calls Given by Parents with Small Chicks. Call “ qu-wit,” where the first syllable sounds like gurgling, and the last syllable might go up or down in pitch.

Also “ wit,” given singly or doubled and repeated every 1 s, another call sounding as if given with bill only partially open.

The “guarding” bird repeats “ tututu ” in falling intonation, when human nears; this call can be extended and ended with trill. Given at higher disturbance, the call becomes higher and faster and the last syllable rises. Adult disturbed with small chicks circled overhead calling “ tu-tu, tu-tu . . . .”

When danger imminent, very fast tututu or tititi or loud, sharp, and fast qu-wit, qu-wit, both calls ending with trill; sometimes only trill given.

During distraction display with chicks, adult runs off through the grass with an assortment of bleating notes. Distraction displays (see below) from nest may be silent or with weet . Weet Alarm Call of males given even after they have deserted young but have not yet departed and young are disturbed. Several males may join in, land in trees, and scream, even though they have no dependent young. An additional alarm, crok heard late in season, when most adults no longer attending young.

Comparison Of Sexes

Both sexes sing during aerial chases (Miller et al. 1983). Female’s song might be abbreviated, without terminal notes at end of each phrase (JRJ). Agitated Alarm Call of female is higher pitcher than that of mate (JK).

Geographic Variations

Similar in all 3 races, as variation has only quantitative and not qualitative character, and seems to be strongest in introductory part. Song is strongly conservative in sequential organization and general structure of component elements. Detailed descriptions, sonograms, and comparison between races and with Long-billed Dowitchers provided by Miller (1992) and Miller et al. (1983, 1984).

Annual Pattern

Birds sing from time of arrival through to mid-Jul, the great majority of song is in first week after arrival, then drops off sharply. A recurrence about the time of hatching thought to represent displacement behavior by agitated birds with broods (Harris 1989). In late springs, when nesting areas not immediately available, song persists longer and in greater intensity. No songs recorded on cold and stormy days of late-winter weather. Full song sometimes heard from males congregating in premigratory flocks after having deserted young. Also rarely from migrants staging on mid-Atlantic Coast (JRJ), or s. Ontario (REH), in spring.

Daily Pattern

Mainly early in the morning (06:00–09:00; 2–5 h after sunrise) and late afternoon (19:00–21:00; 2–4 h before sunset); can occur at any time of day, but not usually after dark (JRJ). Maximum vocalization after incubation begins generally corresponds to periods of nest changeover.

Places Of Vocalizing

Sometimes sings from ground, treetop, but typically in flight at elevation of 10–15 m (JRJ); higher flights reported (80 m; J. A. Hagar pers. comm.), probably influenced by configuration of surrounding vegetation. Flight song often given without accompanying displays, but all display flights performed with singing. Also, commonly given during aerial chases. Male observed to sing before (from ground) and after (from air) copulation, during changeover on nest, and before or after flushing from approaching observer (Harris 1989). Soon after arrival on breeding grounds, many individuals vocalize from ground every few minutes while feeding or preening close to others; other conspecifics might remain silent. Feeding individuals vocalize while walking from one probing spot to the other, calls also often given with bill partially in water. Makes short breaks in preening to call. Individual might call when it runs to chase a conspecific away.

Repertoire And Delivery Of Songs

See Vocal array, above.

Social Context And Presumed Function

See Vocal array, above.

Association Between Vocalizations and Agonistic or Courtship Displays. Display flights at Schefferville, Quebec, and Churchill, Manitoba, usually wide-ranging, extending over hundreds of meters. Localized displays also noted and associated with presence of a bird on the ground below (Harris 1989, JK; see also Behavior: spacing, below).

At Churchill, in mid-Jun, J. A. Hagar (pers. comm.) described a display “by a single bird . . . saw-toothing . . . perhaps 200–250 feet above the tundra. It flickered its wings snipe-like as it climbed silently the up-side of each tooth, held its wings rigid well below the horizontal as it coasted the down-side, at the same time repeating the short, hoarsely-whistled call which never fails to suggest . . . the call of a Common Snipe.” JRJ has seen similar display rarely, and only in late Jul, after adults had left chicks; consisted of rapid flight low around marshes, then saw-toothing rapidly, occasionally turning up on 1 wing like a shearwater; no vocalizations heard (JRJ).

Display flights more frequent early in year. Not unusual to involve chases with 2–3 other dowitchers; clearly associated with pair formation and territorial advertising. Stilt Sandpipers, Dunlin, and, rarely, Hudsonian Godwits, often join in multispecies chases.

Terrestrial displays after chases not observed.

Responses To The Calls

Incubating and foraging Short-billed Dowitchers never observed to react to song (Harris 1989). Several observations of flight songs being answered by individuals (male and female) on ground (JRJ). In another case, 2 males singing alternately, female nearby. Chicks seldom heard to answer contact calls; they may feed when parent utters Contact Notes; some notes prompt them to follow calling parent. React to extreme Alarm Calls by immediately crouching or, if possible, hiding under vegetation.

None known.