The Zoologist/4th series, vol 1 (1897)/Issue 675/The Autumn Song of Birds

by Oliver Vernon Aplin

 

THE AUTUMN SONG OF BIRDS.

By O.V. Aplin, F.L.S., M.B.O.U.

 

Mr. Charles A. Witchell, in a communication in the August number (p. 358) referring to a paper by me on "The Autumn Song of Birds" ('Zoologist,' 1894, p. 411), states that I classed the Robin and Starling with the Thrush and Hedgesparrow as commencing to sing in November, or even in October; and Mr. Witchell adds: "But the two former birds begin their autumn song (if such it be) in August, or earlier." This only presents a part of my meaning, and, I think, misrepresents that. What I really said, as anyone who reads my paper should see, was that the song which the Robin and Starling began to sing in November, or even in October, was "not an autumn song, properly so called. It is the beginning of their ordinary song, which they will continue through the following spring." And on page 411 I stated that "The Robin's autumn song is of course familiar to everybody." This last is the song which is heard at the beginning of August or the end of July.

Since writing my paper, I have twice heard the Blackbird singing in autumn, viz. on Sept. 1st, 1895, and Nov. 22nd, 1896; and probably on both occasions it was singing the autumn song properly so called. On the second occasion a bird sang for some time just before sunset (it was a very mild day); the notes were rather poor, but numerous; perhaps the singer was an early-hatched bird of the year. A correspondent has sent me notes of a Blackbird singing on October 19th and 20th and December 28th. But I feel sure that these four are only very exceptional cases. The same correspondent sent me a note of Blackcaps singing in a very low and subdued tone on September 5th and 8th; and I may add that in the first days of August this year I heard, at close quarters, a Blackcap singing a few notes in an undertone in the intervals of eating my fruit. But these feeble attempts cannot be compared with the autumn song uttered by some other birds.

I cannot quite agree with the latter part of the statement that the Willow Wren "is the most persistent singer of all our summer visitors, not ceasing until the middle of August." The Willow Wren, in my experience, becomes silent soon after the middle of June. The time varies a little in different years and different localities, and probably some may be heard singing very early in the morning in the first days of July in some years; for, like certain other birds, it sings in the small hours after it has ceased to sing in the daytime. But during the greater part of July it is silent. So far from ceasing in the middle of August, it is about that time (I said about the second week in my paper) that it strikes up its autumn song. I heard it this year on August 17th, and again yesterday (August 22nd). The Chiffchaff, whose spell of singing lasts from the end of March (the third week sometimes) until the last week in July in some years, does not open the autumn song so soon. In 1885, however, I heard a Chiffchaff on August 15th. In 1883 it was singing on October 1st. I have heard the Wren in September, also in the first week in August. The Starling often sings a little at the end of summer and in early autumn; for instance, on August 19th and 22nd this year.

The early autumn seems to be the only time of the year when the birds enjoy leisure and plenty. After the winter, when they generally have to work hard for food, come courtship, nesting, rearing young, and moulting. But when the last is over, it seems natural that in the warm hazy days of early autumn, when the birds have plenty of time to bask on the tree-tops and tall hedges, they should sing in a lazy, contented fashion. Also that the young birds of the year should try their voices, and produce weak and imperfect strains. Even the Rook adopts a soft caw; but I do not at this moment remember having heard in autumn the softer quavering croak which the Carrion Crow assumes in spring.