There are a number of birds that are known for making repetitive or repeating sounds. Some of the most common examples include cuckoos, whip-poor-wills, loons, and owls. The sounds these birds make are often species-specific and can be used to identify them. In this article, we will take a closer look at some of the birds with repetitive calls and the reasons behind their vocalizations.
The Common Cuckoo
One of the most well-known birds with a repeating call is the common cuckoo. This species is found throughout Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. The male’s distinctive call is a loud and repetitive “cuck-oo”. This two-note call is easily recognizable and is one of the sounds often associated with springtime in regions where the cuckoo is found.
The male cuckoo’s repetitive call has two main functions. One is to attract females for breeding. The loud, repetitive call allows the female cuckoo to easily locate potential mates over considerable distances. The second function is to defend territory. Male cuckoos will call relentlessly from perches during the breeding season to warn off rival males.
Interestingly, while the cuckoo is associated with the “cuck-oo” sound, the female makes a “bubbling” call. This demonstrates the species-specific nature of some bird vocalizations. The cuckoo’s recognizable call is so engrained that it has given the bird its common name in many languages and also lent its name to the clock that mimics its sound.
Whip-poor-wills
Whip-poor-wills are nocturnal birds found across much of North America. As their name suggests, they are well-known for their repetitive nighttime call that sounds like “whip-poor-will.” The call consists of a loud “whip” note followed by a softer “poor-will” set of notes.
Whip-poor-wills will sit on perches and repeat this call relentlessly through the night during breeding season. Their camouflage plumage helps them blend into the landscape as they call repeatedly. Like many other birds, the whip-poor-will’s vocalizations are used to attract mates and establish territories.
The non-stop calling can go on for hours through the night. Ornithologists believe a male whip-poor-will may call up to 1,000 times an hour at the height of breeding season! This makes their repetitive call hard for campers and hikers not to notice on overnight trips. The singing can start at dusk and continue into the early morning hours until dawn.
Loons
Several species of loons also have very distinctive vocalizations that include repetitions of yodeling and wailing calls. These large diving birds breed on lakes and ponds across Canada, Alaska, and parts of the northern U.S.
Each loon species has its own specific calls, but the common loon (Gavia immer) is most recognized for its tremolo call. This call consists of a series of quick, repetitive, high-pitched yelping notes. It is used to communicate over distances between loons on lakes and serves purposes like alarm calls to signal threats.
The tremolos are often heard echoing across lakes in the summer along with the loon’s other repetitive vocalizations like yodels and wails. Other loon species have similar-sounding vocalizations consisting of repetitive syllables and sounds.
Owls
Many different owl species also make repetitive calls, usually consisting of hoots. Owls use their calls for communicating and defending territories. Some species also use vocalizations for attracting mates.
For example, the barred owl makes the classic repetitive “who-cooks-for-you” call that many people associate with owls. Barred owls will call back-and-forth using this distinct hooting pattern. The repetitive notes carry well through woodlands and can be heard from considerable distances.
Other owls like the Eastern screech owl give a whinnying, trembling call that has repetitive notes. And small owls like the northern saw-whet owl make a repetitive tooting sound. Whether it’s the barred owl’s “who-cooks-for-you” or the saw-whet’s robotic tooting, repetitive owl calls are a good way to identify these nocturnal raptors even if you can’t see them.
Reasons for Repetitive Bird Calls
So why do some birds like cuckoos, whip-poor-wills, loons, and owls make repetitive sounds compared to other birds that have more varied songs? There are a few key reasons:
- To attract mates – The repetitive and recognizable calls of these birds helps males attract females over significant distances.
- To define territories – Regularly calling advertises that a breeding territory is occupied.
- Long-distance communication – Repetitive sounds carry further than complex notes and songs. They allow birds to communicate over hundreds of yards or more.
- Camouflage – For nocturnal species like whip-poor-wills and owls, repetitive calls from a hidden perch help the birds avoid visual detection.
- Shared identifiers – The unique repetitive vocalizations act like a fingerprint to identify shared species, even if the birds can’t be seen.
So in summary, the reasons behind repetitive bird vocalizations relate to breeding, communication, territoriality, and identification – all useful functions for birds that occupy specific niches and habitats.
Mimicry Using Repetitive Bird Calls
The fact that many birds use repetitive sounds means that their vocalizations are easy to replicate and memorize. Imitating repetitive bird calls has long been used as a strategy by hunters and birdwatchers. Here are some examples:
- Cuckoo clocks and toys that mimic the “cuck-oo” call
- Hunters that mimic the tremolos and wails of loons to attract them
- Birdwatchers using owl calls like barred owl hoots to elicit responses for identifying territories
- Hunting decoys that play recordings of whip-poor-will vocalizations
When mimicking birds, ethics and conservation should always be considered. Legal hunting should follow all regulations, and disturbance of nesting birds should be avoided. When used appropriately, imitation of repetitive bird vocalizations can help identify and locate various species.
Mnemonics Based on Repetitive Bird Calls
The repetitive nature of many bird calls makes them perfect for turning into mnemonics for learning other material. Some examples of mnemonics based on bird vocalizations include:
- Using the “whip-poor-will” call to memorize the order of operations in mathematics: Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction).
- Remembering the notes on the lines of the music staff (EGBDF) by memorizing the tune of the Eastern screech owl call.
- Using the “who-cooks-for-you” barred owl call to memorize the order of taxonomic classification (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species).
Repetitive bird calls make them easy to remember. Translating their recognizable patterns into mnemonic devices is an effective memorization technique. Students and others have been using the strategy for decades to memorize all types of academic and non-academic information.
Conclusion
In summary, there are a variety of bird species spanning families like cuckoos, nightjars, loons and owls that make repetitive calls rather than intricate songs. The simplicity and repetition of these vocalizations allows for easier communication over long distances, territory defense, species identification, and mate attraction. This explains why the sounds are so commonly used. Repetitive bird calls also lend themselves well to imitation using bird decoys or recordings. And memorizing their predictable patterns can be useful in forming mnemonics to learn other information. So the next time you hear a repetitive bird call like a cuckoo or owl hooting, listen closely and appreciate the important functions it serves in communication and breeding for these unique species.