(Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds, interactive version of pp. 12-13)

A very important question to ask about bird sounds is whether and when the bird stops to “take a breath.” Some birds can sing for 30 seconds or more without any noticeable pause. The song of the American Goldfinch, for example, often consists of several short series strung seamlessly together:

Compare the song pattern of this Northern Mockingbird, in which the bird takes short “breaths” between almost all of the series in its song:

Some birds, especially many vireos and flycatchers, sing very short unique phrases separated by relatively long pauses:

Other singers, including the American Robin, Rose-breasted and Black-headed Grosbeaks, and many tanagers, group short unique phrases into clusters that are separated by longer pauses:

(Next: pp. 14-15: The seven basic tone qualities)