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Ovenbird Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

© Benjamin Clock / Macaulay Library New Jersey, May 11, 2012

Song
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New York, May 11, 2017Recorded by Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library
Song
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West Virginia, April 30, 2000Recorded by Wil Hershberger / Macaulay Library
Flight song
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New York, May 21, 2020Recorded by Bob McGuire / Macaulay Library
Chip calls
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New York, May 13, 2018Recorded by Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library
Tink calls
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New York, May 21, 2016Recorded by Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library
Flight calls
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New York, September 04, 2017Recorded by Brad Walker / Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Songs

The primary mating and territorial song of the male Ovenbird is a rapid, resounding tea-cher, Tea-cher, TEA-cher growing louder over the first few repetitions, with 8 to 13 teacher phrases in all. Pitch, speed, and emphasis of syllables in the 2.5–4 second song vary among individuals. To our ears, some may sound more like tea-tea-tea, and others more like teachier, teachier. Males use a shorter song during chases, attacks, and copulation attempts. This song is longer and more varied, starting with a series of short notes, followed by a complex ramble of teacher phrases and ple-bleep notes. Males also give a distinctive flight song at dusk that differs from the typical song, though includes a few ‘teacher’ phrases in it.

Calls

Males and females give several kinds of short call notes. Almost all are used only by one sex or the other. Distinctly male calls include ple-bleep and whink notes used in male-male encounters and in male-female chases. Female calls include a high tsip that may serve chiefly to identify her as a female in male-female interactions. A series of tsip calls after a male song associates a female with a particular male. The sexes share a chep call used for communication between them as well as in chases.

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