Date: 7/1/25 5:21 pm From: Paul Hubert via groups.io <paulhubert123...> Subject: Re: [NEBirds] Scarlet Tanager Omaha
Thanks for the suggestions and information. My opinion is pretty
prejudiced because I really want to have a pair of Scarlet Tanagers nesting
in my neighborhood.
Too, it seems awfully early to be Fall. There are lots of birds still
on their nests, though I suppose they could be raising multiple clutches.
Also, each year I hear the tanger at about the same place, +/- about
50 feet, so I'm hoping it's a territorial thing with the nest.
Thanks again, and I hope a really cool bird moves into your neighborhood
too!
Chip Hubert
Omaha
On Tue, Jul 1, 2025 at 12:54 PM Paul Roisen via groups.io <roisenp1950=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> Very nice information, Ross. You always amaze me with your knowledge and
> continued sharing of this knowledge.
> We are blessed to have you as record-keeper and database for all things
> "birdy".
>
> God Bless.
> *Paul O. Roisen*
> *Woodbury County, IA*
> *Mobile 712-301-2817*
>
>
> On Tue, Jul 1, 2025 at 11:26 AM Ross Silcock via groups.io <silcock=
> <rosssilcock.com...> wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Copilot to the rescue. I'd guess my highlighted reasons are most likely
>> for tanagers and cuckoos.
>>
>> *Why Passerines Sing in Fall*
>>
>> - *Territory Defense*: Many resident species like Bewick’s Wrens and
>> Song Sparrows stay put year-round. As young birds disperse in autumn,
>> adults sing to reassert their winter territories and discourage intruders.
>> - *Social Structuring*: In flocking species like White-crowned and
>> Golden-crowned Sparrows, song helps establish social hierarchies within
>> winter flocks. It’s less about romance and more about rank.
>> - *Practice Makes Perfect*: Juvenile birds often rehearse their songs
>> in fall. These “subsong” attempts—think of them as the bird version of
>> vocal warm-ups—help them refine the complex tunes they’ll need come spring.
>> - *Hormonal Triggers*: Some species, like European Starlings,
>> experience a post-molt spike in testosterone, which can reignite singing
>> behavior even outside the breeding season3.
>> - *Photoperiod Sensitivity*: Others, like White-crowned Sparrows, are
>> less hormonally driven in fall but still sing for social cohesion.
>> Interestingly, even females and juveniles may join in, suggesting song
>> serves broader purposes than just mating.
>>
>> Ross
>>
>> Ross Silcock
>> 6810 Tournament Drive,
>> Houston, TX 77069
>>
>> Co-editor Birds of Nebraska Online
>> Editor Seasonal Reports, Nebraska Bird Review.
>>
>>
>
>
