Wednesday, September 23, 2009

RMBO Audio Quiz #1 - Answer

Here is the first RMBO audio quiz. We will be putting up a new audio file every two weeks. Click on the player below (requires flash) to listen to the quiz or click here to be redirected to the audio website.





Answer to Audio Quiz #1:

In the quiz #1 recording, you can immediately hear a very unique bird sound – a singing Common Poorwill. Then, almost right away an American Robin sings and also a Mourning Dove.

I was surprised how many didn’t notice the Mourning Dove. It is especially interesting to me because this is something that we warn about during RMBO point-count training sessions for our field staff. Mourning Doves are apparently missed quite frequently by biologists doing point-count surveys (a “window” species!). I just did a quick internet search and I could not find any information to support this statement, but this would be a great research project for someone!

Also, if you are curious about that metallic popping in this recording that is some metal part of the under-carriage of my vehicle cooling off. There are also some audible insects in there too (crickets or grasshoppers?).

Here are the people who submitted correct answers (* = bonus 1/2 point for Mourning Dove):

Andy Bankert *
Eric DeFonso *
Grant Gardner *
Bill Maynard *
Jen McCabe *
Nathan Pieplow *
Marcel Such *
Joel Such *
Debbie Barnes
Chuck Bell
Bryan Guarente
Chuck Hundertmark
Carl Ingwell
Harley Winfrey

Thanks!
Jason Beason

1 comment:

  1. One reason why people may not have noticed the Mourning Dove is that its song is very low-pitched, and many built-in computer speakers don't reproduce low-pitched sounds very well. The dove is barely audible when I play the clip at full volume on my laptop. (That said, I also agree with your comments about its being a "window species.")

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