When spring arrives in Amador County,
California all the locals eagerly await the wonderful song of the male
black-headed grosbeak. They are beautiful singers who look a lot
like Baltimore Orioles (orange breast, black wings). It's their song
that really advances them above the pale though. It is incredibly varied
incorporating typical birdsong, whistles, whirrs and chirps and they
sing for hours and hours on end, hoping for a mate. Below are 1) a photo
I took and 2) a link to a recording of a grosbeak singing. The recording
is very good, though it doesn't capture the full range of the song. Turn
on your speakers and click!
