A Distinct Success as a Bird

In Episode 6 of A Distinct Success as a Bird, we explore the relationships between Baltimore oriole song and human music, including popular music heard in oriole songs, oriole songs heard in popular music, and the whether copyright is relevant to birdsong. We also try to trace the origin of the unfortunate early 20th century claim that Baltimore orioles invented ragtime music. Warning: hammy old-timey voice acting.

This is the promised episode on the Baltimore oriole songs of the east side of the Charles River Peninsula. I take a philological approach (explained in the episode). A video including spectrograms of the birdsongs played in the episode is available here: https://youtu.be/lPE1Cs99864

On June 11, 2024 I took a kayak trip, starting at 5:30 a.m. from the canoe launch at Redwing Bay in Needham, Massachusetts, and traveling slowly upstream for about an hour. This recording captures the journey upstream and the journey back. Many of the Baltimore Oriole nests at Charles River Peninsula hang over the river so a kayak is the best way to locate the nests and record the songs of the orioles on-territory. By June 11, overall Baltimore oriole song had passed its peak but there was still plenty to hear, which I’ve tried to indicate in the time-line below, as well as some hints about the origin of the some of the prominent bird noises on the recording. Regrettably, an airplane passes overhead with some regularity. Rather than edit these moments out, I’ve decided to preserve a sense of the soundscape as it is, at the possible expense of maximum relaxation potential. Indeed, starting around the 1 hr, 30 minute mark, this recording becomes a document of overall environment noisiness, birds included. 1:32 Baltimore Oriole (BAOR) nesting female immediately followed by her partner whose song (sung by multiple birds) I’ve labeled “BAOR 01.” 01:53 BAOR 01 (obscured by red-winged blackbird) 02:48 First appearance of eastern Wood-pewee (multiple birds will be heard throughout) 03:17 BAOR three note vocalization in distance, probably female. 03:25 BAOR 01 04:36 Gray Catbird sings last three notes of full “BAOR 02” song. (You will hear this song later) 04:46 BAOR 01 07:45 BAOR 01 (distant) 08:07 BAOR 04 This male also knows the 01 song. 10:11 BAOR 04  11:44 BAOR 03 This song is also sung by multiple birds. 12:23 First appearance of male orchard oriole. There were three males at the Charles River Peninsula in 2024 and they all sang approximately the same song. 12:39 BAOR 20, which I’ve come to suspect might actually be the song of a female orchard oriole. I was never able to get visual confirmation, but this song was often associated with the male OROR song. 14:29 BAOR 08. It is not clear if this male successfully mated, but it did have one imitator (heard at 1:39:20). 14:36 BAOR 08 14:50 BAOR 08 15:22 BAOR 08 15:30 Now in red-winged blackbird territory; they show their displeasure with me. 16:13 BAOR 08 (distant) 16:37 BAOR 03 (obscured by red-winged blackbird) 16:37 BAOR 08 obscured 17:11 BAOR chatter 17:15 BAOR 03 (distant) 17:37 BAOR 08 17:28 A frightened animal (muskrat?) makes a splash. 17:50 BAOR 03 (distant) 22:44 Some noise as I fiddle with camera. 25:13 Nice group of northern rough-winged swallows in this area. 26:30 BAOR 02 (distant) 26:33 BAOR vocalization, identity unknown 27:03 Warbling vireos are unhappy about something. 27:27 BAOR 02 (obscured) 27:50 I pass under the trestle (and hit it a little). 28:00 Traffic noise begins getting louder as I approach Central Ave. bridge. 30:36 I take a photo. 30:47 BAOR 02 30:58 EDIT POINT. Now upstream of bridge. I recorded in 30 minute segments. Because the traffic noise became so intense, I didn’t resume recording until I was clear of the bridge area. 38:56 BAOR 02 (upstream version) 39:01 Pump sound from river bank, gets increasingly louder. 39:27 BAOR 02 39:40 BAOR 02 pip 39:44 BAOR 02 harsh note 39:59 BAOR 02 40:03 BAOR 02 harsh note 40:21 BAOR 02 40:23 BAOR 02 overlapped by another BAOR 02 singer 40:27 BAOR 02 40:41 BAOR 02 40:54 BAOR 02 41:02 BAOR 02 41:17 BAOR 02 41:34 BAOR 02 43:33 BAOR 02 (variation—first note repeated) 44:02 Startled deer crashes through vegetation. 44:22 BAOR 02 (distant) 44:42 BAOR 02 45:28 BAOR 02 (distant) 48:16 BAOR 02 (obscured) 48:30 BAOR 02 49:08 BAOR 02 full song 49:41 BAOR 02 50:01 Willow flycatcher’s sneezy song. 56:13 Red-winged blackbird alarm calls build in response to a Cooper’s hawk. 1:02:56 EDIT POINT. Heading back downstream. 1:03:41 Swamp sparrow and northern cardinal combo. 1:11:42 BAOR 02 (obscured by aircraft noise) 1:12:00 BAOR 02 1:12:13 BAOR 02 overlapped by BAOR Xy (previously unknown song) 1:12:17 BAOR 02 1:12:29 BAOR 02 1:12:54 BAOR 02  immediately followed by another BAOR 02 singer 1:13:14 BAOR Xy 1:13:20 BAOR 02 immediately followed by BAOR Xy 1:13:34 BAOR 02 (distant) 1:13:37 BAOR trill 1:13:42 Warbling vireo sings loudly. 1:13:49 BAOR 02 (distant) 1:14:04 BAOR 02 (obscured) followed by another BAOR 02 song 1:14:42 BAOR 02 (obscured) 1:14:59 BAOR 02 (distant) 1:15:11 BAOR 02 (full song) followed immediately by BAOR Xy (all in distance) 1:15:22 BAOR 02 (full song, obscured) 1:15:29 BAOR 02 (full song, obscured) 1:15:45 BAOR 02 1:16:18 BAOR 02 full song 1:16:43 BAOR 02 harsh note 1:16:53 BAOR 02 1:17:06 BAOR 02 harsh note 1:17:11 BAOR 02 harsh note 1:17:12 BAOR 02 1:17:24 BAOR 02 full song 1:17:27 BAOR Xz (previously unknown song) 1:17:37 BAOR 02 full song overlapped by another BAOR 02 full song in distance 1:17:49 BAOR 02 1:18:09 BAOR 02 1:18:24 BAOR 02 full song (obscured) 1:20:27 BAOR 02 full song (obscured) 1:20:38 BAOR 02 followed by BAOR 02 variation 1:20:45 BAOR 02 (full song, obscured) 1:21:02 Pump sounds begin again 1:21:20 BAOR 02 (obscured) 1:21:56 BAOR 02 overlapped by BAOR 02 (variation—different ending) 1:22:56 BAOR 02 (obscured) 1:23:36 BAOR 02 (obscured) 1:25:40 Common yellowthroat singing loudly 1:27:49 Orchard oriole male 1:28:47 Canada geese flyover 1:29:16 Approaching bridge, traffic noise builds 1:29:34 Yellow warbler singing loudly 1:30:54 EDIT POINT. Now downstream of bridge 1:32:00 BAOR 02 (obscured) 1:33:34 BAOR vocalization, possible female 1:35:40 Red squirrel is unhappy about something 1:38:01 Agitated red-winged blackbird begins following me 1:39:20 BAOR 03 (variation) followed by BAOR 08 (imitation) 1:46:03 Orchard oriole male followed by BAOR 20 (OROR female?) 1:46:10 BAOR Xx (previously unknown song (OROR female?) 1:47:25 BAOR Xx (OROR female?) 1:47:45 BAOR Xx (OROR female?) 1:48:02 BAOR 01 (probably BAOR 04 version) 1:51:50 BAOR 01 (probably BAOR 04 version) 1:52:11 BAOR 01 (probably BAOR 04 version, obscured) 1:52:52 Gray Catbird in mimic mode. 1:54:13 BAOR 01 (variation) 1:54:29 Gray Catbird mimics call notes used by BAOR 01 1:54:59 Gray Catbird mimics call notes used by BAOR 01 1:55:13 Lawn crew sounds start 1:56:20 BAOR 01 (variation) 1:56:52 BAOR 01 (variation) 1:57:05 BAOR 01 (variation) 1:57:26 Chick noise and chatter from the BAOR 01 nest  

The romance novel treatment of our four Baltimore oriole characters concludes with a flurry of different recording techniques and situations. 

A birdsong-based story about four Baltimore orioles, framed as a romance novel. Follow Lord and Lady Trestleton, Lord Railtrailton, and a mystery bird, as they fall in love and try to ward off competing suitors. Will the Trestleton relationship survive? Includes documentation of and speculation about song sharing among males of the species. 

This is an introduction to Baltimore oriole song, a non-linear collage of excerpts from my field recordings, text-to-voice commentary , excerpts from audio bird guides, and clips from a conference presentation. The intro and outro music is based on the songs of two oriole songs in my collection.