A note on bird song: Samuel Hearne’s observations on the Snow Bunting (<em>Plectrophenax nivalis</em>)

David L. G. Noakes; Jeffrey D. Noakes

doi:10.22621/cfn.v128i3.1606

A note on bird song: Samuel Hearne’s observations on the Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)

Authors

David L. G. Noakes Fisheries and Wildlife Department and Oregon Hatchery Research Center, 104 Nash Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331-3803
Jeffrey D. Noakes Canadian War Museum, 1 Vimy Place, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 4V5

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v128i3.1606

Keywords:

Arctic, bird song, Atlantic Canary, Snow Bunting, Samuel Hearne, Serinus canarius, Plectrophenax nivalis

Abstract

In 1795, the Arctic explorer Samuel Hearne recorded detailed observations on the distribution, ecology, molt, and behaviour of the Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis). The most significant of his observations was that Snow Buntings imitated the vocalizations of Atlantic Canaries (Serinus canarius) when housed with that species. His account has apparently not been widely recognized by ornithologists, but it is one of the first such observations on bird’s acquisition of vocalizations.

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Published

2014-10-16

Issue

Vol. 128 No. 3 (2014)

Section

Notes

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