svihla@evax6.eng.fsu.edu (04/24/91)
I was leaving work about three in the morning last week when I flushed a bird in a tree next to the sidewalk. It took off emitting a high pitched squeaking that sounded about like my smoke alarm does when it goes off. I thought at first it might have been a bat, but subsequent nocturnal encounters proved that it was indeed a bird. I usually see them around sunset - they hop along the ground in a field next to the building, emitting single high pitched notes frequently. They seem to have a gray or dark cap with a thin white circle at the base. The face is white, the bill is dark, then it gets complicated. The throat is barred -white, then black, then white, then black. The markings are striking. The belly is a creamy white, the wings are grey or some other darker color. They spend a lot of time on the ground and I've seen them several times hopping around the lighted building after midnight. They're about the size of a large sparrow, I guess. I don't think they're house sparrows although it's possible. Any other candidates?
edm@verdix.com (Ed Matthews) (04/24/91)
In article <1991Apr24.013112.23290@mailer.cc.fsu.edu> svihla@evax6.eng.fsu.edu writes: > > I was leaving work about three in the morning last week when I flushed >a bird in a tree next to the sidewalk. It took off emitting a high pitched >squeaking that sounded about like my smoke alarm does when it goes off. >I thought at first it might have been a bat, but subsequent >nocturnal encounters proved that it was indeed a bird. I usually see them >around sunset - they hop along the ground in a field next to the >building, emitting single high pitched notes frequently. They seem to >have a gray or dark cap with a thin white circle at the base. The face is >white, the bill is dark, then it gets complicated. The throat is barred -white, > then black, then white, then black. The markings are striking. The >belly is a creamy white, the wings are grey or some other darker color. >They spend a lot of time on the ground and I've seen them several times >hopping around the lighted building after midnight. They're about the size >of a large sparrow, I guess. I don't think they're house sparrows although >it's possible. Any other candidates? From the location (ground), screaming voice, and two black bars, I'd guess you're seeing killdeers, a common and noisy plover (sandpiper like bird). Check a field guide to confirm. -- Ed Matthews edm@verdix.com Verdix Corporation Headquarters (703) 378-7600 Chantilly, Virginia