Monday 21 February 2022

Azores Endemics Sounds

Here's a few recordings from last week of some of the local Azores birds/endemics (from top to bottom, Western Azores Goldcrest and Azores Chaffinch followed by European Robin and then Island/Atlantic Canary). 

The Goldcrest and Chaffinch are distinct taxonomic units and from these recordings below the songs sound quite different to their European counterparts too. The Goldcrest is more Firecrest like and the Chaffinch seems more bubbly with distinct churring calls. 

The European Robin sounds the same to 'our birds' to my ear. The resident population of this species on the Azores is considered to be nominate (same as European birds) so that would make sense too.

Finally on this post a short burst of the Macaronesian endemic, Atlantic or Island Canary, the ancestor of all those cage birds and sounding like them still too. 

Following recent research Azores Chaffinch has already been split by the Dutch and looks like other taxonomic authorities might follow soon. May be the Goldcrests next? 

More on the Azores Endemic birds on the website AZORES WILDLIFE. In the back ground of these recordings there are other species calling too including Azores Grey Wagtail, Azores Gull, Azores Blackcap, Azores Blackbird, Azores Starling and House Sparrows and Collared Doves. 

Azores Chaffinch - already split by the Dutch, other authorities might follow soon following this research HERE

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