Grasshopper warbler query

[pegasus]

Is it possible to mistake the 'reeling' song of a grasshopper Warbler with any other bird? Your answer may help resolve a minor domestic dispute

[aeshna5]

More likely to mistake it for a grasshopper or cricket. Savi's Warbler, now incredibly rare in UK, would be closest, but is also quite different once you know it.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

More likely to mistake it for a grasshopper or cricket. Savi's Warbler, now incredibly rare in UK, would be closest, but is also quite different once you know it.

Also the cricket species that might be confused aren't yet singing I don't think so that might help.

[diggleken]

if its not just for a dispute on UK ID, Collins also points out the similarity of somg for Lanceolated, Savi's and River Warblers.
Cheers
Ken

[thunder]

And of course there is always the Nightjar.

henrya

[RKB]

Electrical conductors on telepgraph poles! Don't laugh, I've seen it happen...

(they buzz when it's misty, and can sound like a gropper at a distance)

[pegasus]

Thanks for the replies.It was heard at Leighton Moss reserve in lancashire last week. 'Her indoors 'thought it could be an alarm call of a wren or some other wee birdy. I was convinced it was a 'Gropper' because it's song in so unique and i remain so. Thanks again.

[captaincarot]

if you were on the way to the eric morcambe hide then it was a gropper,
there's been one there for a while

[pegasus]

Originally Posted by captaincarot

if you were on the way to the eric morcambe hide then it was a gropper,
there's been one there for a while

Hi-----actually this one was in a hedge on the way to the Griesdale Hide[not that far i guess from eric's hide]

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by pegasus

'Her indoors 'thought it could be an alarm call of a wren or some other wee birdy. I was convinced it was a 'Gropper' because it's song in so unique and i remain so.

If it sounded anything like an alarm call, then I wouldn't have thought that it was likely to be a Grasshopper Warbler. Alarm calls tend to be either loud and distinct, or very thin and piercing but hard to place - the song of a Grasshopper Warbler is a relatively low buzzing/rattling noise (and would be far more likely to be mistaken for a Grasshopper/Cricket than the alarm call of another species of bird). The song is occasionally given in short burst which could perhaps be mistaken for an alarm call, but even then it is not much like an alarm IMO.

Also a hedge would be a (relatively) unusual place for a Grasshopper Warbler to be singing from - they are more typical found singing from herbaceous vegetation, or from lone small bushes in otherwise open areas.

Originally Posted by RKB

Electrical conductors on telepgraph poles! Don't laugh, I've seen it happen...

(they buzz when it's misty, and can sound like a gropper at a distance)

This is actually one of the sounds that is most similar to Grasshopper Warbler, and can easily be mistaken for a Gropper on the edge of hearing.