# Beethoven bird



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I was startled this morning by a bird. It was calling out the motto of Beethoven's 5th -- three short notes followed by a long note about a whole tone lower, the last note kind of warbled. Well, it got the interval a bit wrong, but its tempo is not bad, about like Klemperer.

The bird is still there, in a tree about 150 feet away. I can't see it, only hear it. Any idea what this critter might be?

(Added: in Southern California)


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## Mesa (Mar 2, 2012)

Funny you should mention, there's a type of bird back home in the westcountry that sings the imperial march (i'm entirely serious). 

It's common motif is the inverted minor chord tune we all know, but every few minutes you may hear something approximating the first three notes too.

I consulted an ornithologist with my speculation on the type of bird it could be, but he told me 'These are not the birds you are looking for'.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Are there mockingbirds in Southern California? The Tennessee mockingbird will sometimes go on a melodic binge like that before moving on to another call. I don't know how they decide what sound to make, but it can be either intriguing or annoying.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Weston said:


> Are there mockingbirds in Southern California? The Tennessee mockingbird will sometimes go on a melodic binge like that before moving on to another call. I don't know how they decide what sound to make, but it can be either intriguing or annoying.


Wiki says the Northern Mockingbird is present in Southern California. I'd guess that is...a good guess, at the least!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

If the tempo is like Klemperer, then it's bad.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

KenOC said:


> Wiki says the Northern Mockingbird is present in Southern California. I'd guess that is...a good guess, at the least!


When I was in Southern California and thinking of moving to Tennessee, there was a mockingbird which for about three weeks showed up and pecked on my window. I didn't know until I moved here that the mockingbird is Tennessee's state bird. Weird coincidence.


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