Monday, April 9, 2012

MEADOW MELODIES



The songs heard in a meadow come from many different sources. These melodies can have a calming and soothing effect on anyone who listens to them.

 
 
 
 

If you’ve ever vacationed in the country or live close to grasslands and wildflower fields, most likely you’ve awakened to the song of the meadow. These sounds are made by animals during its breeding season to attract a mate and to defend a territory. The impressive displays of music and sound heard from the array of beautiful songbirds and other animals, strike a universal note in the human heart, creating a range of feelings from calming peace to tranquility and joy. These sounds have been recorded for years and brought into the home or office to create a soothing environment. They have also been used to create harmony and relax wild animals held in captivity when medical attention is required or if confined for short periods of time for scientific research.
 
Meadow Life
 
Meadow birds are attracted to the abundance of nectar in wildflowers and the insects surrounding them. Invertebrates such as butterflies, moths, bees and hoverflies collect nectar and thrive from the flowers in the thistles and wild grasses native to their country of origin. The high plant life is abundant and brings a high diversity of animals. Herbivores feed on plant species and in return supply food for the carnivores. Under the soil is another world seething with life, from earthworms to mice and moles. All of this brings forth a balanced, perfect ecology in relation to each other.
 
Song Birds
 
There can be hundreds of different song birds heard and trilling enthusiastically and energetically at dawn and dusk as they forage for food from trees to meadow. Some can create thousands of different songs a day and have large repertoires. These sounds can be loud and repetitive and range from singing, to drumming and winnowing when they try to impress their mates and proclaim territories. Female birds judge the quality of a male’s song when selecting a mate. Males who have access to extra food on their territory and are persistent singers will attract females the soonest. Sometimes males will respond with aggressiveness to another male’s song by attacking. Certain songs mean "stay away." Some birds sing in flight or only when perched. They can listen and respond to each other in complex ways we are yet to understand.
 
Wild Turkey, Ducks and Geese
 
Wild turkey can sometimes be seen in huge flocks grazing through the tall grasses. They are not vegetarians and consume vast quantities of insects, worms and amphibians. Turkeys cluck, gobble and cackle in order to keep the flock together, find a mate or alert other turkeys of danger. The hen assembly call is a series of loud yelps that keeps her young together.
 
Ducks are not very fussy about their food. They will eat almost anything, including animals such as insects, worms, slugs, snails, frogs, grains and berries. When grazing, they will make loud noises like "quark" and "dreek", as well as a softer quacking sounds.
 
Geese graze mainly on grass and vegetation. The make a "honk" sound to keep in touch and stay together.
 
Amphibians
 
Frogs and toads also called Amphibians, Anura, and Salientia, make different sounds. Meadow Frogs, (Leopard or Cow Frogs), will make its home in a meadow if there is aquatic vegetation. The male frog makes a short snore-like croaking call during spring and summer. Toward the end of winter the male frogs could be heard making exciting breeding chorus sounds. In the evenings, a heavy population of Bull Frogs and Spring Peepers can make croaking sounds so overwhelming it can drown out all other songs.
 
Insects
 
Male crickets, locusts and grasshoppers create many sounds and vibrations like chirping and clicking. These are usually signals to other insects or used when finding a mate. This method of sound production is called "stridulation." Cicadas have a pair of special sound producing organs called "tymbals," located at the base of the abdomen. They rapidly contract and relax the tymbal muscles to create loud, buzzing songs amplified by a hollow area in the abdomen. Both male and female katydids make sounds by rubbing their forewings together to "sing" to each other. Katydids hear each other with ears on their front legs.
 
Enjoying the Meadow
 
There are many ways to appreciate a meadow. Some people enjoy spending the morning walking through the fields and listening to the various sounds trying to decipher them. Others will picnic on the soft grounds, relax and take pleasure in listening to the various songs. No matter how you choose to spend your time, there is nothing quite like the peaceful meadow melodies that can be heard on a beautiful, sunny day.


Wild Turkey in Meadow -
by Marie C. Dimino