Ground bird call, sounds a bit like a hiccup?

Hi All, I'm trying to identify a bird call for a friend who runs a campsite in a very rural position in the Midlands. Neither she nor others who work the land recognise it. The noise in question is:

- heard throughout the day at intervals, ceasing around dusk

- emanating from long grass, at ground level, on the edge of patches woodland, farmland surrounding, rural

- consists of 2 notes in rapid succession that almost resemble a hiccup

- heard consistently for at least the last 8 weeks

I'm going to upload an mp3 of the call, and I apologise in advance for the less-than-stellar quality. The call I'm trying to identify can be heard very faintly amongst other birdsong (black caps, willow warblers etc).

The bird in question can be heard at 0:01, 0:05 and 0:07 (like a 'hi-cup' sound)

Any help appreciated - it's a bit of a mystery!

  • Hi, did you ever find out what this was? I hear exactly the same in the fields around us and can't identify it!

  • Hi Eileen, however did you dig up this old thread. Not surprised nobody answered it as it's very difficult to hear anything above the background noise

    I can only suggest it's something like a Grey Partridge.

    Patrik Åberg, XC42430. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/42430

    Is that anything like what you've been hearing? If not can you get a recording and we will do our best.

    ____________________________________________________________________

    Tony

    My Flickr Photostream 

  • Hi, thanks for your reply. I've been living on Google trying to find the answer and came upon this thread. No the new recording isn't the same, but the one posted last year is definitely it, I'll try to record it, but it's hard to get it above all the other birds in the area (not a bad complaint). Eileen
  • I tried to clean up the original recording - reduce noise and amplify it a bit - not entirely successful but I can now hear the two "hiccups" No idea what it is though.

    ____________________________________________________________________

    Tony

    My Flickr Photostream 

  • I heard a sound like this today, near Wetton Mill in Derbyshire.

  • I’m trying to identify this exact bird in rural Brittany. What is it?