bird.

[Koontz John E]

On Mon, 22 Nov 2004, Alan H. Hartley wrote:
> > This might well work for 'cardinal', but I don't think tis matches any of
> > the blue jay calls, and it's not the usual form of onomatopoeic name for
> > 'blue jay'.  "Jay" is actually more the typical sort of onomatopoeic for a
> > jay.  There's also that rusty hinge noise, but I don't know how one would
> > represent that.
>
> I think at least the ta- part might be onomatopoeic. (BTW, Ojibway has
> di:ndi:si for blue jay.)

I guess it's possible.  Winnebago j^eej^ec^(?e); IO c^he ta<ny>iN 'jay;
three buffaloes'; Osage kkittanika.  Other terms are descriptive, e.g.,
Dakotan ziNtkatho(gleglegha) '(spotted) blue bird', or mysterious, e.g.,
OP iNc^haN'ga giu'daN 'fond of mice'.  The "jay" call when loud is
apparently a mobbing call, but also used in courtship in a softer version.

> I connect rusty hinges with blackbirds (esp. redwings).

That I do know how to represent!  In OP you find maNgdhiNxta 'red-wing
blackbird'.  There a series of "comparable" forms in Northern Iroquoian,
too.  That is, they resemble each other and the redwing's alarm call, but
not the OP form.  The Iroquoian versions - which I forget - are rather
like the version in the bird guides - okalee.)

The jay's rusty hinge call is involved in courtship and is described in my
birding guide as the "wheedelee" call.

(The guide I'm using is Stokes - A Guide to the Behavior of Common Birds.)