unison calling
n.— «The breeding adults are noisiest now during the mating ritual, when pairs are engaged in what is known as “unison calling.” They throw their heads back and unleash a stream of songs and rattles, turning their heads back and forth. This throws their voices into many different directions, which makes it tricky to know exactly where the sounds are coming from. Their windpipes form a loop within the breastbone, which makes their calls so resonant.» —“The return of the cranes” by Elizabeth Laden Island Park News (Idaho) Apr. 23, 2009. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Sponsored in part by:
Dessert Stomach 05/14/2018: Funny cat videos and cute online photos inspire equally adorable slang terms we use to talk about them. • Also, when a salamander is not... [more]
Far Out, Man 04/30/2018: What other names could a team use if they realize it's time to give up calling themselves the "Redskins"? Also, what should we call those... [more]
Brollies and Bumbershoots 04/16/2018: If you think they refer to umbrellas as bumbershoots in the UK, think again. The word bumbershoot actually originated in the United States! In Britain,... [more]
Cool Your Soup 04/09/2018: According to Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe, it's important to master the basics of writing, but there comes a time when you have to strike out... [more]
Put on the Dog 04/02/2018: Why isn't "you're welcome" the default response to "thank you" for everyone? Plus lies that kids tell, Philadelphia lawyer, cowbelly, skutch, mind-bottling vs. mind-boggling, tsundoku,... [more]
You must log in to post a comment.