Here are some examples of serious errors made by sound editors regarding what species of birds are where and when:

• An eastern screech owl calling in the opening scene of E. T.  which took place in a suburban California setting;
• The scream of a red-tailed hawk used in the desert island setting of Lord of the Flies;
• A shot in a recent episode of Survivor ― The Amazon  of a vulture soaring in the sky giving, once again, the scream of the red-tailed hawk;
• Almost all instances of the cry of the bald eagle used in film and television actually feature the striking scream of the red-tailed hawk;
• A common loon crying out from foggy suburban locales;
• A blue jay calling at night during a scene in Eyes Wide Shut;
• The admittedly glorious song of the canyon wren used frequently in eastern locations.
• The quacking of mallards used for a flock of flying Canada geese in the movie Seabiscuit.
• A cactus wren calling during the most dramatic moment in the movie The Curve ― the setting was on the Eastern Shore in the middle of the night.

All of the above are reckless errors in an attention to detail that is otherwise the hallmark of film and television production. Imagine the reaction if the Sommersby set had included coconut palms surrounding the ante-bellum mansion!

Hundreds of bird call blunders are present in movies. You may have even experienced this.  Click here to add to this list.