birding-aus

Magpie mimicry

To: "Birding-Aus" <>
Subject: Magpie mimicry
From: "Robert Quinan" <>
Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2002 08:58:43 +1100
Hi all.
 
A month or two ago there was an article in the Sydney Morning Herald (or maybe the Telegraph) about Magpies mimicing other birds.  I hadn't noticed this myself and was a bit dubious.  Yesterday while mucking about on the computer I could here a Magpie warbling near by.  I also heard a Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo call once.  Nothing unusual as they fly over occasionally.  The cockatoo called again and on the third call I took a bit more notice and realised it was the Magpie imitating the bird.  As I listened to the Magpie I also heard a nice Pied Currawong, snippets of the Grey Butcherbird's call and a chatter that sounded like an Eastern Rosella, all nicely integrated into the Magpie's natural song.  It repeated these calls quite a few times as I listened for about 5 minute.
 
A very interesting little bit of birding from my study.  I'll be keeping an ear on the local Magpies to see if I can hear any other birds being imitated.
 
Regards,
 
Robert Quinan
Central Coast, NSW, Aust.
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