mimicry, a summary and some questions

["Greg" <>]

Hi Philip,

Being a bird bander I have witnessed first hand the vocal mimicry of birds 
being handled for banding.  This mimicry is interesting because it is 
'whisper mimicry, a very soft call that wouldn't be heard more than a few 
metres away.  I know I have heard it from a few different species but the 
one that comes to mind is the Buff-rumped Thornbill.  A male Mistletoebird 
(possibly more than one) that visits our garden is also an excellent 
'whisper mimic'.
I have also had a female plumaged Golden Whistler visiting during this 
winter and it was giving a fairly good imitation of the call of the 
Buff-rumped Thornbill, mixed in with its own subdued non-breeding calls.  I 
also heard a Whistler doing this last year, possibly the same bird.

Regards

Greg Clancy