Not surprisingly, this topic was discussed many years ago, in the
columns of the now forgotten "Wildlif Magazine", edited by the late
Crosbie Morrison. It was agreed that the song of both Superb and
Albert's Lyrebirds included many strange effects which seemed to imitate
human sounds. I suppose that accounts for teh tale of the bird which
imitated the saw-mill's "Wake-up" hooter, but havingno sense of time got
everyone out far too early, in the dark.
It was claimed that Albert's lyribird is a much better mimic than
Superb. And one correspondent who had worked at an old-style saw-mill,
claimed that he had heard an Albert imitating the sequence of the
horse-team arriving at the mill - shod hooves clinking and thudding on
the road, followed by splashing through the ford, interspersed with
blowing and snorting from horses, and more hooves on road. I can't
think of any natural or innate songs which would account for that. But
it's only hearsay of course.
Anthea Fleming
Peter Madvig wrote:
A quick addition to this topic, afore it 'croaks'-
I recall in the '70s at the Kalkari (?) visitors' centre near Bobbin
Head, Ku-rin-gai Nat. Park, northern Sydney, listening to a recording
of a local Lyrebird going through the scales of an oboe! It was
supposed to have been passed on to the next generation, if I remember
rightly?
Any takers?
Regards,
Peter Madvig
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