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Mimicry by Lyrebird

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Subject: Mimicry by Lyrebird
From: Mike Jarman <>
Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 15:32:21 +1000
I remember probably 20 years ago listening to a lyrebird in the big avairy at 
Taronga Zoo imitating the sound of a jet plane flying over.  It also had a 
distinctive call of "mum" picked up from the many children searching for their 
mothers.  Does anybody else remember or have any information on this bird?


cheers

mike



 
---- brian fleming <> wrote: 
> 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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